When last I left you, I was about to go to Cottonwood Lake to try my luck at walleye fishing. A nice lady who was walking by with her grandson told me her neighbor had caught several decent walleyes on the other end of the lake and told me how to get there. I was about to pack up and go when I had my first bite. And soon thereafter, lost the fish. This game continued for some length of time- several bites, followed by lost fish, which activated the competitive streak that resides within me. After awhile, I finally hauled in a handful of my bait-robbing adversaries- bullheads. They eat as good as anything, so I took them home, cleaned them (with significant difficulty), and fried them up a few days later for dinner. This, however, is almost unheard of in Minnesota. Patients and coworkers are shocked and I might even go as far as to say disgusted to hear that I would eat bullheads. Nearly everyone has asked me if I have ever heard of walleye, and why, if I had, I would ever eat bullheads. Upon explaining that I love walleye but that I find nothing wrong with catfish, the locals are equally shocked upon discovering that bullheads are, in fact, merely a small species of catfish.
Speaking of patients. I have been enjoying the caseload that I share quite a bit. I now see maybe 3 patients a day somewhat independently- with my CI observing and offering advice here and there. I've really started enjoying working on functional balance with elderly patients. I was reminded why I'm doing what I am doing by one particular lady in the local retirement community that laughed at me when I told her I wanted her to stand on an Airex pad while playing catch with me ("You realize I'd have to let go of my walker, right?") The excitement she exhibited when she was able to do so (with my CI lightly holding a gait belt) was energizing. The next treatment, I held a can of tuna in one hand to simulate a high shelf, and suggested that my other hand, at waist height, was a countertop. With confidence, she started moving the tuna can from shelf to countertop and back, absolutely beaming all the while. As she left that day, she took my hand and told me I was crazy, but that she loved me and knew she was in good hands. If I barely stumble through the rest of this rotation, that makes the whole thing for me.
I've also found that the "pretzel" exercise that our very own Mike Rogers introduced us to very early on is somewhat of a novelty- but a very highly valued one. Same can be said for progressing 4-Way Ankle exercises with a resistance band by adding a toe curl. I'm excited to see how the two posterior tib patients I'm seeing respond over time. Don't worry, Doug, I'll throw the TC manip in there soon enough. The dorsal glide has already had some results.
Away from the clinic, I rented The Force Awakens the other day. I'd give a movie review, but the DVD drive on my laptop has apparently stopped working, so I was unable to watch it.
My latest wilderness adventure was Lake Shetek State Park, the site of a Lakota raid on a settlement near the lake. I believe twelve settlers, including women and children, lost their lives, and the rest survived by hiding in a slough, now called Slaughter Slough. The twelve deceased were buried in a mass grave which is now marked by a very large, though very plain monument. The original site of the cabin at which the first lives were lost is also marked. The foundation has sunk deep into the earth, leaving a fairly deep impression in the forestland that almost serves as monument in itself without the added historical marker.
What has been interesting to me is the number of bird species I have seen in Minnesota. There are the expected- cormorants, a variety of ducks (teal, wigeon, wood duck, mallard), plenty of shorebirds (including a Green Heron, which I had never seen before), etc. There are several species of flycatcher, I've seen evening grossbeak (not a species I've seen in KS), bobolink, yellow-headed blackbird, a flock of cedar waxwings, pine siskin, goldfinch, and more species of swallow than I ever realized even lived in the continental US. What I have not seen are snakes and turtles. I've also noted that the deer are considerably larger than what we have here.
Oh! And note I said "here." Like, the 316. Wichita. I am back. Briefly. I was honored to be a part of a terrific wedding of two people I care very deeply about (you know who you are). So, that means I had to make the journey back- all 8.5 hours. And you know what? I wasn't even bored until the stretch between Omaha and Topeka. Why?
Well, driving through Iowa was pretty great. Good radio station, for starters. Secondly, I-29 from Sioux City to Council Bluffs follows some really pretty country. Also, there is something to be said for leaving at 6 AM. It didn't feel like traveling ate up my whole day.
Well, anyhow, that brings you up to speed. I return to the relative cool of SW Minnesota tomorrow (high of 77). I look forward to bringing you an update of hopefully hauling in a nice Northern sometime soon. That's really why I'm in Minnesota, right, to catch pike, not anything about an education or anything.
Hopefully you can detect the sarcasm in the above statement. If not, my blog is perhaps not for you.
Until next time, God Bless, and enjoy this picture that holds no real significance.
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