Update PETER FOLGNER post on January 14, 2011

Peter Folgner passed away on January 25, 2011.  I will respect and honor him the rest of my life and am blessed have been his friend in the world of Fencing.  I had wished when I wrote the entry on January 14, 2011 that there would be an autobiography on his life. I had a gut feeling that his life was soon ending and I do not like to think about such things because things "happen". I know there was a notebook around at the tournaments outlining his Fencing career.  He had so much in his life from Hitler Youth, Bombing of Dresden to Swordsmanship in other countries. He would speak about his German childhood from time to time.  He loved the smell of my vanilla musk lotion one time and he sure was charming! One day, I can remember him coming into the gym around Memorial Day 2003 and there was a dead silence. His stepson, Staff Sgt. Michael B. Quinn was killed in Iraq. He was deeply upset which one could see in his silent walk to his Fencing case which was always on the floor of the shiny wood strips on the west side of the gym. He told us to enjoy life that it would not be around for long. RIP...stern German man to those who did not show RESPECT...Touche.  Do not accept your touches! He made a mark on my life.

~Thanks to Ed Ploy for the video~

Thinking of Claus-Peter Folgner...Master of all Fights

Today, I was thinking of my Fencing Master. I cherish the days when I was fencing with my kids, Kelsi and Zachary in the hustle bustle of life and driving an extra 50 miles and special bouts for years upon years. Self injuries, life ventures, and his own life challenges has made changes to occur.  I love the strict discipline  and sportsmanship Peter inflicted upon me or was it the "special" chocolates.  I feel very fortunate to have known such an athlete and the beauty of his life. Respect and Honor.  ~Thanks to Ed Ploy for the video~

BUY LESS & LIVE MORE

Black Friday - US
Saturday after Black Friday - International
Or a whole week or a random day
BUY NOTHING DAY

Reality Check
Recognize the Problem
The Earth suffers
Revolutionize the way you think 
Reach out to those in need               
Recycle and promote Sustainability
Reduce unnecessary spending
Reinvest your time and money
Rethink your lifestyle
Recapture the essence of giving
Reconnect with Family and Friends
~Jess Confer~

72 Selinsgrove teacher salaries top $73,000

Speechless....When a teacher will NOT help my child when he asks for assistance after school and the teacher says, " no, I have a life after 3:00PM'. or a they state they are teaching a class that they did poorly in while in school. I soaked in the teachers at the open houses at school and not so sure about most of the teachers. I tried to look into each one but a blank within me came out. I have my regrets.

A teacher needs to shine down on our children and make education a life long pursuit of enrichment. Where is the passion to teach our children? The beam of enthusiasm has to pierce like a bolt through forward flips or even an occasional throw of a desk. It is important to have an inspiring teacher because our children are in the school system more hours a day than waking hours with their parents in a given school year. Tsk Tsk..I have no pity and this does not include their full paid health insurance, pension, and other benefits. In this small district area, this is an excess $50/hr 8hrs/5days/wk (normal work week) for only 9 months!!! If you are salary, then you are expected to do 10 hr days for the same price. Yes, summers off and certifications are minimal. Perhaps it should be tougher to get a public education degree. One better be a damn good teacher and what I have seen they are few and far between. I do have several educators in my family, so no bias here.

Pay based on merit (complex arena)- but why should a slacker teacher get paid the same as an extraordinary teacher?

A teacher should be working out of passion and not monetary pursuits.

WOW! 72 Selinsgrove teacher salaries top $73,000 (neighboring school district)

Views of my current situation

This is my ponderment view from the couch.

Went(no, I did not drive) to Big Turdles(aka Big Earls Bike Shop)to pick up a bike.  The young, rosy cheeked, menno fella knew I was going to be out of commission until next Spring/Summer.  He gave me a DVD to watch while recovering - 50 video tips to get you rolling - Ok, it is the thought that counts in his view to help me recover. Yes, I would love to see America's Landscapes......

Microfracture Surgery Day

Arrive with Al at Evangelical Ambulatory Center prior to noon for my 2pm surgery, wait for 10 minutes, until my lightup beeper vibrator feels me.

My nurse takes me back to my cattle stall bed. I see Margy(another favorite nurse) in passing back and forth. I am given the routine of allergies, fall risk, and wait for the anesthesiologist and my othropaedic knee surgeon, Dr Furia. Heck Yeah!!! I am a Fall Risk...I have the "4 stars" and "fall risk" bands!!!! One never knows, when, you may go down.

