My Prescription

10:14 AM 11/23/05
`     Last nite was another one where I retreated to the sofa, and couldn't quite finish some important household projects  .... let alone do anything outside that should have been done with more snow predicted.
     I finished up my food prep/freezing enough to get my kitchen back to normal.  Then, I found out that my freezer section was not working.  Hoping that it was that ice had built up inside ... I did a major defrosting.
     That doesn't sound too physical ... but my back had pain all day.  I was wondering if it was either a cumulative effect of several days of doing a little snow removal each day ... or just the final push the day before yesterday?  OR .... ?
     So, I slept pretty well ... decided to "get up" about five am ... which usually means going to go back to the sofa several times while getting loosened up. 
    The severe pain is gone; mostly I just have severe muscle-type aches & pains in my mid & lower  back. 
    Could my aspirins ... which I used to take to relax ... contribute to a funk/blue/despondent mood sometimes?  Or, is it just that I am so overwhelmed trying to catch up on all my tasks, and then, have to give up until my back says so?

7:07 AM 11/26/05
     Thanksgiving day and the next, I went out of town for a family visit ... which means that mostly I laid around and did NOTHING.  That means that my back is feeling relatively pain-free.  There is some stiffness and minor aches as I get "loosened up" for the day ...      So again, the prescription to alleviate  back pain & agony is just  for me to become a couch potato ... and, improve upon that even further by sipping gin all day to keep my back relaxed ...  MAYBE I COULD LEARN TO LIKE THAT!

5:41 AM 11/27/05
          I had a long, fairly sound sleep ... woke up a few times trying to find a comfortable way to lie in bed.  Now, aside from the usual muscle-type stiff & sore ... I am sitting at the computer, afraid to get up right away.  I got a terrific, painful kink in my left hip & lower back ... made me think for a moment that I might not ever be able to get out of the chair again.  Right now, my back doesn't actually HURT too much ... tho when I move around, there is pain in my lower ribs, and the base of my neck ... and ... my lower back.  These areas can have independent soreness &/or pain.
     I took three aspirins ... certainly wish that I had some gin to relax that back.  I don't know when I'll be able to try to get back to bed!

9:12 AM 11/27/05
     Well, I did sit here at the computer a long time ... the awful cramp & pain went away, and I did start to move around a bit.
     My back is still stiff & sore, but, much better than when I first got up!
     There usually seems to be no direct, immediate cause & effect to either the pain or relief.  I am trying to figure some out.
     Besides my findings that the couch potato/sipping gin system is the only consistantly effective procedure ... another fairly consistant observation is that I have noticed that whatever hurts most often seems to be the ONLY problem at that point in time ... NOT ...  it is only the one more noticeable.  ANOTHER: The pain often "spreads" UP my back ... when my neck hurts ... everything else is also unbearable.  My lower back is just about never "normal".  The worse it feels ... pain begets tension, which begets more pain, which begets even more pain.  This ends up expanding the area of discomfort/pain up,  up, up my back progressively.  However, each of the three or four areas of problems often act independently, also.  I haven't gotten it all figured out yet!

1:38 AM 11/28/05
     After a few hours of sleep, I needed to move around a bit, & take a few aspirins.  I had left a lot of things undone last nite, so, maybe I'll be up early and do them.
     Right now, my lower rib section is the main problem ... it is at the moderate ache level.

10:12 AM 11/11/05

 

10:12 AM 11/11/05
     I meant to go back to bed ... instead sat down in front of the computer.  Hope I can get going on this, perhaps my last nice day, for outside work.

               

                          

     I had taken four aspirins and rubbed some liniment on my lower back.  Just sitting here, it has maybe helped, because now the main area of severe discomfort has moved to my lower ribs ... which are really bothering me now.

6:12 PM 11/11/05
     Here I am ... not feeling as much pain as I'd thought ... been taking aspirins four at a time all day.  Supper is cooking.  I have yesterday's dishes soaking; the water is cold now.  I'm not sure I'll be able to do the dishes.  Usually when I sit or lie down ... I cannot get back up for hours.

