Hoping for a better day...

7:55 AM 8/7/2005
     What a difference a day (night) makes~!  My back was so wonderful the past few days that I couldn't believe it. 
     BUT ... Getting up this morning, I shore did believe it was MY back!      But, in analyzing ... so as to have something to tell the doctor at the Pain Clinic when he asks "how'm I du'n?" (which is the purpose of this journal) ... I should categorize the way my back feels.

•     PAIN ... Just pain on their scale of 1-10 ...  (reserving 10 for childbirth & ripping limbs off) does not cover the range of describing the owies.
•  PAIN   
• ACHE   
• SORE   
• DISCOMFORT

These would be some categories ... which would be further broken down for comparison.
     Just plain sharp pain is one thing ... a gripping ache can be harder to ignore ... and make it imperative that you immediately seek the solace of the bed or sofa!
     Sometimes, it makes no difference whether you are sitting, lying down, standing, or walking.  Sometimes, sitting will bring relief -- sometimes only lying down will do it.
     SO ... THIS MORNING ... ON MY FIRST FORAY OUT OF BED (I did sleep pretty well last night) (without the Tylenol P.M.) ... I cannot stand upright ... that should be one of the descriptive check-off's.  Tho intense & not a sharp pain, or even "gripping ache" ... I still cannot stand up straight.  It is more of an extreme soreness ... as tho I had been piling rocks all yesterday ... a sore & tired feeling.
     I just took some heavy-duty Excedrin and both internal & external liniment ... and am going back to bed for a bit.  Let's see how that works ... SOAKING IN A HOT BATH WOULD PROBABLY BE A GOOD THING, TOO.  

11:56 AM 8/7/2005
     Been just lounging around so far today ... feeling sorta okay.  It is still a bit difficult to stand up straight, but, it is more of a stiffness than any sort of pain.
    I didn't take my tub soak yet; I am headed outside to finish the staining of the wood decor for the lower patio.  That will be simply a sit-down job ... should be a good choice of activity.        Hoping that keeping my back relaxed may be the answer ... pain medications don't do too much good.  

6:13 PM 8/7/05
        About an hour ago, I dragged myself off the sofa.  My flowers on the lower patio were wilting in the hot sun, or, I wouldn't have gotten up.
     My left hip hurt so much: PAIN that I could hardly walk, much less stand up straight.  I hobbled around like the Hunchback of Notre Dame ... then, sat down and forced myself to finish up putting the stain on the lattice trim.  I didn't clean up, nor paint the trim strip ... just headed back in.
     It had only been two hours since my Excedrin Plus ... so ... I'm just sipping on a really stiff gin & milk... RETREAT BACK TO THE SOFA!
 
8:03 PM 8/7/05
      IT WORKED ... I even did some of my P.T. exercises ... am getting around fairly well, with not too much discomfort.  The only problem is that the day is nearly over ... what can I hope to accomplish at sunset?
     I don't want to keep using gin to achieve relaxation; don't want to get a prescription drug for muscle relaxation.  Maybe I will invest in some Papaya, tho, I've heard, it has gotten to be expensive.
     
9:02 PM 8/7/05
     There, I have been up and about with discomfort instead of pain ... getting a few small tasks done.  I had a few aspirins; I will take some   Tylenol P.M. later.  Of course, no more drinks now...  

 6:31 AM 8/8/2005
     I've been awake for a little while; I'm headed back to bed ... slept well. My back is at the "discomfort" level; it is hard to stand up straight.