A nurse in passing glance at me then my chart, she was chuckling and looking at my chart, "OH MY, you are a frequent flyer!" The other nurse said, Yeah, "this is her 12th visit here at Ambulatory Surgery." I was asked if I had a lot of colonoscopies and I said, I haven't had one yet. My chart is ALL BODY PARTS!
Yes...my body is getting thoroughly used up! It IS quite painful and sucks.

IV did not like my left hand, which I knew and I warned the nurse. I was always told that it will go in well on your dominating side. I think I have given enough gallons to know!

Anesthesiologist Don comes and goes over my chart. He is surprised also how many times I have been there.

Lull.....I get my camera out. I am not suppose to have this pesonal belonging with me. I take some pictures. Whoops...hear nurse pittering down the hall. I set off the finger beeper while trying to bend over to take a pictures. Time to behave!

Dr Furia reassures me that this surgery will not hurt as bad as the others. I was making sure if there was a need for a stronger rx than Vicodin.

Another Anesthesiologist came over and went through my chart. He is the one that will be doing the work in the OR. I think he was trying to come up with the perfect concoction based on previous surgeries. He looked at each one and I told him what I did or didn't like about each one. Ask me how I was with Tramadol and I said, "I've heard that word before."

And away I go to the OR clocked in at 13:52....feeling lalala and out go the lights.

In Recovery, slowly trying to wake up and see clock at 15:18. Cocktail was wonderful Mr Anesthesio! Knee hurt a bit and progressed, then the nurse put a shot in my IV and gave me Vicodin.

Ship me home........

Elevate Buddy!

Stayed tuned for the knee TRIO surgery!!

Chondral Injury

Scheduled for surgery, Wednesday, October 13 for Knee Arthroscopy, Debridement and the huge rock band.... MICROFRACTURE MICROFRACTURE! I heard his words of grade IV chondral lesion, bakers cyst, Osteochondritis Dissens (OCD), and a new knee - which he received a wide eyed, lipped NO from me! Boy, originally it was thought to be a fraying PCL ligament.....still hope not, since this is where the pain resides.

Went to Evangelical Ambulatory to get my bloodwork done. Again the nurses know me, I have been there for 5 OR procedures in the last year plus some other stuff with pain management. I get a hug and we go back. Blood drawn and EKG. The nurse was wondering why I was not to see my family doctor for clearance. The surgery nurse said that the surgeon will clear me? This could also be the reason I got in so fast before he goes away. I was told by the one nurse, "You are so funny when you are here!" Hey gotta have some humor all the way to the OR room and I usually do up until the fighting moment of lalala lando!

Hope my shoulder and neck hold up to 6-8 weeks of non-weightbearing with crutches! WAWA body falling apart!

What's on my mind!

Yogurt, granola, cheese, bread, wool socks, saw frozen venison, tissues, vitamin C, cold medicine

I am going to track my progress with this MICROFRACURE. Chondral Flap of a grade 4 and pits. It sounds like a rock band.

It all started around the third week of July when my SS daughter, Kelsi came home from college and we went for a ride at RB Winter State Park. I wanted to show her the trails Dagny and I were on weeks prior. I had new SPD bike shoes and they do not ride well on top of my Time pedals. Threfore I hyperextended my foot several ties for soe reason. During this ride my spokes also were broken. I wanted to walk back to the vehicle because I did not want to damaged my wheel with thoughts of Beau Daciuos tacos. Also, my knee was immediately swelling as I walked back to the car. I love going to the woods.........

Help me I have fallen off my Blog Ship!

Please excuse me, but my Motivational Speaker, PRO (Pre Retarded Ostrich)Coach, Training Plan says, I can't blog! Fingers are a necessary accessory for the handlebar grip and I need to prepare for my up and coming cycling blasts of energy! I pay him $5,677.06 for his services to rule my world. I worship his ground, therefore his thoughts are embedded in my brain when I can pee and poop and drink and eat and pick my nose and sleep and freakin' move upbeat of one bpm, and oh I forgot, ride, but that is an extra 2 cents! Go For It! And..I live in a van down by the river........