2:12 AM 11/14/05
     The last time I woke up ... the pain across my lower ribs was just awful; this time my whole back is just extremely stiff & sore.  I had slept soundly; I hope to get back to sleep now.  I had more aspirins, and some Aleve.

11:56 PM 11/16/05
     Yesterday was awful; I ruined my back several times ... had to give up and take to to sofa several times.  We had a foot of snow and I had to clear off front and back steps ... plus do some more things because it had snowed a foot, but things were not frozen down.
     I never did get started on shoveling at least the snowbank at the end of the driveway so that it wouldn't freeze into an ice wall.
     Needless to say, I had many doses of four aspirins at a time ... plus a few drinks to try to keep my back loosened.

11:26 AM 11/17/05
      My back isn't too bad so far today; I have to go try a little snow shoveling .... some aspirins FIRST!

7:17 AM 11/18/05
     IF ... STRESS is a contributory factor to back pain ... I am doomed.  The hard-drive on my cmputer crashed; I have lost thousands of photos, as well as  much stored data that must be replicated ... some that cannot.   I am using my elderly laptop as a substitute ... is is soooooo sloooow that it literally makes me scream.
     BUT, COMPUTER is so far down on my list of things to  be concerned about ......
     I have been doing my exit strategy ... eg. opening my driveway so that I may EXIT ... on the installment plan.  In a few more days, I may be able to get out!
    STRESS: these cute little kittens are driving me mad with their exuberance, need for attention and FOOD ... and I need to find new homes for them.  BUT ... IF I CANNOT GET OUT .... NOBODY CA  N GET IN!  I have to shovel my way out to the road!
    I slept fairly well last nite ... in between trying to find a comfortable position for my back ....
    When my back hurts ... the WORST is when it hurts even when I'm lying or sitting.  The reality phase comes when I try to get up and actually do something!
     THEREFORE ... when my back hurts thru the nite, it is serious!  I have decided to forego the coffee this am ... and had four asprins and liberal doses of liniment, external & internal ... I am starting out slow by sitting at the computer ... hopefully relieving some stress by setting up this old laptop to accept my printer, camera, scanner ... etc.  All of which will probably make it sllllllloooowwwerrr than ever!

1:24 PM 11/18/05
     After being awake a lot in the middle of the night ... I slept like a log until NOW!  I usually never sleep this long!  My back is happier now than it was last evening when I couldn't walk or sit or lie without pain.
     The problem is that I still must do some sort of shoveling today.  Hiring someone to remove the snow is not in the budget!

6:57 AM 11/19/05
   I had another good nite's sleep; no bad pains, except when I try to bend over or move around much.  I'll just go thru the usual loosening up phase.
   I MUST GET THE DRIVEWAY SHOVELED WELL ENOUGH TO GET OUT TODAY!

10:43 AM 11/19/05
     I took some aspirins, been mostly sitting ... I feel ambitious ... will try to get something done!

6:20 AM 11/20/05
     I give up trying to sleep; I've slept off & on thru the nite.  My back had enough of an ache to keep me rolling around, trying to get comfortable.  Then, I tried to force myself to get up and finish my dish washing that I had only started last nite .... DIDN'T.
     I am sitting at the computer to have a change of position ... probably will stay up ... short of sleep again.  I had some aspirins thru the nite ... should take some more.

12:00 PM 11/22/05
     I had finished shoveling the last of my driveway ... just pushing the scoop ... not using a shovel ...   I did a little each day.

     My back sure hated that, and made me suffer.  For the past two days, I have spent a large part of each day on a sitting-down project I had ... and ... that made my back hurt as much or more than the snow removal!
    The worst pain was/is across my lower back ... my lower ribs are very stiff & sore.  I've been taking aspirins, falling asleep early, getting up  VERY early ...
    My housecleaning is SO FAR BEHIND!  When I was working, and hurting, I could hire someone to help me here  

... but, that is not in the budget any more.                 I don't know if I'll ever catch up!

