u/Scott_A_R

So I had some massive disc herniations last March. Unlike past herniations this one didn't cause debilitating pain (at least, not after the first week) but did lead to foot drop--strength is 0/5, so my left foot is useless.

I did PT for a few months and now I'm doing it at home: all the same exercises I did there, plus heat and a home EMS machine.

What I'm wondering is, how much do the exercises do to regain function--let me use my foot again--versus strengthening the muscles so that I don't worsen the compression or otherwise re-injure myself? If my main aim is to regain use of the foot, is it really just a matter of time (and luck)?

Orthopod said that surgery wouldn't give a better chance of success and might simply cause pain.

I'm going to be turning some beets into puree to be used in baking. I usually do this in the oven, but with the crazy heat I'm trying to avoid a battle, oven vs AC.

I do have an outdoor oven (Ninja Woodfire) but that involves getting the outdoor kitchen table uncovered, taking the oven out of its deck box, setting up, cooking, then everything in reverse. The other option would be the IP, which would heat the kitchen much less than the oven would.

The question, though, is will I get a better puree from cooking in the oven: some caramelization, and also less residual moisture.

Any thoughts?

I'm going to order a full wheel/tire to bring along as a spare for long trips. Any suggestions for a jack, one that won't take up too much space? One, of course, that fits under the car.

Edit: I was thinking maybe this, or maybe this, since it has a lug wrench.

Edit2: I noticed the first jack, the red one, has a flat contact surface; that doesn't seem to be a good fit for the jack point.

https://preview.redd.it/srt83wz8enah1.jpg?width=2108&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=260f9ddbb0fdf5e8f34a5aa89a49072946dedd9f

I got a big bag of baby spinach from my community supported agriculture farm share, and was going to do a spinach and feta pizza (idea so far: French feta, spinach, red onion, homemade spicy mushrooms).

Normally, with a green like this, I'd steam or sauté first. But this spinach is so tender and sweet (picked late last week) I think I'd lose a lot if I cooked it first, even a quick steam.

Would the best bet be to top the pizza with everything but the spinach, then put the spinach on top after baking, to wilt? My thought is that if I piled uncooked spinach on top before cooking it would make the crust soggy, but what about after?

I'm using a Koda 16.

"Cold Days," book 14 of Jim Butcher's "Dresden Files"

The main character/narrator (Harry Dresden) is talking to an opponent:

"'Build a man a fire and he’s warm for a day,' I said. 'But set a man on fire and he’s warm for the rest of his life. Tao of Pratchett. I live by it.'"

Just came across this interesting tidbit from the manual:

If objects that generate strong magnetic forces, such as large speakers, are placed inside the luggage compartment or installed nearby, the generated magnetic forces may negatively affect the hybrid system.

Edit: just curious why the downvoters don't like this post.

I have a small project to replace a strip of crushed rock-covered dirt between a driveway and a stone wall (very narrow and about 20' long). I'm tired of endlessly weeding it so I figured I'd put pavers in instead.

There will be some areas where I'll have to cut them.

In the past I've done them using a chisel; it's worked (with some rejects) but I'm certainly not skilled at it. Problem is, from what I remember you score with a ~1" cold chisel, then use a brick-set chisel to break. For some reason I can't find my cold chisel (just the  brick-set chisel) so I'd have to buy one.

I also have an angle grinder and would just need a diamond blade (I have eye- and respiratory protection). I am concerned about kickback, so I'd look for ways to secure the paver (concrete, not natural stone). I do know not to try to cut too deeply.

I wouldn't have all that many to cut--no more than a half-dozen, if I have the mental plans right.

Any thoughts on the best way to go?

The doorknobs for most of the house's doors are a hundred or so years old. One bedroom knob in particular is quite bad: it slides right off.

The set screw is present but not enough: the knob doesn't simply spin, it slides right off. I've replaced the spindle, but it seems the issue is with the worn threads inside the knob itself.

I've looked for replacements, but the ones I've seen online are at best vaguely similar, and I don't have any rescued antique home hardware stores in my area, plus I like the idea of rescuing something so old. So replacement is a last-resort option.

I was considering a few options. I don't want to glue/epoxy the knob on since that's permanent even if I need to remove it. But I was wondering if I could put epoxy inside, let it harden, then drill and use a tap. I do have a drill press so I could probably rig something make a pretty perpendicular hole, but would the epoxy be too brittle to form effective threads? I don't have the skills or equipment to add material by welding, assuming that's even possible.

I then wondered if it would work to add brass shims (see below; had a link to an Amazon product, but it was causing posting problems) into the knob and either gluing them down and tapping them, or just letting the spindle make threads in the softer metal. I'd probably have to hammer the shims into a curve if I wanted to glue them in.

Any thoughts, or ideas I've overlooked?

https://preview.redd.it/8dh1w8kn8b6h1.jpg?width=1500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fb1dbab6a9421899b6664b778b21757fe25a7834

I'm looking into a full sized spare to take with me for long trips. I'm looking through the choices on Tire Rack, and one option is for them to add on a tire pressure monitor with free installation.

The tire will spend most of the time in the basement, but (assuming I add the TPMS) when I bring it along, how will my Prius (2024 Prime XSE Premium) react? Will it ignore the presence of a 5th sensor, and if so, how would I swap it in if I do end up having to put it on? Or will a 5th signal create issues? My thought in having the TPMS on the spare was just to stop the alerts (from the unmounted flat) until I can get the flat tire replaced.

The added issue, of course, being that I'll be on the roadside, with limited options for potential technical work.

I'm using lava rocks to build a retaining wall between a land and water section. I initially tried CA (superglue) to keep them together, using the soaked-paper method--putting in a wad of paper (pea-sized or smaller) into gaps between the rocks and soaking it with CA glue. Problem was, it didn't hold well enough for me to shift the wall around.

I didn't try to glue the whole wall together at once, just 2-3 rocks at a time. The rocks are pretty roughly shaped.

What would work better and be nontoxic? Would aquarium-grade silicone work for this? Aquarium-safe epoxy?

I bought one 10+ years back for back pain. Now I have a pretty bad protruded disk with foot drop (strength is 0/10) though, thankfully, no pain (probably because there's so much damage).

I've been using that old unit, which is TENS/EMS, but was wondering if there are really good ones intended for home use--i.e., not the trash-can sized one they have at the PT places.

I have an ATK recipe for Slow-Cooker Spanish Chicken and Quinoa Stew. First step has you microwave 2 onions, tomato paste, garlic, paprika, oil, and saffron in a bowl until onions are softened (~5 minutes) then transfer to slow cooker. Add liquids, quinoa, and bone-in chicken breast and slow cook 3 to 5 hours on low.

There were some complaints in the commentary about the recipe being a bit bland, so I'm using thighs instead. Probably add some turkey bratwurst, even if that's more German than Spanish.

Looking at slow cooker->IP conversions I would do 10 minutes on high then NPR. Any reason to still do that 5 minutes in the microwave first? I don't think I'd mind a bit of crunch to the onions.

L5 herniation with nerve compression; foot drop with 0/5 strength in the left extensor hallucis longus and left tibialis anterior.

Fortunately, there's no pain now; I just can't use my left foot.

At PT the therapist puts two pads on the front-left of the shin and that's it. Speaking purely as a layperson, I don't understand why a second set of pads isn't used on the back, at the pinched nerve: if the point to try to get a connection, why not also focus on the area where the break is?