Loss of my beloved and humorous brother, Keith




June 2, 1964 - May 6, 2010

 My youngest brother, Kirk, summed up the events leading to Keith's deat quite well and I can't express any differently:

Obituary

Kirk Bidelspacher To all - Keith was born with 3 heart defects. To have met Keith during his best years, which were most of them, you would not have known this by his appearance. He outlasted what life expectency many doctors had given him...even those of ones when he was a kid, so we are glad to have the 45 yrs we did. Despite this we are all naturally sad for our loss. And even with knowing that he had been having more and more complications particularly over the past couple of years: like congestive heart failure and receiving a pacemaker...among numerous other issues, we were all saddened further at the suddeness of his passing. We were not (and I believe not even Keith was) fully aware of how dire his most recent circumstances became as they had been masked by very recent severe back pain and perhaps a lack of consistently taking some key medications. During his pain very late on Tues 5/4, Keith had gone to the ER with our mom. While there he received painkiller shots after which he felt better. After mom returned him to his place very early morn Wed 5/5, he went to bed and never woke up. We have been told that there were no signs of distress and have first hand info that he was lying peacefully. Keith appears to have had a heart attack in his sleep. Fortunately, with the painkiller shots he was no longer able to feel the effects of one, which is what Keith would've wanted. He would've never liked to have known that he was dying. So he got his last wish and we got ours...... that he would be able to finally rest without pain.



Lookout....Body is going to burst steroids

Trigger Point injections today. Dr asked, are you "Flighty"? I said, "No". I guess that warrants an allowance to drive myself home. I got seven shots (5 to the left & 2 to the right) to the posterior side of my neck in muscle spasms, one of them near my trapezoid. Dr and me are the only ones in the room. She applies pressure to my contraction nodules and marks with a purple x. I have to let her know as the needle is going in when she hits the spasm, I give the ok, then she releases the lidocaone and steriod into the muscle area. There is a pain pressure, especially to the ones on the side and direct back of the neck. MF(&$#*%G! No breaks.... I can endure the little needle of pain infliction. Enduring pain for many years. I have had much worse joint injections, in the cervical spine, shoulder AC joint, knees and feet.
I guess these are to last a few weeks...hopefully will be kosher for the 5 Boros Tour in NYC. Next appointment could turn to drugs..........
Update: During the early morning my injection areas became really sore. I feel like I got hit in the back of the neck with a 2 X 4. It could be because I am to rest for 24hrs but I got the broom and hose out and cleaned the front porch most of the evening.

I FELL at a mountainbike race........................

Descending the shale road.
Gunnar's head turns around to see if I was coming.
Rolling the outer edge of the rubber footing on the shale jaggers.
Oh no, slow moe, going down.
Crapola, brain takeover, did anyone see me?!!!
Hit elbow, lightly grazed knee, and hand pads.
Layers, layers, layers helped the impact.
Smooth erect jack-in-the-box up and turn to line of vehicles.
No one in sight to the front or back. aaah solo.

Later...

Me: "I FELL!"
Deb: "Where were you?"
Me: "A mountainbike race, Michaux Mash."
Deb: "Oh wow... a fall off the ole bike!"
Me: "I was not racing, no bike....me trying to walk!"
Deb: "Dork girl, you can't be going down."

I went down to volunteer at FFRP promoter Zachary Adam's race - Michaux Mash . He is doing a fine job. Never been there before, it was a different crowd than I was used to seeing. Impressed with Alex Viana on a rigid SS who just started mountainbiking....with a love twist of crits on the next schedule agenda. Or maybe it was the handlebar moustache! As always, good to see a few familiar faces...feel better Tim....I am CLUTCH! A young one's recent words....I thought it sounded, hmmmmm - I won't say!

2010 Michaux Mash results

Stab to the neck again for another reason!

It has been 3 years of increasing daily neck pain and constant neck cracking to relieve the herniation of tears and cracks . I have opted for an Cervical Epidural Injection instead of a cage fusion. Ortho surgeon referred me to Pain Management. The injection places anti-inflammatory medicine into the epidural space to decrease inflammation of the nerve roots, hopefully reducing the pain in the neck, shoulders and arms. Scared poopless, I laid wide awake until 3:45AM.
I go to Evangelical Ambulatory Surgical Center at 7AM. I get undressed and ready to go into the OR. I hear an announcement, "Dr Dominick has entered the building."I am laughing as the door opens and repeat it. His sonar leads to me. He commented that this is the only place that I get to see him anymore. Gotta get all fixed up so I can ride.
Head to the OR hallway and chat chat with TommyD again. He asked when we were going mountain biking. I wanted to know if I really had to wait 6-8 months(post shoulder surgery). Sure do! Hopefully he will do the W101. He got a new bike, which I call my future yard sale item...GF Superfly HT. I tried to get him to do the procedure. He even went in the OR room and announced he was doing it. We parted our OR ways.
1. Transfer to OR table. Roll over on tummy and place my face into a cushioned form. I got a bit concerned when the Dr asked if I had an MRI done. This means she never looked at it prior to this procedure!
2. Oxygen is placed in my nostrils. There was some relaxation med and light anesthesia. I was told to move my chin towards my chest. My arms were placed down my sides. I had underwear roaching up my left butt cheek.
3. Dr said, "there will be a popping and stinging". The needle was going into the disc space via fluoroscope. Some intense pain with the fluid going in but seemed tolerable for about 5 minutes. I was ready to bit my tongue!
4. Then she said, "you are going to feel pressure". It was felt in the lower center of my cervical neck. Simultaneously my arms felt numb for 30 seconds.
5. So quick ...I rolled over and onto the gurney to go to the recovery room. There I stayed for 30 minutes and I was on my way. I felt stabbing ache in a triangle between my scapulas.