         

             

     Perhaps worrying about all that doesn't help my back, either!

L o i s
Upper Peninsula, MI and beyond (my journal)
Finnish Links

Who's Gonna Du'it?

3:14 AM 11/7/05

    I've spent several hours trying to loosen up, trying to find a comfortable position in bed.  My mid-section/rib area has pain; for a while, between my shoulder blades hurt, too.  AGONY would aptly describe my situation.
     I just took three more aspirins.  I slept pretty soundly for quite a few hours when I first laid down early last evening.  I left my dishes & cooking mess all over the kitchen; a pile of laundry on the floor, on its way to the washer.  This means that before I can attend to anything for the day when I finally get up in the morning, I have to finish yesterday's unfinished work!

8:55 AM 11/11/05
     That was an excruciating 45 minutes!  I made up a to-do-list while still in bed ...

PUT ON MY BOOTS
START COFFEE POT
SOAK DISHES IN SINK
TAKE PILLS
FEED CATS & DOGS

     I really had to talk myself thru finishing this list ... took four aspirins, rubbed some liniment on mylower back.  While still in bed, my right hip had hurt worse ... when up ... my left hip hurt worse ... making it impossible to reach something on the floor or walk upright.  The rest of my back is stiff & sore ... but, with the other pain ... I don't really notice it.
     The problem is that with the weather forcast, there is some minor touch-up painting to do (some I can even do sitting down) ... the other stuff can wait if it must, except for the caulking.  The afternoon will be short ... I must lie down again and rest up for it.
     When I was working (towards the end, my bad knee made me a cripple) ... I could afford several ladies several times a week to help me with these things ... now, I cannot.

     My laptop computer isn't as accessible; I haven't been making as many entries.

Moving SLOWLY

2:44 AM 11/6/05
     FINALLY ... the horrible cramping pain in my mid-back & ribs went away!
    I did practically nothing physical yesterday; my back felt fairly comfortable.
     It feels good to sit in a chair & bend my back back-wards ... aches, but, feels good.

11:13 AM 11/6/05
     I'm starting out slowly; my mid-back is still stiff & sore.

  6:17 PM 11/6/05
     EMERGENCY ... THIS REALLY HURTS!  I'm afraid to stop & sit down.  This is stupid ... just how strenuous can squeezing the staple gun be ... & sitting down, pulling little nails out?
     I made sure that I made my supper, fed all the little critters, and took four aspirins, and made several stiff gin drinks before sitting here at the computer ....
     I wasn't going to take any gin, but, I feel that I MUST relax my back.
     I have severe pain across my lower back.  My rib section is cramping & in moderate pain.  It feels good to arch my back backwards.  I am doing some stretching/relaxing exercises.  Sitting here at the computer, I am having threatening little twinges in my lower back.

     I didn't do any prolonged or strenuous activities today.  Am I just supposed to stay in bed all day?

     Gotta go have my lovely supper ... sorta pre-fab.

TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT!

12:20 PM 10/30/05
     I wish I'd been able to finish another half hour of my painting project yesterday.  My back just hurt too much.  But, now, it will rain today and for several more days.

 

  3:32 PM 10/30/05
     I spent several hours caulking and touch-up painting ... about as strenuous as icing a cake.  Towards the end, my back hurt so much that I had to take some sofa-breaks ... and some aspirings and some gin to relax my back.  I cannot take gin if I am to be climbing on the ladder, or anything risky.  I just had to force myself ... talk myself thru finishing what I had to do.
     Then, some friends came over wanting me to do something on the computer for them.  They had to wait until I had a sofa-gin break.

