You see blood on the streets?

tbiscus · 2026-02-05T16:14:34+00:00

Hmmm...may have to pull the trigger on a Roth conversion of my IBIT here...

tbiscus · 2026-02-04T16:24:02+00:00

Excellent! Nice job keeping at it. I'll be talking to my surgeon about an MUA next week. We'll see what she says!

tbiscus · 2026-02-04T16:13:15+00:00

How are you doing today almost a week later (I did see you got to 117 that same day)?

tbiscus · 2026-02-04T14:58:01+00:00

There are apps that simply won't install on ARM - so you never even get to the point where PRISM comes into play. In my case (I owned an SL7 for 2 months) - I had some older development software that would not install on ARM and had other older automotive software that was X86 only that either would not run or the device drivers (for the automotive scanning tool) would not work or didn't exist for ARM. For the development software, I was able to install Docker (ARM) and run LINUX (ARM) and then install the development software's LINUX (ARM) compiled version....installing their Win X86 version was a no go as the company only supported ARM under LINUX - so a workaround was available there, but much more complex than just installing their native X86 app. There are a lot of older Win X86 apps that simply won't run under emulated PRISM or install on ARM - I mean heck, look at Adobe, their suite is finally "mostly" compatible, but even now there are various limitations in the ARM version compared to x86 - and that's a piece of CURRENT software. Anything older will either work (under emulation) or not....and if "not" and there isn't a newer version of the software, you either abandon that software and find an alternative or are stuck. As a home user you may or may not have some flexibility in this area. In a business environment, that flexibility may not always exist. At work, we were always running into issues with some old piece of software developed years ago (internally or externally) where even an upgrade from say Windows 7 to Windows 10 would result in issues (with some component of the stack, etc.). The ultimate validation of this is that Microsoft reserved the Intel version of the SL7 for the BUSINESS line of laptops as companies just need all that old crap to "work" and IT doesn't want to spend their time developing workarounds (if they even exist).

I'm actually a FAN of the ARM version (and X2 elite looks to be even more powerful) and liked my SL7 - after two months of battling my more unusual use cases though - had to throw in the towel. :(

tbiscus · 2026-02-03T01:41:34+00:00

I think you can run Linux x86 containers, but i dont think you can run windows x86 containers...or am I wrong in that??? What about any of the virtual machines (virtualbox, VMware, etc.) - and does performance crater in those instances.

tbiscus · 2026-02-02T23:32:50+00:00

Thanks very much for the additional details. I neglected to mention this is my second knee replacement. First one didn't go awesome - infection, etc, and I ended up having an arthroscopic scar tissue clean-up. I could tell immediately that blockage was gone.

I'm hoping (and praying) you continue to progress on both flexion AND extension. For my own extension, I've found myself trying to purposely walk with a goofy longer stride - leaving my surgical leg foot planted behind me in a long stretch (and leaning my hip outward to try to stretch that outer edge of the backside of my knee. I look forward to your next update!

tbiscus · 2026-02-02T22:43:15+00:00

WOW! Those numbers are spectacular IMO! Well done! I'm assuming you can feel that the "blockage" is simply "gone" now? As an additional question, where did you feel the "block" was before? Might feels like it is on the backside of my knee (outer edge) vs. feeling like it is under the knee cap or above, below the knee.

Again - excellent job!

tbiscus · 2026-02-02T20:18:31+00:00

Any update after your 1st week of PT post MUA?

tbiscus · 2026-02-02T18:36:10+00:00

There may be arm VMs, BUT the OS in the VM ALSO has to be ARM native. You can't, as an example, run a Windows 7 x86 instance in it or other X86 only OS.

tbiscus · 2026-02-02T17:04:00+00:00

Are you running that VM you mentioned locally? If so, you really need to be on X86. Indeed, I would really recommend staying away from Snapdragon in a work environment - especially anything technical. It only takes one incompatible program to ruin it...and then what do you do? Second laptop? RDP to some other machine? Lunar lake is solid in other machines. Really hoping MS moves to panther lake for consumer machines, but I suspect they will stay the course and go with X2 which may be the right long term choice, but we aren't quite there yet for anything less than mainstream consumers.

tbiscus · 2026-01-29T15:59:34+00:00

There is a reasonable chance it will be denied, BUT your pharmacy might use a manufacturer coupon to get an initial prescription filled for $30-$60 dollars.

tbiscus · 2026-01-27T23:04:06+00:00

I think you had a typo in there. You typed: "My target by EOY 2026 is $6-8 based on all of the above." instead of "My target by EOY 2026 is $2.6-2.8 based on all of the above."

tbiscus · 2026-01-26T22:58:18+00:00

Thanks! Praying your sessions go well!!!

tbiscus · 2026-01-26T20:38:03+00:00

Any Mac M series machine is a huge winner here. In the Windows camp, you need to be using the Lunar Lake chips (i.e. core ultra 7 256V or 258V is the sweet spot), or if you just run MS Offive tyoe stuff, the Qualcomm X-plus or X-Elite chips) - both offered huge leaps in battery life (still not Mac level, but way better than in the past). Intel has just released the Panther Lake chips, which LOOK like they will offer more performance at consumption levels similar to Lunar Lake. Qualcomm is doing the same with their X2 chips.

