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One More Nursery Visit Before Surgery

Yesterday I felt I needed one more nursery visit before surgery for my ankle on Monday. I had not planned on any more garden nursery visits for the rest of the summer.

But in the back of my mind was this thought: I will not be able to drive myself anywhere for some time. No impromptu jaunts to walk around garden nurseries to enjoy the colorful rows of flowers.

In One More Nursery Visit Before Surgery, I purchased this white cone flower (or echinacea) plant.

When that thought took hold, I grew a little nervous about waving goodbye to one of my favorite places on earth to visit. At least for this summer.

Just One More Nursery Visit Before Surgery:

So I got in my car and drove there, a little giddy at the thought of wandering around among the rows of flowers, herbs, and other plants.

It got hot pretty quickly, so I didn’t stay long. But long enough to get my “flower fix.”

I came home with a white coneflower (or echinacea), a pot of fountain grass, and a pot of red, white, and purple petunias.

It’s been a disappointing summer for flower blooms. The onslaught of rain for days on end didn’t do my garden any favors. Plants love the rain, but not a flood of it all at once.

So now the plants are struggling and sad-looking. It kind of makes me want to cry for them. And for me too I guess. I spent a lot of money on those plants.

I did pretty well in terms of walking. It was early, so no long lines of customers or a big crowd to have to deal with.

Strolling Down The Rows Of Plants:

This red, white and purple petunia pot that I bought at the garden nursery. It's now sitting behind my apartment near the patio.

Just walking along and enjoying the morning. I saw the prettiest maroon clematis. Its petals resembled velvet.

Oh my, be still my heart.

The smell of roses that were nodding in the slight breeze.

The nursery had done something different with their plants this year. Instead of growing plants in plastic pots, many arrangements were in terracotta pots.

I guess they didn’t think of all the seniors buying plants. Thus not being able to transport them. How many people are going to drag those heavy pots home, I wonder?

And they had the most lovely variations of flowers planted in them, but so heavy I couldn’t get them to even budge. I certainly wasn’t taking that on.

I paid and then had someone take my plants to the car. Then once home, I went inside and got my big steel and canvas wagon out of the hall closet to roll to my car.

Enjoying My New Path:

Now I can just pull the wagon down the sidewalk and right to the juncture of my new pathway. Before it was difficult to navigate.

There was no way to wheel the wagon close enough to the patio for me to carry the plants.

So I had to pull my cart all the way through my apartment to the patio. Which meant leaving little bits of dirt behind me on the carpet.

In One More Nursery Visit Before Surgery, I bought this pot of fountain grass and had the guy who built my path plant it for me.

That path and the rest of the landscaping ended up costing me a little over $800 (including materials), but it was worth it. For a gardener my age and in my current physical state, it was really a necessity.

Ron’s grandson did a great job.

Yesterday I learned that Ron is in the hospital with pneumonia. Apparently about 11 p.m. the night before last he had to go to the hospital.

I’m worried about him. He’s so fun and full of life. And he always makes me laugh.

My Doctor’s Written Plans For Monday:

Here is what I found in a message in My Chart online. This is what the doctor is planning on doing next week…

Monday, June 27, 2022:

  • PARTIAL EXCISION OF TIBIA FOR OSTEOMYELITIS – Performed by T McConn
  • REPAIR OF DISLOCATING PERONEAL TENDONS WITHOUT FIBULAR OSTEOTOMY – Performed by T McConn
  • SECONDARY REPAIR OF FLEXOR TENDON OF FOOT WITHOUT FREE GRAFT – Performed by T McConn
  • APPLICATION OF BELOW KNEE TO TOES CAST – Performed by T McConn
  • SURGICAL ARTHROSCOPY OF TIBIOTALAR AND FIBULOTALAR JOINTS WITH EXTENSIVE DEBRIDEMENT – Performed by T McConn

Anyone in the medical field who might be reading this, can you translate this medical/surgical jargon for me?

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22 Comments

  1. Well, I know what a cast is😜 The rest sounds like you should be fixed up for a while. I’ll b thinking of you. Remember….Take it easy. You don’t want to do this again.

  2. Glad you treated yourself to another visit to the nursery. Any way we can lift our spirits is a good thing! So sorry to hear about Ron, and wish him a full and speedy recovery. It sounds like you are in good hands with this surgeon!

  3. You’re such an inspiration to me, Brenda! I even have my mother reading your blog now!
    Good luck with your surgery, speedy recovery and I hope Ron is back on his feet soon!
    Hugs!

  4. I feel like you are going into this surgery with much more confidence than you have felt in the past and that’s half the recovery already. Your team sounds like they are doing needed patient care for your persistent ankle pain and I am hoping this will be behind you soon. I think your gardening influence has washed off on me as I find myself drifting around nurseries admiring the different plants now. I never use to, just went for what I thought I wanted and now I am finding out there’s always more to discover and find room for.

  5. Beautiful flowers Brenda!
    Prayers to Ron and u to your upcoming surgery!

  6. Wishing you a successful surgery and a speedy recovery. Keeping you and Ron in prayer!

  7. Ann Cunningham was able to explain the procedures the doctor is going to do which was very helpful for you. Keep us posted on your neighbor Ron. I will keep you and him in my prayers .