12:23 PM 10/31/05
     I DID IT!  I DID "ALL-THE-ABOVE"!   Good thing my sister called me about 10 pm ... I talked for a while, telling her that I was hungry ... hadn't had supper yet ... and some of my kitties still needed to be fed.
     I eventually dragged myself out of bed ... made supper, and fed the kitties ... even washed the dishes and set up the coffee pot for a "love-myself-in-the-morning" treat.  This was achieved by taking four aspirins and several hot toddies.  I hadn't really wanted to take any more gin ... but, that was the only way to calm my back.
     Now, finally, I am having my gourmet chile ... and, another hot toddy ... hope to have a good nite's sleep!

4:52 AM 11/2/05
     This night was a re-run of last night ... my back was so ruined that I just barely got my evening chores done, had supper, and laid down.  Again, I woke up after midnite ... couldn't find a comfortable spot on the bed, and spent several hours trying to losen up and get the courage to get out of bed.  Then, I took four aspirins and the last of my gin.
... There was severe pain across my lower back ... at first my right hip hurt the worst ( usually it's my left hip).  Now, I'm  still not walking upright well, but, a lot of the pain hase supbsiddedsddddddddsssssssssssssssssss
(drifted off to sleep again.)

5:07 AM 11/3/05
     I've been awake for many hours ... don't think I slept much all nite ... tho I had a long nap last evening when I laid down ... actually, caved in to my back pain.  The pain is mostly in my lower back.  When one part of my back hurts so much, I don't even notice what else hurts.
     I didn't have any gin last evening, just some aspirins. I hope I'll be able to get around when it's "time to get up".  I cannot walk upright ... lean over to the right, extreme pain in my left hip area.  I cannot pick up something off the floor.  The pain does not go away when I sit or lie down.

10:08 AM 11/4/05
     I SURVIVED ANOTHER BAD NITE ... I retreated to the sofa just after dark ... did as much as I could first, knowing it might be hard to get up again.  I bribed myself with gin ... hoping to relax my back to reduce the pain.
     Several times during the night, I had four aspirins at a time, and some more gin.
     The back pain took over my whole back; especially in my lower rib section and between my shoulder-blades.  It hadn't hurt there for quite a few days.  The base of my neck has moderate pain when rolling my head/neck around ... but, not the stabbing pain there I'd had for many weeks a while ago!

              I am trying to figure out how to appease my back.  

•      Number one cure for my lower back is just to spend all my time in bed.  That tends to stiffen up my whole back, tho.
•     I take aspirins and whatever, hoping to reduce inflamation, and, therefore, pain.
•     When I've overdone it (according to my back) ... I take some gin to keep my back muscles from tightening up and causing pain, which causes more tightening and then more pain.
•      I haven't gone to physical therapy lately, partly for economic reasons ... try to at least do some loosening exercises periodically thru the day or nite.
•      Applying liniment seems to help.
•     I'm going to try something else: going to go back to wearing my cowboy boots more ... like around the house, even ... instead of slipping on a pair of tennis shoes.  I used to live in these boots before I had to quit work.
•       I'm never sure if my "facets" (injections) are helping ornot ... like ... would it be worse without?  I'm never sure of a direct link betweeen the pains and either causes or cures!

