Ferret's slowing down.

[decarmine_imp]

Just as an update. I have ridden only 11 days this month out of 20, but I have had 2 sets of Visco supplementation injections in my knees (the third and final set of injections comes next Tuesday) and the knees are feeling much better. I can actually put on socks and wash the bottom of my feet by myself lol. I can also mount and dismount without pain.

I have been using a prescribed anti inflammatory called Voltaren Gel on the knuckles and thumb joint in my right hand 4x a day and that seems to be helping with the arthritis, plus I added cramp busters to both bikes so I can use the palm of my hand for throttle instead of gripping, so that seems to be working out ok as well.

I went on a new medication for the colitis which turned out to be a disaster. Severe abdominal cramping, bloating and terrible, terrible heartburn. It did help with the big D, but the cure, in this case, was worse than the disease so no progress on that front. Back to square one on that front.

So I am not riding everyday, but I am riding and enjoying it more again, now that my knees don't hurt and my throttle hand doesn't ache so bad. No long rides yet...81 miles I think was the longest, but that is encouraging to me at this point.

My wife has been using Voltaren for several years for various aches and pains. It had been costing about $75 copay for a 100 gram tube -- even with fairly decent insurance.

Last year we were on a cruise that included a stop in Mexico. We found the same product -- with a stronger concentration -- over the counter in a Mexican equivalent of CVS or Walgreen's -- for $10 per tube. We bought several tubes and have been using it since then...