  9. • PARTIAL EXCISION OF TIBIA FOR OSTEOMYELITIS – Performed by T McConn – osteo- bone myelitis – the “itis” part is for inflammation or infection, so there must be osteomyelitis in your tibia bone and they’ll clear it by carving it off – though carving sounds harsh, but in any event, clearing it away to healthy bone. The body recognized inflammation and reacts to it, so it’s nice to know they’ve spotted something that can be cleaned up, which will improve health of the bone, and without increased inflammation or infection, your overall health will not be stressed either.
    • REPAIR OF DISLOCATING PERONEAL TENDONS WITHOUT FIBULAR OSTEOTOMY – Performed by T McConn – your peroneal tendon is going to be relocated, and they must feel there is enough good tendon tissue there to get it repositioned without having to harvest tendon from somewhere else in your body to complete the repair. That’s a good thing, means no secondary incisions elsewhere or harvesting, and then healing.
    • SECONDARY REPAIR OF FLEXOR TENDON OF FOOT WITHOUT FREE GRAFT – Performed by T McConn – same here, sounds like they can repair the tendon without having to add a graft from somewhere else. 😊
    • APPLICATION OF BELOW KNEE TO TOES CAST – Performed by T McConn – that’s your casting, and will be interesting to see how thick and plastery it will be as they use all kinds of materials in orthopedics.
    • SURGICAL ARTHROSCOPY OF TIBIOTALAR AND FIBULOTALAR JOINTS WITH EXTENSIVE DEBRIDEMENT –
    • Performed by T McConn – while they’ve got it all opened up, they’re going to use the arthroscope to closely look at things, and use their surgical tools and devices to clean things up, the “debridement.”
    Having had both joints rebuilt in my thumbs, a few years back, a process that scared me, I also have great love and affection for orthopedic surgeons, the advances made year after year, and their abilities to put things like back together again, a process and healing of which can be humbling at times, but the outcomes are always extra special if you get significant portions of your life back. I wish you luck and healing.

    1. Wow! I’m glad you could explain it to Brenda, and the rest of us! Thank you!

  10. This is the first time in almost 54 years that we didn’t purchase any new flowers. We were in Texas during the time we normally shopped for flowers. Plus I’ve been sick since the beginning of February with my stomach issues. Even though I had surgery in mid-April, I’m still dealing with lots of issues related to it. So I’m really not up to gardening now. Fortunately we have our perennial shrubs which bloom and I’ve been able to enjoy. Hopefully next year we can get flowers for our deck. Please keep us updated on Ron as you’re able to and best of luck on your surgery. Praying this will relieve your many pain issues.

  11. Can you please send the link for your wagon. It sounds like something I might need.
    Thank you

  12. Thinking about you so much and wishing for the best outcome. I think you have organized yourself so well. I admire that.
    And sending along all good thoughts for Ron – I hope for his health to improve greatly so that he can come home soon. It must be very difficult for his wife – I remember being in that position.
    Hugs to all, pets to Ivy Lou, and am so glad that you got in a garden center visit. I like to do that too.

  13. I lost plants to too much rain (pretty periwinkles) when I moved here just above Houston & early summer was a monsoon in 2020.

    This year the grass is turning dry from so many very hot days without rain. And my garden appreciates a good soak!

    I’m a bit discouraged as it is a tricky sort of “investment” to garden! I spent too much on seeds that didn’t even grow. Such high hopes turned to Plan B (buying a few). I think I prefer patio gardening to coping with not enough shade.

    I love to browse the nurseries, too and miss the ones I visited when I lived in Austin.

    Now with that lovely path, you are well on your way to new adventures in gardening. Hopefully after you heal, that will be a bonus. I can see colorful mums in the fall already!

  14. I’ll be thinking of you and hoping and praying you get some relief at long last after the surgery, Brenda. You’ve been living with that pain for such a long time, how frustrating for you! I’m glad you live in this new complex with such wonderful neighbors surrounding you – don’t be afraid to reach out to them for help after the surgery if there’s something you need.

  15. If you want to know the details on the medical jargon – what they’re doing to you – just Google it. That’s how I’ve looked up test results from MRIs, etc.

  16. Just got my first blog (on my new e mail address) from you Brenda today, I think I was probably about a week without you!
    I wish you all the very best for your surgery and a good outcome. You deserve it because you have struggled for too long.

  17. Oh mercy, that sounds like a lot to be done in surgery…but will be praying it heals well and eventually you are good as new again!! DO TAKE it as easy as doc tells you…for however long it takes. So sorry to hear about Ron’s illness…sure hope to hear he recovers soon and gets to come home. I INSISTED on Hubby having oxygen at home after the 2 hospital visits, which we eventually bought our own equipment, and he still uses it some. It is VERY helpful in recovery!!

  18. Good morning Brenda,
    Glad that you took the time & chance to go to your nursery. At least we have things that we can dream about while we recover. Wishing you the best outcome and speedy recovery with your surgery. I will be having my second back surgery on Friday, July 1st. Two years ago I have my first one. Removed and cleaned up my spine between L4 &5. This time it is between L2 & 3. I had great success with my first one. So am looking for the same with this one. I’ll be watching for your posts when you are feeling up to it. Just remember to take care of yourself… You want this to be a rewarding surgery. You have suffered for a long time.

  19. You are in my thoughts and prayers, wishing you a successful procedure and a speedy recovery. It does our hearts good to see and smell flowers. Glad you could stroll around the nursery and come home with some plants. Your pathway and flowers all look beautiful. Mother Nature is in charge! I saw only huge pots of spider plants at my local farmer’s market. I was looking for the babies so the farmer popped 3 babies off of a plant full of babies for me and wouldn’t take any money. So nice and made my day!

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