L o i S
 Upper Peninsula, MI and beyond (my journal)
Finnish Links

Back to My Back

  7:19 AM 10/29/05
    Ooooooh ... my back is NOT good!  I did invest in some gin; I did have a drink at bedtime.  I HAVE to get some things done on my house before WINTER; I must force myself to make use of the dwindling sunshine!  Yesterday, I overdid it (according to my back ... tho ... nothing heavily physical) ... now, I cannot sleep for the pain in my lower back.
     This morning, I felt the old-familiar "kinking twinge" in my left lower back; it hasn't been doing that too much lately.
     I'm having another gin, two Aleve, and hopefully going back to sleep.
     I ran out of MSM several months ago; it is not in the SS budget.  That always made a noticeable difference before.  Now, I have the "facets" injections in my back ... I wonder if MSM would be benefical still?
     I was told that "injuries act as a catlyst to the onset of arthritis in an area" ... MSM helps arthritis.  Also, B6, which I ran out of, too, has helped me before.
     Whenever I can, I stock up on quantities of at least generic aspirin; I am out of the generic Tylanol, Excedrin, Ibrupophen ... almost out of the generic Aleve.  I like to alternate these pain remedies ... prefer to stick to aspirin.
     The thing about the gin: I do not like to take drugs.  I know the effects of gin. Gin can make me relax; it is not really a joke when I say that "I take it for medicinal purposes only".  From back in the 1970's when my first two back injuries occured, when my back pain got to emergency proportions, slugging some gin right out of the bottle would  bring such heavenly relaxation and RELIEF!
    That's why, now, I can thoughtfully take some gin to relax  when my back figures I've overdone it.  The main result now is to have the main problem area, my lower back, quit cramping.  My back pain seems to travel upwards in progression.  I do have three separate areas of back problems (caused by three different injuries).  When my lower back pain is excruciating, it triggers maximum problems with my upper back.  Then, the next is my neck/shoulder area.  When the latter gets really bad, the problems start creeping over my shoulders, down over my chest/shoulder area.  When my mid-back gets really bad, my lower ribs in back start cramping severly.  Sometimes, when everything is really bad, it causes pain "echos" in my chest.  I cannot tell if it would be a heart attack or just echos  of my back pain!

  1:28 PM 10/29/05
     Four aspirins ... my back is just awful, but, this is one of the last decent days for my paint project ... so .... 
     I sat in the lounge chair to have my lunch to placate my back ... it was hard to leave the chair.

4:38 PM 10/29/05
     Three more aspirins ... my back is cramping and in severe pain ... mostly in my lower back.  I must do some more.

5:05 PM 10/29/05
     MUST feed my kitties.  No more painting or anything else for the day!   I cannot believe the pain in my lower  back.  I already had several gin drinks.  I had 20 minutes left on the project I was doing before dark; I had to surrender ... and just go lie down.  

8:51 PM 10/29/05
    I think I'll survive.  I had plenty of gin.  My back is relaxed.  I quit for the day.   I don't think I can do a hot bath.  I must just QUIT!

5:49 AM 10/30/05
     One Aleve, two aspirins, more gin.  My lower back has improved to only a severe ache.  The base of my neck has moderate muscle ache & pain; I am always worried that I could go back to not being able to turn my head.

8:42 AM 10/30/05
     I can walk fairly upright; my neck pain has subsided to almost nothing.  Bending over the sink caused a threatening sharp twinge.

Long Day

6:58 PM 10/25/05
     I kept pretty busy today, tho nothing heavy duty.  I finally got my long, soaky bath; I had just pooped out last evening!
     My back has felt increasingly better all day.  The difference is that I was not out there, busy on the house project.

10:31 AM 10/26/05
     I was up in the middle of the night for a while; some aches had me tossing around, so I got up.
     So far, this morning, I feel pretty good.  I am walking upright by now ... I am feeling ambitious.

5:13 PM 10/26/05
     A couple'a breaks ... things I had to get done ... my back is getting bad again, mostly my lower back and rib area.  There is pain, even when I'm sitting or lying ... not just in moving.
     I still didn't get the mail; I need to make supper.  I may have to quit for the day.  I'd love to get my dishes washed, and my wet laundry into the dryer ... the pile of tools in the kitchen waiting to bring down to the basement is really aggravating.  Those may have to wait until tomorrow.
     I just had a gin; will take two Aleve  ... almost out of them.

7:44 PM 10/27/05
     Now, I did it!  My back felt pretty good today; I was most of the night working on my photos ... didn't do too much active most of the day.  But, near the end of the afternoon, I started some more caulking ... and kept at it longer than I should.
     My lower back is stiff and soresssssssssssssssssssss

8:51 AM 10/28/05
      Well ... that last word of last nite was where I fell asleep at the computer!  No gin either.
     I went to watch some T.V.  and fell asleep for the night.  My back is cranky this morning.  I tried to pick something off the floor, and decided that would have to wait until "later" ... my lower back is threatening to kink up ... esp. on the left side.  I cannot stand up straight, of course. 
 
