I guess it’s just a matter of pride with me because I’m sure no one would notice the difference, but I don’t want duplicate titles on posts here at LTG. So, part of my daily blogging ritual is searching to see if my proposed title has been used previously. And after all these years (4,580 posts), that is increasingly difficult. After ten minutes of trying different ideas today, I finally gave up and settled on “Whatchamacallit.” It turns out there is a proper spelling for that word which I had to look up—just another day in the life of a blogger.
My yesterday started with the Friday group hike, and we had another good turnout. Scott and I had talked about keeping it flat, but we had a few robust attendees who preferred something more challenging. We wound up picking a route that allowed the hill climbers to deviate from the pack and meet up again further down the trail. That actually worked out pretty well.
A good day on trail.
My nighttime persona began the heavy lifting of San Miguel Zero bottles at Sloppy Joe’s. Good friends, good music, cold beer–does it get any better than that? Well, Mary messaged that she wanted to join me. Apparently, my Friday nights belong to her now. Oh, well, the more, the merrier, I suppose.
I opted not to attend the SOB last night. The Thumbstar bar does this thing called the SOP, which is really nothing more than a pissing contest with the SOB group. That being said, Thumbstar does offer a “buy one, take one” on drinks and food, and the food is decent. So, when the hunger bell rang, we survived a highway crossing and settled in for some half-price fun. Mary and I had chicken burgers, and I bought the waitresses some chicken wings. Good times.
Mary had never been to Whiskey Girl, so we made that our next and last stop for the night. It was kind of funny because my waitress confided to me that she almost asked for ID before serving Mary an alcoholic beverage. Yeah, she’s young but looks even younger. During our visit, the Whiskey Girl dance team returned from the SOB competition and excitedly announced that they had won once again–that makes three weeks in a row.
Mary spent the night at my place but kept her pants on. Yeah, she literally slept in her jeans. I took that as a pretty clear sign she wasn’t interested in any hanky-panky with me. And that’s fine; these days, I want the passion to be reciprocated, not paid for. I’m helping out with some school expenses, but that’s with no strings attached. If she doesn’t want to fool around with Grandpa, I don’t have a problem with it.
Before bed, we watched two more episodes of Lucifer together. Interestingly, Mary had been watching the series on Netflix as well, and coincidentally we were both up to Season One, Episode Eleven, at the same time, so that worked out well.
I didn’t feel like cooking this morning, so after the dog walk, I took Mary to Sit-n-Bull for breakfast.
After eating, Mary caught a Jeepney for home, and I took some steps to start my standard Saturday street walk. Except, my knee issue flared up again, and this time it was worse than ever. Still no pain, but it was numb, and I was limping. I also felt like I was going to keel over from a collapsed knee at any moment. So, I cut my walk short and headed home. But, before I could make it all the way up the hill, I had to stop and sit down for a while. I was still limping a bit when I continued, but I felt like I had better balance. I got home and took a nap, and the knee felt normal again.
This afternoon I will be paying a visit to Harley’s on Baloy to participate in raising a glass in memory of Alan, the Brit who passed away earlier this week. I also hope to check on his gal Christine, who doesn’t appear (based on FB postings) to be doing so well. After seventeen years together, I’m sure Alan’s passing left a big hole in her soul. I hope she finds a healthy way to fill that void.
I wonder what is going to happen next. I don’t have a feeling of impending doom or anything quite that dramatic, but I also can’t stymie the awareness that someone is going to be next, and I fit that dynamic. All I can think to do about that is to keep on living until I’m not around to care anymore. So, let’s get on with it!
I finally gave up and settled on “Whatchamacallit.” It turns out there is a proper spelling for that word which I had to look up—just another day in the life of a blogger.
Just look up the candy bar.
I had the pancake platter.
That looks as stingy as a McDonald’s breakfast platter! I’d have to order two.
Except, my knee issue flared up again, and this time it was worse than ever. Still no pain, but it was numb, and I was limping. I also felt like I was going to keel over from a collapsed knee at any moment.
I’m no doctor, but numbness sounds as if your own docs are right, and this is definitely neurological, which doesn’t automatically mean it’s brain-related—it could just be peripheral nerves. The intermittency probably can’t be explained by a chronic condition, which makes me wonder whether you’re dealing with, I don’t know, a barely pinched nerve. I’ve had that sort of problem before, although in my case, a pinched nerve is always painful. My point, though, is that, as you walk, the spaces between some of your bones can expand and contract, resulting in less pinching or more pinching.
If I knew anything about anatomy, I’d be able to tell you which nerves connect your spine and your knee; a bit of research (done just now) says that sciatic and femoral nerves are your best bets. Look on YouTube for therapy videos that deal with relieving/controlling knee numbness related to these nerves. I suggest that because I’ve been looking at a ton of physical-therapy videos for a host of my own problems, especially lower-back pain and “neck hump.”
All I can think to do about that is to keep on living until I’m not around to care anymore.
Just a few posts ago, weren’t you saying that you’re “not all that morbidly inclined”? For a not-so-morbid guy, you do like to hint frequently at your mortality. I thought that was my department, what with my MA in religious studies!
Anyway, continue to take care of yourself, keep doing the things that give you a feeling of deep meaning, live a full life, and be happy.
YouTube vids from searching “knee numbness and weakness”
Wow! Thanks for the video links. Just scrolling through, and I’ve got a dozen or so queued up to watch. I appreciate you sharing this info.
Wow, I’d never heard of a Whatchamacallit candy bar before. Sweet name!
That breakfast was more than I could finish (well, a piece of egg and a bite of pancake were left). Those pancakes were thick and filling.
Yeah, what you say regarding my knee makes sense to me. I’m planning to do the ultrasound on Tuesday morning and see if that confirms this is a nerve issue and what to do about it. Thanks to your efforts, I’ve got a bunch of videos to watch for more ideas.
I guess the recent deaths of Bob and Alan have exacerbated those feelings of “time is running out.” But yeah, that is true for everyone alive, so you just have to put a positive spin on it and be motivated to live each day to the fullest. It could just be that I’m in some kind of emotional transformation that has left me a little out of sorts or something. Or maybe it just goes with old age. Anyway, I’m doing my best to keep a positive outlook.
Thanks again for your insights.
There are several bundles of nerves coming out of several vertebra in the lumbar area. Many, maybe most, when aggravated can cause sciatica.
My issue is one severed nerve that does not allow my brain to communicate with my ankles.
I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that you have nerve that is aggravated by an issue in your spinal column.
Just adding my two cents.
Just for knowledge. look up the word neuropathy and a medication, gabapentin.
I have not seen a Whatchamacallt candy bar in many years. I think they inhabited the PX. Also Chunky. Not quite the same as back in the day, but I can get my fix from Amazon.
Damn, I haven’t seen a Chunky in forever. It used to be one of my favorites, although as a kid, I could rarely afford one-it was one of those top-shelf candy bars. I had to settle for cheaper sweets like a Payday.
Thanks for the tips and insights, Jerry. Between you and Kevin, I’ll be well-armed with info and questions when I do a follow-up visit with my docs.