Ribs

[Thumper]

So Saturday, we were going to have family over to talk about Ecuador and look at some of my pics. Most of the property except one short section of walkway to the garage was still covered in thick hard ice. I actually, fell once walking up the driveway with the dog but was fine. I donned my ice spikes on the bottom of my boots and tried several futile plans to clear the garage pad and walks to the house. I feared one of our parents would literally fall and kill themselves if they had to try to traverse the ice. I gave up, moved all my vehicles from the garage to the barn, and gave my parents strict instructions to park in the garage and use the back door to walk to the house on the only walkway cleared.

Defeated, I took off the spikes and went in to help Mrs. T get ready. I was taking a handful of recycling and compost back out when suddenly I was looking at my boots and the sky. I hit hard on my ribs in the back. I was uncomfortable but functional the rest of Sat and Sun. I fell asleep on the couch watching the Olympics after the Super Bowl. I woke up with a start, did an involuntary stretch, heard a couple of pops. And... I've been in about the worst agony of my life. I couldn't even get in and out of bed. So Mrs. T took me to the ER Monday morning where they couldn't find evidence of a major break, and tried to comfort me that I didn't have a shattered rib piercing my spleen. I've been on 3 different types of pain meds that maybe just take the edge off. I've coughed twice and thought I was going to die. When I do sneeze, I have no doubt that I will die. Oh, and I get to use one of those breathing tools you give to 100 year old people to keep them from getting pneumonia.
Fun stuff.

[lady_*nix]

Oh no Hope you heal well and quickly, Thumper.

[Thumper]

Thanks lady_*nix. It seems I'm being repeatedly reminded in the last few years that I am not 25 anymore.
Groan,

[lady_*nix]

You're very welcome. Now get some rest and take good care of yourself.

It seems I'm being repeatedly reminded in the last few years that I am not 25 anymore.

Mood.

[Rommie]

That sounds awful. I hope you feel better soon!

[pumpkinpi]

I'm sorry to hear that. I'll spare you the anecdotes from my family members who have had similar experiences about how painful they were. Just rest assured that they recovered!

[Thumper]

I've had a couple cracked ribs over the years. You never really remember how painful they are from the time before. Finally starting to get some rest while weening myself off the opiates. I'm bored out of my skull. I'm already starting to plan for the 2024 total solar eclipse, marking up maps and scouting locations.

[Rommie]

Cool, staying in Ohio? My joke about it going through Cleveland was "this is gonna be the most exciting thing to happen in Cleveland since the last total solar eclipse!" (But on a more practical level, the trouble with the northeast is potential for clouds that time of year...)

One of the big astro conferences has already scheduled a meeting in the eclipse path at a resort hotel outside Austin, Texas. I feel that's about right.

[pumpkinpi]

I've had a couple cracked ribs over the years. You never really remember how painful they are from the time before. Finally starting to get some rest while weening myself off the opiates. I'm bored out of my skull. I'm already starting to plan for the 2024 total solar eclipse, marking up maps and scouting locations.

I'm not sure if I'm going to go to that eclipse. The 2017 eclipse was SO stressful for me. We planned to go to Lincoln NE but we spent the whole morning trying to outrun the weather, and ended up in Columbia MO. Fortunately it was only a bit hazy, and we got to see it.

I feel like this one coming up is going to be hard to navigate--literally. It covers more populated areas of the country, and less of the region has good chances for clear weather. I think it's going to be really hard to choose/book somewhere that has a good chance of a clear sky, AND has roads accessible to go somewhere else if your weather is bad.

One thing that would change my mind, though.....the eclipse goes right over Sandusky Ohio, the home of the world class amusement park, Cedar Point. I would love to be riding a roller coaster during totality! They aren't usually open in April, but I wonder if they are planning ahead for this

I'm happy to hold down the fort in MN and host events for the partial eclipse, and then make plans for an eclipse cruise or some sort that is almost guaranteed clear skies sometime in the future!

But don't let me spoil your plans... I'm sure with a lot of planning now you can find a suitable place!

[pumpkinpi]

I've had a couple cracked ribs over the years. You never really remember how painful they are from the time before. Finally starting to get some rest while weening myself off the opiates. I'm bored out of my skull. I'm already starting to plan for the 2024 total solar eclipse, marking up maps and scouting locations.

I'm not sure if I'm going to go to that eclipse. The 2017 eclipse was SO stressful for me. We planned to go to Lincoln NE but we spent the whole morning trying to outrun the weather, and ended up in Columbia MO. Fortunately it was only a bit hazy, and we got to see it.

I feel like this one coming up is going to be hard to navigate--literally. It covers more populated areas of the country, and less of the region has good chances for clear weather. I think it's going to be really hard to choose/book somewhere that has a good chance of a clear sky, AND has roads accessible to go somewhere else if your weather is bad.

One thing that would change my mind, though.....the eclipse goes right over Sandusky Ohio, the home of the world class amusement park, Cedar Point. I would love to be riding a roller coaster during totality! They aren't usually open in April, but I wonder if they are planning ahead for this

I'm happy to hold down the fort in MN and host events for the partial eclipse, and then make plans for an eclipse cruise or some sort that is almost guaranteed clear skies sometime in the future!

But don't let me spoil your plans... I'm sure with a lot of planning now you can find a suitable place!

Oh wait--how close are you to totality? It would be so cool if it went over your house. The next one in MN is in 2099!

[SciFiFisher]

@Thumper, welcome to costochrondritis. AKA inflammation of the connective tissues of the ribs. Combined with bruising and blunt force trauma caused by hitting the ground you may expect to have a wondrously ouchy few weeks.
The good news is that it sounds like you are mostly past the "Fuck, why can't I die!" phase.