10:53 AM 10/28/05
     I'm loosened up a bit now, been mostly sitting.  My neck pain is threatening to come back.  I really feel that, If I'd taken some gin last nite before bed to relax my muscles that I wouldn't be having so many problems this morning!

11:33 AM 10/28/05
     Three more aspirins.

3:11 PM 10/28/05
     FOUR more aspirins,

11:04 PM 10/28/05
     I am having a gin or two to hopefully keep my back from being so bad again tomorrow morning.
     I had to spend the afternoon on my paint project ... several times I had to take a break to ease my back.  It was getting so achy, esp in the lower back, and would be difficult to reach down for something.
     There were things that had to be done in the house after dark; I really just wanted to go lie down ... which I will now.

Just testing the IM feature.
Entry for Backlog:

3:14 AM 10/25/05
I am going back to bed soon ... the three Aleve I took earlier maybe kicked in; the pain has subsided. I hope that I can get back to sleep....=-O
:-)1:02 PM 10/25/05
I have had a good nite's sleep ... eventually ... have done a few minor chores around the house. When I got up, my back had improved over the pain level of last evening & thru the nite. I was worried that my neck pain would return; it did not.
I'm actually feeling ambitious ... something I could not force to happen yesterday.

Backache is back.

    6:00 AM 10/21/05
     Had a good sleep; I'm going back to bed with some more Aleve and some liniment of both kinds. My lower back has moderate pain; my whole spine up to my neck has severe aching when I try to flex & move it.  I'm walking bent over again; I hope that this goes away.  It was so nice to have some days with minimum discomfort.

11:25 AM 10/21/05
     I did get back to sleep.  My back is happier now.  I'm feeling ambitious ... will try not to over-do it again!
     I took three aspirins.

2:46 PM 10/21/05
     I took three aspirins.  Must finish my project.  My back is co-operating.  My project involves no great physical effort ...  just something else than lying on the sofa.

7:14 PM 10/21/05
     Relaxed I am.  Done I am not.  I must tend to my pets.  I am warming up a supper.  I finished my outside project ... impending bad weather dictated extra effort.
     Relaxed means that my back will not threaten me; I can finish my most important chores ... but ... much will have to wait until tomorrow ... as usual.    That means that tomorrow I start out behind even before I start!
 
   Sofa break ... three more aspirins ... back to caulking.

5:55 AM 10/22/05`
     Cannot sleep for the past few hours ... thinking about the things that I left undone when I pooped out.  I left the partially open paint cans out in the rain.  I did not feed all the kitties.  So ... I am up ... gunta do these things ... hoping that will let me relax and go back to sleep.  I do really want to keep my back relaxed so that it doesn't start the pain cycle again.  I just took three aspirins and a hot milk gin toddy.

   1:23 PM 10/23/05
     Yesterday was cold and rainy ... I got to rest ... didn't do much all day.  I felt tired.
     TODAY ... had some computer work to do ... so have not done much physically yet today.  I had two Aleve about 9 am ... nothing else.
      My aches in my lower back of yesterday have gone away.  There is nearly no discomfort, tho, when I first got up this morning, I couldn't stand up straight. I've been having a problem with my legs & feet cramping in the middle of the night.

   5:36 PM 10/23/05
    It's getting dark; my break is over.  I must go feed my kittens. I ruined my back cleaning up the mess of sawdust & tools in the frontroom and on the deck.  I just couldn't do it sooner; all my available time and energy and back has been directed to gettting the painting done before this wet, rainy spell.
     Three aspirins now.  I rested for more than an hour.  I will need my gin later on, when I get my chores done.

   8:11 PM 10/23/05
 FOUR aspirins!   Some hot toddieS coming up!  There were some emergency things that I just couldn't put off any longer ... In trying to get the painting done ... many things had been let slide!  There are standards of civilized living!  I used to be able to afford ladies to come and help me with my chores ... that is not in the budget anymore.  PRIORITIES ... and, now, I suffer. 
     Forget my rationing the gin until my next Social Security check comes ... my back is kinking and cramping!  BUT ... I did all the above.  There are standards!