Ice Ice Ice. There is a nervy pain in my spine if I try to move my chin towards my check or move side to side in the area of C7 -T1.

I was told it would take 24hrs or more with full effect at seven days. The pain has indeed decreased. I do not have to crack my neck whiplashingly as much. I really hope this works for a very long time. I have a second shot set up for December 9.

I have had a life of traumatic body events. Starting with my neck hitting a dock post going extremely fast...

Long Fun Weekend in Western PA with ShuShu & Bike Faerie

My shoulder started making great progress last week. So I decide to head out to SRU and pick up my daughter, Kelsi and head down to my old college mate's house, because my Kelsi was mountain bike racing at Brady's Run. My friend, Jen was so eager to have us prehike the trail. It was quite a steep climb in the beginning which had my lungs going on foot because Jen was in trail run mode and was getting so excited that she wanted to race like a mad woman going downhill. Hip surgery is looming for her next month. The trail was not real technical but it did seem to have a lot of wet log gardens and roots to send you off camber.

Next day was a repeat run with my lug butt to get before the racers and watch.

Kelsi on her rigid SS got Womens 3rd.

Jen and Frank certainly filled the weekend with hilarious toots of laughter. Kelsi was anxious to show us her BIKE FAERIE costume that she made out of various bike parts and leather. It is amazing. She modeled it for us up a tree and gliding on her bike.

Road to recover and thanks to Leslie of all trades

It seems the worst pain is when I am trying to sleep. I had one episode that almost made me black out with a tingly weird feeling.

Winner of the day was my brother, Kristopher's wife, Leslie Ann. She held many caps yesterday....organizer of cousin Steve Wheeler's Memorial Dinner, head buzzer of Zachary's hair, cooker of Spinach Lasagna for my family, and nurse of bandage changer. Thanks for shining my staples!

Limb Alienation for SAD/DCR Shoulder Surgery

Nerve Block needle stab to the side of my neck. Prep for Distal Clavicle Resection and Subacromial Decompression of the shoulder. Arm goes to sleep for the next 24 hours. Freaky...looking out the corner of my eye and I see a limb being held up in the air. Oh, it is my left arm, but how can it be mine floating in the air, because I do not feel it. Someone is picking up my arm and I did not know it. I fight to move it slightly but no brain connection to nerves responses. Anesthesiologists roll me to the OR with blurrness without my glasses down the hall. So excited, I hear Dr D's voice and look over towards his voice and blurt "HI Dr D!" We exchanged a few words and he says, "Good Luck". I am in the bright white OR with faces all around and I notice I have no side railing up. I feel protective of my limb and its whereabouts. I look to my left side and it is gone!!! I look down and it was dangling off the bed. It looked like Stretch Armstrong dangling drag on the OR floor with knuckles brushing the floor. I yelled, "Help, my arm has fallen!!" A nurse came running over to get it. The doctor was playing with my hair trying to get it to go under my cap. Out go the lights..........

Feral Pigs, Disc Brakes & Squelch of a Chicken

Kelsi and I hopped on our bikes and headed out the the western edge of Union County. It was quite nippy on the toes. It was nice to fit in a 25 mi. ride because the Holiday food slug was hitting me. My brakes did not like the cold and sounded like feral pigs chasing me on occasion. As I approached my neighbors house I belched several times really loud. I thought the neighbor was imitating me with his own belch. Evidently the combo of feral disc brakes and belches got the one of the chickens upset and screaming. It was a multitude of screaches! Or mating call?

Shoes Tell About the Type of Person or Is It The Other Way Around?