[Thumper]

The good news is that it sounds like you are mostly past the "Fuck, why can't I die!" phase.

Yes, but I haven't sneezed yet. The last uncommanded cough I had nearly caused me to cry.

[Thumper]

The good news is that it sounds like you are mostly past the "Fuck, why can't I die!" phase.

Yes, but I haven't sneezed yet. The last uncommanded cough I had nearly caused me to cry.

You know, you sound allot like my ER doc. She said, "The next week or so are really going to suck."

[Thumper]

Oh wait--how close are you to totality? It would be so cool if it went over your house. The next one in MN is in 2099!

We're very close. The center line of totality enters Ohio at the Indiana boarder a little south of our latitude here near Columbus and proceeds NE through Sandusky and out into Lake Erie. There is alot of flat rural areas there in NW Ohio. I'm going to pick a place to be and make lodging plans to be there ahead of time. Then have backup plans to go an hour east, or an hour or two west. The actual centerline of totality goes right through the parking lot of a Flying J truck stop in Indiana right on I 70, East of Indianapolis.

I'm going to make extensive plans to be in several places, but will not get my hopes up about cloud cover. We got real lucky and had a great trip for the one in'17. It was awesome down in Southern KY. But I didn't make lodging plans for the night after. We were just going to drive the 6 hours home. (Hint: Everyone was driving home at the same time. It took 15 hours.)

[Rommie]

Yeah, I remember that was the trick in 2017- everything was booked SOLID in the days before, but even that night/ the nights after were far less busy. To be fair it was also an easy long weekend trip in August, so I'm sure that helped matters.

I remember talking to the Yellowstone park rangers a few days later by the time we meandered up that way, and they said the busiest day that season (or even the season before) was the day after the eclipse. Bc totality ran through Grand Tetons, but was ~98% there, so everyone had the same great idea to head to Yellowstone after and sat in traffic all day.

[Thumper]

Yep, I'll be prepared in all aspects this time, already got new solar filters ordered for the scope and binocs. The weather will be the only thing to sink us. And I just can't control that. Unless we make big time (expensive) plans to be somewhere where there is virtually no chance of cloud cover. But everyone with means will be there as well...

Also, thanks to you guys for helping derail this thread! Much more fun stuff to think about!

[SciFiFisher]

The good news is that it sounds like you are mostly past the "Fuck, why can't I die!" phase.

Yes, but I haven't sneezed yet. The last uncommanded cough I had nearly caused me to cry.

You know, you sound allot like my ER doc. She said, "The next week or so are really going to suck."

I may have some nursing experience that applies.

[Thumper]

Something to be said for a good honest bedside manner.

[SciFiFisher]

Something to be said for a good honest bedside manner.

IRL when I am wearing my "nurse hat" I try not to be cruel. But, honesty works best. Dying people know it is not going to be all right. OTOH, family members sometimes want you to lie.

[Thumper]

For some reason talking about bedside manner triggered a memory for me. It was sometime between '76-'80, in Heppner, Oregon. (You've been there, I think you did a stint at Pioneer Memorial Hospital, that my Grandfather helped to start.)
Anyway, he was semi retired at the time, I had a nagging wart on my pinkie. We're down in his basement that is filled with guns, ammo, fishing gear, and old medical equipment. He's digging out this electric needle and is going to blast the wart off my finger. He tells my Dad to hold me down. I protest because I'm becoming a big tough man. And he says, I'm about to hit you with 100 volts, you can't help but to jump. And that scared the crap out of me. When he turned to plug it in, I turned the rheostat down to low. He starts hitting me with it and getting frustrated that nothing's happening. He notices the knob, "What the?" He pegs it and blasts me. Needless to say, I jumped. Wart is gone, I still have the scar.

[SciFiFisher]

For some reason talking about bedside manner triggered a memory for me. It was sometime between '76-'80, in Heppner, Oregon. (You've been there, I think you did a stint at Pioneer Memorial Hospital, that my Grandfather helped to start.)
Anyway, he was semi retired at the time, I had a nagging wart on my pinkie. We're down in his basement that is filled with guns, ammo, fishing gear, and old medical equipment. He's digging out this electric needle and is going to blast the wart off my finger. He tells my Dad to hold me down. I protest because I'm becoming a big tough man. And he says, I'm about to hit you with 100 volts, you can't help but to jump. And that scared the crap out of me. When he turned to plug it in, I turned the rheostat down to low. He starts hitting me with it and getting frustrated that nothing's happening. He notices the knob, "What the?" He pegs it and blasts me. Needless to say, I jumped. Wart is gone, I still have the scar.

Now that is funny. And yes, I did a few shifts as a temp nurse at Pioneer Memorial Hospital and Nursing Home.

[SciFiFisher]

On a humorous note every time I see the headline for this thread I think about ribs, as in recipes, or eating ribs.

[lady_*nix]

@Fisher

Literally same Mmmmmmm, ribs.

[code monkey]

sorry that i'm late to the party, thumper. i do hope that you're doing better. the opioid crisis has had quite the impact on analgesic 'scrips. don't downplay any pain that you're still in and don't hesitate to mention it. i don't know what the laws wrt thc are in ohio but i did find it useful after some recent surgery. (and found the comparison between anti-pain instructions this time out and the last - ~ 8 yrs ago - hilarious.)

i wish you a complete, uneventful, rapid rest of recovery.

[Sigma_Orionis]

Same here. How you recover soon