  7:18 PM 10/24/05
     I give up!  I didn't do much today except get caught up on some desk-type stuff, so, I was going to do just a few things around the house, and have a nice hot, soaky bath.  Then I just stared at my to-do list, and instead headed for bed because of my back aching so badly.
     I just took three aspirins and rubbed on some liniment ... no hot toddies.

1:14 AM 10/25/05
     I cannot find a comfortable position in bed.  My legs & feet have been having severe cramping.  My back has been getting worse ever since early last evening.  Now, it isn't just hurting when I'm up or moving ... there is pain just sitting or lying down.
    I just took two Aleve.  I hope to get back to bed and back to sleep.

Some GOOD, Some BAD

11:05 AM 10/15/05
     It certainly feels strange not to have so much back pain!
     I was awake many times  thru the nite (I think that these injections make me have to visit the bathroom more often).  BUT,  I did get a lot of sleep; my last sleep was til after 10 am.
     I do have a gripping ache in my lower back that prompts me to not stand up straight ... but, it seems that partly, I'm used to stooping over when my back hurts ... like a habit ... so it's partly out of habit.
     Just sitting here at the computer, my mid-back & ribs have a moderate soreness ... not really a pain.
     I can roll my head around all directions and look over both shoulders with no pain.  That neck pain had mysteriously disappeared by itself, after two days of especially vegging out ...  BEFORE the injections.

12:01 PM 10/15/05
     This discomfort that I had this morning feels more of a residual sensation than real pain.  Perhaps, each morning I will still have an hour or so of loosening up ... to feel at my best?
     I do feel quite ambitious ... that's always a good sign!

2:29 PM 10/15/05
     Still perking along, doing some light housework ... no major discomfort.  Just took three aspirins; feel like a short sofa break so that I don't over-do it.

12:06 PM 10/16/05
     I feel so strange, not having severe pain or muscle aches.  That is giving me a restless feeling; I'm not used to being ambitious so much.  I had trouble getting to sleep last nite... slept late, then did some computer stuff.
     There are residual aches ... not real pain.  Knowing that this improvement began BEFORE my injections, I'm wondering how long this relief will last?

9:20 AM 10/17/05
      It is rare that I can feel ambitous so early in the day.  I had a good nite's sleep, and, getting loosened up wasn't as much of a problem as usual.
    
3:45 PM 10/17/05
     My back is still feeling better ... perhaps the injections (lumbar facets) are helping?  I'm still not sure what had caused the mysterious improvement BEFORE that. I'm afraid to hope that it would continue.  I am being careful not to over-do it, and still am going to take occasional sofa-breaks to KEEP from getting sore.

11:04 AM 10/20/05
      I've been busy ... whether at the computer, or at my house painting.  Each evening, I went to bed early, because my back was very uncomfortable, and I didn't want to abuse it.  I was out of gin; I have been using it to relax my back in such situations so as to KEEP it from cramping.  The next best thing was to go lie down and try to relax.  That meant that I woke up in the middle of the nite, and cannot get back to sleep.   Now, I am building up a sleep deficit.
     Last nite, I took quite a few doses of Aleve and of aspirins.  Several times, I had a charlie-horse in my right foot and leg.
     This morning, I had a dull, gripping ache across my lower back.  My neck/shoulder pain has not returned ... that's a mystery.  My upper back may sometimes be a little stiff/sore ... but, not too bad.
     RIGHT NOW:  I'm feeling ambitious (a good sign) ... and most of my lower back discomfort has left.

