It has been a cold and rainy day. High was 12C (53F). It is currently hailing.
I am SOOO much a hot and dry kind of guy!
After my latest fall and the resulting hurt back, I have been using way to many drugs. While sitting in the wheel chair in George, feeling sorry for myself, and wanting to take pills for my back,...and pills for my stump,...and pills for my PLP, it is very easy to just take lots of pills, and let the body sort out what it needs.
I have been thinking a lot about how some guys on the internet are playing with open source hardware prosthesis. They are not trying to make a leg or arm replacement, they are trying to do better than that.
One guy has BBK (Bilateral Below Knee) amputations. That is both legs amputated below the knee. He is a semi-pro rock climber. His prosthesis have multiple shapes on the prosthetic foot for jamming in crevices, and standing on tiny ledges. He also made both legs much longer so he can reach far away stepping points. He now has climbed some routes that are humanly impossible.
On the TV show Bionic Builders they have a lower leg prosthesis that has a strong spring in the pylon to allow the user to dunk a basketball.
Maybe trying to mimic a knee is a small step. Why not do much more?
They have prosthetic hands with led lights in the fingertips, and sharp knives that come out of the fingers.
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I had planned on driving back to Pretoria from George, but a friend had a son that wanted a ride from George to Pretoria on Monday, so I came back a day early, but then he could drive the whole way. I could take pills that may not be best while driving.
My "chauffeur" was an interesting guy. He gave me a good feeling about the world future. I have met so many young people that are useless, and a waste of air. (I consider anyone under 50 to be young.) Talking to a good person, that is also young, was a pleasure.
About a third of the way into the drive back, we ran into snow. Snow in the Karoo desert.
Fortunately I talked my chauffeur out of throwing a snowball at me. I held the Padkos (Road Food) that Maddie had made us for the trip, as hostage. Included in the Padkos was some excellent meatballs that he wouldn't want to give up.
The trip took about 4 hours less than when I drove it last. But then, I stopped to nap lots. My driver just drove straight through with only stops for fuel.
I miss Maddie. I'm sure she is busy getting ready for her trip to Ireland. I am not sure when we will be together again. Maybe in September. As usual, everything depends on the prosthesis guy, and the Oncologist. Not only do I feel I have little say in my future, but sometimes I feel that I am not even consulted.
One thing I do think about is whether I want to try to get the prosthesis working again. I am relatively pain free right now, and the risk of hurting the stump and increasing the PLP just doesn't seem like it is worth the price. Absence of pain is a wonderful thing. But walking with a prosthetic leg is also a good thing.
What do I do?
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