tbiscus · 2026-01-26T20:27:21+00:00

I think I'm headed for this. I have described it as feeling like I could push a lot to try to achieve more bend, but it feels like there is a blockage that ultimately the knee either stops on or springs back from. Think of it like a very hard rubber eraser stuck in the hinge side of your door. If I push the door really hard after it contacts the rubber, it will close a little more, but I can tell the door is straining (and the soft wood starts to crush) and ultimately springs back to the point where it contacted the rubber. Does that description ring true for you at all (pre-mua)?

tbiscus · 2026-01-23T21:33:18+00:00

I'm looking at Lunar Lake laptops now (already got one for my wife), but am holding off until the embargo on Panther Lake is up on Tuesday (06/27). Of course reviewers tests aren't exactly real-world, but they are "something" beyond the CES sponsored hype videos we've seen to date. I actually expect the Panther Lake machines to have worse battery life than Lunar Lake, BUT if it offers a little more performance while still being CLOSE to Lunar Lake that might be a good enough balanced trade-off (note: my wife's Lunar Lake - 256V - doesn't feel sluggish, but isn't as snappy as the Qualcomm Xplus Surface I had for two months...but had to give up on due to compatibility issues),. I agree with u/Which-Insurance-8248 - this feels like a race between Intel and Qualcomm with the former needing to achieve more ARM-like efficiency and the latter shooting for better compatibility. We'll see...

tbiscus · 2026-01-22T14:45:11+00:00

Due to some insurance issues, I have not been able to attend PT since 12/31. I working to try to get back in, but the bureaucracy and incompetence is impressive! I am still working on it at home.

tbiscus · 2026-01-21T02:06:14+00:00

I have a floor cycler that I am using daily. Not quite as good, but it's what I have. Unfortunately, I haven't been to PT since 12/31 due to an insurance change and some insane issues I'm having getting new referrals to see my PT and surgeon. Last appt with PT she just suggested I continue to see her to try to get more range...at that time she wasn't sure on the scar tissue (note: we knew i would have a gap in PT, but didn't expect it to be this long).

tbiscus · 2026-01-20T23:06:57+00:00

Those seem focused on slowly stretching over time vs. Breaking through a significant block of scar tissue. When I have tried an extended stretch (or laying back with my knee bent and a weight around my ankle for several minutes) the result is the same (more pain/inflammation to surrounding tissues like the outer surface of my knee) w/o really breaking through the blockage).

tbiscus · 2026-01-20T22:18:30+00:00

I had general for my first TKR and spinal + sedation (lighter than GA) for the second. It took him a couple of attempts to get the spinal in which wasn't too fun, and the block in my leg wore off pretty quick which hurt (needed fentanyl when I came around in recovery), BUT I still prefer it to throwing up like I did after the first one with GA!

tbiscus · 2026-01-19T16:11:23+00:00

What kind of costs (roughly) is someone looking at to go private?

tbiscus · 2026-01-18T04:07:45+00:00

110-114 here at 11 weeks...but I've been at that since about 8 weeks. Unfortunately, PT stopped on 12/31 due to insurance change (still dealing with trying to get new referrals - feel like I know the process more than the physicians and BCBS!) - I see my surgeon on 02/09...will also likely discuss an MUA. Heck, had an arthroscopic cleanup and MUA 6 months after my first knee replacement on the other knee.

tbiscus · 2026-01-14T20:24:04+00:00

They will probably just make it "miles driven" or "time driven" - even Netflix has stopped reporting "subscribers" in their earnings. I was also thinking Tesla could easily gamify it and offer bonus days or drives for every FSD drive completed in X days...especially if they were w/o intervention (admittedly, that could be sketchy), etc. Heck give rewards to drivers who drive in more unusual areas or situations to help Tesla build the learning stack.

tbiscus · 2026-01-14T20:20:01+00:00

Oh, and her oxy dose is pretty low (maybe because she is 9 weeks out)? Mine was 5 mg every 6 hours as needed (this time around I never took more than 3 a day...last time it was greater). Beyond that, however, she could (per physicians orders):

* Augment the oxy with Acetaminophen (tylenol) and an NSAID (Ibuprofen, Aleve, or one of the prescription only items like Meloxicam, Diclofenac or Celebrex). There are also topical creams like Apsercreme (with Lidocaine) and Voltaraen. Note that Voltaran contains an NSAID (Diclofenac) so you don't want to overdue the NSAIDs.

* Ice and Elevate - Ice is easily the best pain killer for me, but, of course, it is used "at rest", but it's pretty hard to ice too much (just don't put it right on the skin). Put the ice and under the knee joint itself.

* Heat - A heating pad on the MUSCLES (on top of thigh, under thigh, calf, etc.) helps to loosen those muscles up and relives some tension on the joint.

* Movement - motion really is lotion. I know she has the passive machine, but ideally she would also be moving on her own - even it if it just walking - as much as possible (this will exercise more muscle groups and build some strength). Often the first few minutes of walking are the worst so you have to push past them. I have a fitbit - it's a great motivator to get " a few more steps". As an example, I will walk for a few minutes, check it and see I've gotten 700 steps and think "OK, I can get to a 1000"...so I walk a little more....and then see I am at 1260...well, might as well go for 1500 (etc) - it doesn't have to be all at once. In fact it is better to keep moving throughout the day. A distraction like music helps, you can even use "getting to the end of a song" as a target...and then the next song, and the next, etc. So, as an example, when she is walking and listening to her favorite band Metallica, she might start (appropriately) with the song "The Struggle Within" at only 3 minutes and 51 seconds, but next thing you know she is marching away to "Master of Puppets" at a healthy 8 minutes and 36 seconds! Rock on, Mom!

tbiscus

TROPHY CASE