Look down........

I have really been thinking about what shoes tell about a person. My uncle was a shoe store owner/buyer/salesperson, as well as my cousin, and his brother became a Podiatrist. Oh, I was also a shoe salesperson in my Uncle's store - even starred in a commercial! No, there isn't a foot fetish here! Actually feet gross me out and toes should always be hidden! Thank God for Keen Footwear!

Here goes another confirmation that Shoes tell a story about one's self. When Kelsi and I were in Slippery Rock and we entered North Country Brewing. Kelsi held the door open for two women leaving and I entered glancing at a middle aged couple sitting at a high bar table to my left. As we were seated, Kels said, "Did you hear what that couple said?" I said, "No". I knew they were looking at us. She said, " The man said to the woman as he was looking at our shoes, "You know....Shoes really tell a lot about a person." I had on Garmont Naughty Trail shoes and Kelsi had on Keen Mary Janes. As we left the establishment, a runner coming towards us was looking down at our shoes as he went by us.

Would you rather be with someone who is cultured, artsy, outdoorsy with trail sneakers, supportive quality shoes, or hiking boots vs chic high maintenance with heels, click clanking sandals, wing tips or basketball shoes that will fall off if one tried to run. There are times when we can't buy new shoes, shoe shabby state is comfortable, transitional times into another a non typical type of shoe depending on the occasion or hobby.

One thing that is disgusting are gals wearing look-alike, sheepskin UGG boots. They are gross , no support, smell, worn heels that turn in, and need peeled off to go to bed . EeeeWH! Guys need to have laces tied and wear the right non scuffing size.....this goes hand in hand with some of the laziness facing the generation being educated right now.

Be ready to walk the extra mile at any time!

Halloween Bar Crawl

I went to W PA in Beaver County somewhere to visit with my college roommate. Some things never change. It was a hoot of a time! There was a Halloween Bar Crawl on bikes with the biking community. Tin Man and Tornado Woman - http://snitgersbikes.net/We went from bar to bar with a 15 minute time limit at each one. Blind Ref & Sheriff - Denali Cycles .

Beautiful Day in Pennsylvania

Kelsi and I went to Eagles Mere to do a little sealing up of the cottage for winter. Oh! how I wish, I could live here forever! Headed out from Eagle Mere Park to the shared use link trail Loyalsock Canyon Vista and LT trail to the look out over Worlds End State Park and visited the Rock Garden. I am liking this trail more and more.

Wheel dodger to Save a Life

On Sunday, Dagny and I went on a beautiful afternoon bike ride around Penns Creek. I dodged a little 1" snapper with my front wheel. I stopped and ran back the road to make sure I didn't back wheel smash it. Poor Snapper would have died on that black macadam in form like a prune. From Dag's H2O bottle, drips of water slowly brought life. We were overreacting like parental figures for an appropriate home but none suited.
I took him home and my husband had never seen one that small. I played with him a bit and then he was released to his upscale pond away from civilization - see his beeline to the water.

Journey to his Paradise

Body is getting thoroughly used

Whew some relief! Relief! The pain was really intense for the last two months and started many years from my shoulder to the trapezoid jaw area. I thought my neck was spewing more disc space. Zach (his ball doesn't sit in the socket right) & I went to the shoulder OS today. Kelsi went last week after she endoed in a race and my brother wrecked the other week when his pedal came off.

The injection is only temporary and it WORKED for the area of intense pain into my side of the neck !!! I have something wrong with the AC joint which will require surgery at some point. PT exercises for my neck for my cervical DDD may have irritated it. Sad to think I have an Ortho Surg for almost every joint in my body.

Many years ago, I hit the pavement running on my bike and had a direct blow to the shoulder and jaw and some MTB falls to avoid falling my fixed knees.

The FIELD was looking nice for being SHOT !

Pine Creek Rail Trail

This year we decided to bypass the Tour de Shunk. On my way to get Kelsi , I had a text message from a friend 5 minutes before the start saying, "Help Me, I am in this alone - What am I doing?" Kels and I went to Pine Creek Trail and rode 54 miles - from White Tail Access to Hilborn Fields. For some odd reason, this ride hurt, because there was no variety in motion. There was resistance on the wet, crushed limestone and wind gusts making it difficult to go over 13 mph. On the way back, the butt and neck hurt sooo bad which entailed the vertical hands free ride back.

It was quite a beautiful ride with ease but at the same time whooped our sore saddle buttsides worse than any ride or race that we can remember.