Exchange this morning between me and my physical therapist:
Me: That hurts my knee!
PT: I don’t care.
On my last night in rehab, I got a new roommate. Jim, kind of a crusty looking old guy (is that redundant?) wearing blue jeans and a Red Socks cap. I asked him if he was a Red Socks fan. He was the bat boy for the Red Socks in 1936, he had a great view of Jimmie Foxx’s huge year at the plate. He was a lifer in the military, first the Navy and then the Air Force, and airplane mechanic. He was on the Bunker Hill at Midway, so he saw some real gritty action. When he retired he worked with a horse trainer at Canterbury Downs. He wasn’t supposed to walk around by himself, but he was constantly getting up to go to the bathroom without anyone around.
And then there was the other Jim. He was in his mid seventies, younger and more lucid than the rest of the inmates, he had been in the hospital and at that home since early June. He got hit by a car while riding his Harley, among other injuries, he had a crushed pelvis. He probably be able to walk eventually and he certainly will ride again. He’s already going through catalogs, picking out his next Harley. I’m don’t think his wife is too keen on that idea though.
Jim was kind of the leader of the pack at the home. He always got to meals early and sat in the same seat. That made his table the “cool guy’s table.” It was just like high school with guys jockeying for seats, everyone wanted to sit by Jim. Include me because he was by far the most lucid guy in camp. Although I was one of the few guys who actually sat at the Women’s table. I managed to get some good conversations with some of the ladies there.
Another guy, Werner, had fought in the German army in WWII. He was captured by the Russians and spent four years in the Gulags. When asked what that was like, he simply replied, “Weird.”
Well, Rebecca is headed down state to attend her High School reunion. She’s leaving me to the mercies of my daughters. Pray for me.
I go to the doc today and will have some blood work done. If it’s all clear, I may get my new knee in a couple of weeks. It’s ballroom dancing by the first of the year!
Sounds like quite an experience. I’ll bet the ladies enjoyed having you at the table with them.
Best of luck to you; hope you get your new knee, and that you get to keep it. At my reunion, I discovered one of my classmates has had her spine fused, and one has had 5 knee replacements. Both of them had been cheerleaders; don’t know if that’ a coincidence.
I’m sure your girls will take wonderful care of Dad. It just may cost you a little, is all.