Sunday, June 29, 2025

Hobbled

 Man, this knee thing is a literal pain. After a day of doing nothing but icing, resting, and remembering I can't tolerate NSAIDS, Wifey sort of noticed my limp. Wow, she asked, was it really bad? I told her the pain for me was a 4 on a scale of 10, which would translate to a 9 for her. She doesn't tolerate pain. 

The good news is it is fine when I sit or stand in one place. When I walk -- yow! The Ibubrofen helped, as it's anti-inflammatory, but I immediately felt that awful queasy feeling, even with food. Nausea is worse for me than pain -- so Tylenol will have to do. Luckily, Wifey had some Voltaren gel, from one of her multiple bouts of arthritis pain -- maybe that helps, too.

I figure tomorrow I'll have to call our family ortho, Julio Robla. He's seen all of us -- great guy, went to UF Med with Barry. He's VERY proud of Barry's academic accomplishments. Julio's practice, including owning a surgical center, has been more money focused. Also, like many Miami Cubans, he's a major Zionist -- he proudly displays an IDF shirt he has mounted in his office. Every time the IDF or Mossad pull off some really amazing feat, he sends them a contribution. Last time Wifey was at his office for HER knees, he wanted to know all the details about her Dad's service during the Independence War.

Hopefully Julio or his PA will see me and prescribe PT. I'm guessing I just gave myself, mysteriously, a bad sprain. But since I love to walk at least 3 miles per day -- I'm totally sidelined, and that's an annoyance.

Meanwhile, some sad news: my old friend Stu's father Bill has left this mortal coil. Bill was terrific -- after a career in Philly managing medical practices, he and his wife Mona moved to So Fla and Stu hired him as his office manager. Stu's an only child, and the two are best friends. Bill was the mentally youngest of any of my friends' fathers. He was a HUGE Springsteen and Dylan fan -- we went to a great show in Broward with him years ago. He adored his family -- his grandkids, particularly Val, a local tech bro, visited him constantly.

Bill and I got to know each other well -- long talks in the office -- Bill came in until just a few years ago. He cared beautifully for his wife Mona, who has Alzheimer's. She survives him, and I imagine the processing of her husband of probably nearly 70 years is awful.

Bill had a bad fall in January, and that really seemed to accelerate the decline. Paul visited him, and we FaceTimed. Bill said he had 2 final wishes: to make 90 and to see his Eagles win one more ring. The Iggles came through in February, and Bill made 90 in March. Talk about a life fully lived! I thought about him all last evening.

As Kenny said recently about the loss of HIS Dad Manny, Manny wasn't a great man, but more importantly a GOOD man. That describes Billy from Philly to a T.

Bill said something that always stays with me. When you begin a night out, preferably at a place like Anthony's Runway , his favorite Italian place, you order a martini. When you hear the sound of the shaker, you KNOW a fun time is ahead. Amen. Bill's memory will be a blessing.

It's a rough week for wonderful, long lived Dads of friends. Norman's father Max, 97 and last season still attending Canes basketball games, has been having health challenges, too. He was in the hospital, and is now at a nursing rehab place in the Gables, "porpoising," as Wifey and my parents did. I told Norman I hope there are more ascents than descents. Like Bill, Max is adored by his family -- a much bigger one than Bill had. I hope we don't lose that amazing man for a good, long while.

So yeah, compared to that news, my bum knee ain't a hill of beans. But I sure do miss my walks -- hopefully Julio  can get me back on the street sooner than later.

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