Why Qwest internet sucks

Here's the end of my just-completed online chat with a Qwest Communications representative regarding getting high-speed internet in my new house. It seems my next-door neighbor can get it, but I can't. And they have no desire to see that I ever pay them money for their service. Take a look at the abject stupidity that is Qwest Communications:

Steven Chappell: I can't understand why the person in the other half of my duplex can get service and I can't. There's no explanation you can offer that makes sense regarding that.

Curtis E. (20692): Because all the available internet lines are take at this time. I do apologize.

Steven Chappell: How can you have a cap on available internet lines? It just seems in this day and age that should not be a problem.

Curtis E. (20692): Once again I do apologize for that.

Steven Chappell: So, essentially, I have to wait for someone to cancel their service or die before I can get service?

Curtis E. (20692): Yes, when a line will come available.

Steven Chappell: But you can't add me to a waiting list?

Curtis E. (20692): I do apologize but I do not have a waiting list to add you to Steven.

Steven Chappell: So how do I know when service is available to me?

Curtis E. (20692): You just have to keep calling us and asking if your address is now available for internet service.

Steven Chappell: Why can't you set up a database to add me to a waiting list? How damn difficult is that for you morons to do?

Curtis E. (20692): I do apologize but I do not have a waiting list to add you to Steven.

I give up. 

The knee is on the mend

It's been a while since my last blog post, but I wanted to give everyone a knee update. I've been hitting physical therapy really hard since the brace came off last month, and I have nearly regained full range of motion in the knee. I've been cleared to walk up and down stairs, and even though it's still painful to do so, I'm trying to do so as often as possible to strengthen my knee.

The PT has me working on a strengthening regime that has me pressing weights with my leg. I've nearly doubled what I can press with the bad knee in two weeks, which is way ahead of schedule. I don't think they realized just how strong my legs were to begin with, especially since they were unable to get a baseline weight strength on my good knee, because it was stronger than their machine could measure. So, the goal is for me to be able to leg press 250 pounds and call it good.

My last local PT visit will be next Thursday (Aug. 19), and then I load up the truck and move to Indianola to join Crista and Duncan, whom I moved up July 31. Then, I have to find a new PT and orthopedic surgeon to continue my treatments there. That should be just delightful.

Day 1 sans the brace

I have finished my first day of physical therapy without my brace. It wasn't as painful as I thought it would be, however, I am in more pain than I've been in several weeks.

I didn't think it would be as difficult to walk without the brace as it was with it, but I have found it to be so. Walking without the brace has been a completely new experience. My leg, of course, feels much lighter than it did before. As a result of that, I walk with a funny gait much like the one I was walking with when I was wearing the brace. However, I do enjoy my new found freedom. I was able to drive today with out any difficulty. It was very nice to have my mobility back and to be able to drive myself and not rely on my wife to do the driving for me. I am certain she is enjoying the extra time she will now have free from being my chauffeur.

I have at least two more physical therapy appointments, and probably three, before my next trip to the doctor. I will find out then how much longer I'll be going to physical therapy. My therapist thinks I'll be going at least six more months, so I'll have to find a new physical therapist when we moved to Iowa.

Free at last! Free at last!

Thank God Almighty, I am free at last!


The immobilizer came off today! Woo hoo!


And, it was quite by accident.


Crista had picked me up to take me to a lunch meeting. On the way, I was tightening the straps on the immobilizer, because, as they were wont to do, they had come loose. One of the straps, in fact, the most important strap, broke loose when the plastic ring holding it in place snapped apart. I am scheduled for my eight-week post-surgical doctor's appointment next Wednesday, when I was hoping to be freed from the brace. So, I called the doctor's office to see about a replacement brace until then. I was placed on hold for a while, and then connected to the doctor, who told me since I am seven weeks past, and since my physical therapy was progressing so well, I could remove the brace a week and a day early!


After lunch, Crista took me home, and I DROVE MYSELF back to work. It was the first time behind the wheel in eight weeks, and it felt so liberating to be able to drive myself rather than rely on the loving kindness of my wife. I know she's thrilled to be relieved of the inconvenience of that brace, too. It restrained her almost as much as it restrained me.


However, in just the three short hours since the brace came off, I've noticed a few things. My pain has increased. I've been about a zero most days, except for a short while after exercising or physical therapy. In the past three hours, my pain has achieved and maintained a steady three level. I am very limited in my range of motion. And walking is very weird. My leg is so much lighter without that heavy immobilizer it just feels strange to walk. However, it's a good strange, and I'm not complaining about that.


My next physical therapy appointment is in 20 minutes. We'll see how that goes now that I've been freed from my chains.

Knee update

It's been a while since the last update on my knee, but there's not been much to report. I'm still trapped in the immobilizer, and I'm still going to physical therapy. The pain is pretty much nonexistent except when I'm doing my exercises. Of course, the immobilizer remains a major annoyance, as I still can't drive because I'm too tall to sit behind the wheel with my leg locked into a straight position.

The scars are starting to fade, but they are still tender to the touch, and my tibia is still sore as well because of the giant screw inserted into it to hold my new ACL in place.

On the positive side, I've not endured any usual cravings or behavioral changes from the dead man implanted in my knee.

My next doctor appointment is July 21. I'm very hopeful that the brace comes off that day, because if it doesn't, we're going to be in trouble, as we are moving to Iowa July 31, and I've got to drive our moving truck all the way up there and fly back and live solo for three weeks afterwards. So, doctor's permission or not, that brace has to come off.