7:21 PM 10/20/05
      ooooooOOOOWWWIE! ... NOW I DID IT!  RUIN'T MY BACK FOR SURE.   I wanted to finish some painting ... kept at it too long ... didn't take enough breaks!
      I just had one extra strong Tylanol and three aspirins.  I'm afraid to sit down too long, or I may never get back up again.  I for sure am headed to the grocery store first to get some "internal liniment" ... gin.
     That's the problem when I have a good day and my back doesn't hurt:  I am so behind on everything that I try to catch up and overdo it!
     The gin will relax my back and keep the tension from causing more pain ... because pain causes my muscles to tighten up and that causes MORE pain ... which causes MORE tightness ... then more PAIN ... etc.

10:07 PM 10/20/05
     My supper is ready; I've had my warm milk/gin drinks ...    ... hoping that I can get my back to quit bothering me and get caught up on my sleep.  I  am leaving so much housework undone.

Is This Really Me?

10:40 AM 10/10/05
     I woke up late ... had gone to sleep early the evening before (Sunday, the 9th) because my back was just ruined.  

     When I first got out of bed, I was thinking, wondering if my injections had "worn off" ... and wishing that I hadn't missed my appointment.  This week, I get some more injections, and will print this out for my doctor to have a history of "How'm I du'in?".

  After midnite, I had to get loosened up and finally was able to get up to make my "supper"... and have some more gin.

9:20 PM 10/11/05

... I was gone all day, taking a drive.  I was mostly in the car, but made frequent stops to get out to take photos, etc.
     This long drive was what my back really needed ... a "day of doing NOTHING".
     Having been short of sleep, I slept very well last nite.  My back has aches and pains all over, mostly in my lower back ... but not too bad right now, that I'm loosened up.
      I'm going  to have some aspirins now, had some Aleve before bed last nite.

  5:09 PM 10/12/05
     MY BACK FEELS ABSOLUTELY MARVELOUS ... NOT A TRACE OF EVEN DISCOMFORT!
     I've spent most of this day at the computer, doing ABSOLUTELY NOTHING PHYSICAL!
     Is my prescription to completely become a couch potato ... and suck gin?  Those two seem to be the only common denominators to my back's feeling comfortable!
    I cannot believe just how great I feel after two days of vegging ... it did take two days in a row to achieve this level of comfort.  There is absolutely no ache anywhere, no matter how I bend and flex in any position!  It is as tho I never had any problem with my back! 

      It's hard to believe that my neck & shoulders have no trace of discomfort after two months or more of terrible pain when I try to look over my shoulder, esp. over my left shoulder!

8:21 AM 10/13/05
     TODAY  .... I am finally getting to keep my appointment at the pain clinic for my "facets" .... some sort of injections into my back.  If I had kept my original appointment of several weeks ago, I would have attributed the last two days of feeling WONDERFUL to the injections!

  6:11 PM 10/13/05
     I am just so happy that my back feels so great!  AND ... wonderfully opitimistic about maintaining this now that I have had the "lumbar facets" ... four injections on both sides of my spine between my hip area.  He had intended to put these in my upper back area in the shoulder blade area, but, since my back was feeling so much better, and the worst discomfort was my lower back ... he decided to put the injections there.
     He did say that if my upper back returned to being unbearable before my next appointment (in two months) that I should return for more injections there.

     I printed out a copy of this Journal for the doctor ... it is in my files there.  Perhaps it would be a matter of interest to have an idea of my daily battle with my back problems ... and help to figure out what triggers either lasting agony or times of relief ... there never seems to be a direct cause & effect!

10:30 AM 10/14/05

    When the Pain Clinic called for its follow-up check on me this morning ... I told them that my relief level was at least 50% better than yesterday ... which had been UNUSUALLY pain-free.  I said that the improvement over my usual level of pain/incapacity was at least 95% or more!
     Dare I hope that I can carefully resume some minor activities, and not have to just veg out on the sofa?  I've put on at least ten pounds the last few months!
     Just prior to these heavenly days of relief from back pain, I had had to take a lot of gin to relax my back when it was in such major agony.  So, now, that I don't need the gin, I haven't had any at all for several days ... I always have to tell the doctor that I don't know ever what triggers either lasting agony or times of relief ... there never seems to be a direct cause & effect!