Finally, the injection

Went back into San Antonio today to finally get the "injection". It was actually four different shots in my lower spine that is supposed to help remove the inflamation of the nerves so that they will fit into the reduced size opening in the spine caused by the arthritis.

I went in last Tuesday for the shot but told the person making the appointment that it would be fine with just a local pain killer before the "injection" Upon getting into the room the doctor would not do the shot without knocking me out. After much debate they agreed to do the "injection" today if I had a driver to drive me home

I woke up just fine, but Linda drove anyway and we stopped for a big breakfast. Linda drove back to Hondo and we did grocery shopping, than I drove the rest of the way home.
No noticeable changes that I can tell yet. The doctor said the shot helps those with disc problems, but not so much for arthritis. I guess only a little time will tell.

We leave D'Hanis TX tomorrow morning heading towards Louisiana. Two days later that we planned. That is why rv'er's always say plans are written in jello.

Should be back in Illinois about May 18. We will enjoy a roundabout trip with stops in Abbeville, LA, New Orleans, Natchez, MS, Tupelo, MS, Tunica, MS.

Hope all is well with you
Love to all of ya, as always
Jim and Linda

Time for an update

Howdy
half of  my regular readers of two told me I needed to do an update.
We arrived at the SKP park in D'Hanis, TX. Got cleaned up and went out to dinner. Our first time eating out together in five months. Also the first time riding in the truck together in five months.

I had scheduled an appointment with an Orthopedic and spine doctor on the 5th and after that appointment we decided to do our anniversary dinner than instead of driving back in the next day.
We went to a restaurant called Saltgrass. They have 5 in San Antonio and several scattered around Texas. Linda wanted crab cakes and I wanted a steak. Both were excellent. The service was excellent. The bill was excellent as everything is ale cart

On the 8th Linda flew back to Illinois and, as usual, she got delayed. She hates to fly as every time she does she has problems. Our daughter in law Lorie has double mastectomy surgery on the 9th voluntarily. Both her mother and maternal grandmother died of breast cancer.Linda is staying at their house to help with the boys and to be there for Lorie. Linda is scheduled to return on the 25th. But, that may get delayed

We will find out tomorrow.

I went back into the doctors for x-rays and an MRI. The MRI shows that the channel in my spine for the nerves to travel has grown significantly smaller. It should be about the size of my little finger and is actually about the size of a pencil. This is what is causing all of the problems. I also think that sitting around for five months and not doing much has caused the muscles to atrophy some.

I have been going to rehabilitation at the Hondo hospital 3 days a week to strengthen and decompress my lower back. I have about a 45 minute exercise routine that I have to do twice a day
y.
Tomorrow morning I go in to the doctor for an injection that is supposed to reduce the swelling of the nerves in my spine. They will give me a local shot to numb the area and than the injection.

If all goes well, and Linda returns as scheduled we will leave here on Sunday the 28th and start heading East for several days making a few stops and than North making a few more stops to Woodstock, IL getting there around the 17th of May.

I think that brings you up to date on us.  How about you???

Love to all of ya
Jim

Leaving the pipeline

We have called the company and asked to be relieved this coming Friday morning.
The arthritis in my spine is, I believe, closing off the nerve opening and causing pain and other problems. It is becoming difficult to walk properly and going up steps is very difficult. I have made an appointment for April 1st to see an Orthopedic and spine doctor in San Antonio.

Thought I would post pictures of some of the equipment used in putting in a pipeline.
TRENCHING MACHINES

This guy cleans up the ends of the pipe for welding.

and this is how they manuever the pipe into position

These are some of the welders. They have their own trucks and hire out for the welding. All the trucks are dualies to carry the weight of the welder and have been customizer by their owners. Some have awnings for shade

It is always interesting when they move the tracked equipment over the highway to continue working on the pipeline. The worker scurry around laying down the plywood and than the old tires in two lanes so that the steel tracks do not chew up the pavement.

The road is very busy and they send out a flagger in each direction to stop the traffic so the equipment can get across. Than they scurry around again to get the tires and plywood off of the road.

Remember you can click on the pictures to make them bigger.
Hope you have a gread day
love to all of ya
Jim and Linda

Pipe Bending

This morning the pipe bending crew came in. They needed to bend one last piece of pipe on this side of the road.
Interesting to watch the workers scurrying around, but not a lot to see as far as the actual bending. It is done inside of the machine by large hydraulic cylinders. One guy drives the dozer with the crane attatched and moves the pipe into the bender.
Do not know how they know where to bend it, but they get it done.
here are a few pictures but afaid it will be pretty boring.

Thats it for pipe bending. Going to be real slow for a few days until the welders get here.
Love to all of ya
Jim and Linda

Finally we are done

I thought I had lost this one. It is out of order, but am posting it so we remember what we have done.

Just a short note today
We finally got releived off of this gate. It has been a very trying experience. It has been so slow here.
  So anyway, we left the gate about 4pm. Drove to Peasanton, and stopped to check the trailer and got a phone call.
We have a gate for you. It is in Cotulla, TX. So we turned around and head southwest. They told us we could stop at another gate guard who was about a mile from our new site. But in the black of night we missed him and drove into town.  Now by now I am really tired of driving and I had driving at night. Linda called the company and they said "you missed him".....no shit.
We turned around and drove another 10 miles back up the shitty highway.....sorry Texas.....but you have some really bad roads.....and found the guy.
We are pluged into his electric and they will come out tomorrow morning and meet us here and take us to our gate...which is a pipe line....new to us., but pays the same and we only work 12 hours a day.

Plus we are close to town and have  decent internet and phone without the antenna.
I am writing this at 9pm...so by tomorrow with the antenna up, we will have good internet....for once.

Nite nite for now
Jim and Linda
p.s. we have to be up, at the crack of dawn.....6am