I Think It's Fine?

      Last week, I just totally ruined my back in an hour's time, sitting, working on this craft item.

     My upper & middle back just caused so much pain & misery that I promised myself I'd call the Pain Clinic for an appointment.

    So ... Wednesday, I went to the chiropractor for an extremely satisfying treatment.  I felt like skipping out of the office, flapping my wings like a chicken.

     Yesterday, I had my "thoractic facets" in my mid-back.  At first, I wasn't sure about the results, but, as I laid there in the recovery room ... an increasing flood of relaxation came over me.  It actually felt as tho I'd had 3 or 4 drinks!  The relaxation was so heavenly!  Before the injections, I'd been trying, painfully, in vain to get my shoulders & base of my neck loosen up to get rid of the pain there. 

    AFTER ... that relaxation just kept soothing that area noticeably until the pain subsided greatly.  How Wonderful!

    So ... here in the dawn, I am reasonable comfortable ... made my trip downstairs walking fairly upright.

 

  Hopefully, I can go back to sleep for a while.

  Hopefully, I can keep this "better" feeling ... I'll even try some more craftwork today.  THAT'LL BE THE REAL TEST!

DAMN ... it hurts!

When I fed the deer today ... it was a slow, laborious trek ... with my walking stick ... walking slowly, all hunched over.

     Yesterday, I forced myself to do a major cleaning under the basement steps ... the kitty pan area ... it was a must do project sadly overdue.  Several times, I just had to time-out & sit down a while.

      It took all nite, lots of internal & external liniment to get over the pain.  In the morning, walking was a slow, miserable process for a long time.  I kept trying to consciously lower my shoulders & relax my back.  I did a little more cleaning & housework ... nothing major.  In the afternoon, I felt a bit better, then walked around, putting a few maple syrup taps in some trees near the house.

     When I came in, I had much gin, forced myself to lock up the basement, feed the deer, eat a microwave dinner ... and retreat to the lounge chair ... "QUIT FOR THE DAY!"

     Now, more gin, a little aspirin ... because I woke up not being able to find a comfortable position in bed.  Just the trip downstairs to the bathroom, etc. was a real chore.

     I have an appointment at the chiropractor ... today ... and tomorrow will get some more facets (steroid injections) in my upper back on the next day.  I have to check with the chiropractor to see how many visits I've had; I'm only allowed 18 per year!

GOOD DAY?????

 This feels like a GOOD DAY????

   I did start out a bit stiff, sore, & not able to stand up straight ... but, using the theorum that I feel ambitious ... & don't have a lot of serious pain ... maybe this is a good day????

      That figures ... I have an appointment with the chiropractor this afternoon!  I sure would have loved to go there some of those terrible days during this past week when I was in such ungodly pain ... make that misery.

     I think that I will call & finally make that appointment to go to the Pain Clinic for a 'tweener ... some extra injections, this time in my upper back & or mid-back.

 L o i s

Sorta Better

      I'm gunta make it ... I guess that the solution to my back problem is to gobble aspirins, ,slob on the liniment, slug gin, become a couch potato.

     I cannot believe that during the past week, my level of REAL pain has been so high so often.  Usually, by doing the above formula ... and then, by the end of a long night, there will be some improvement.

     The base of my neck has been the outstanding area of concern ... when it is at its worst ... my lower ribs & mid back really bother me.

     I cannot even sit at the computer much when it is so bad; bed or sofa time is the only solution for some relief.

     I made sure that I didn't do any ice chopping, vacuuming, or anything that resembled WORK ... now, my back is not as bad ... finally!

Not Worse

I did sleep some; bed was the only place that I could  go.  I felt a feeling of comfort when I rolled over onto my tummy.  I put a lot of liniment on ... did SLEEP.

      Now, my tummy says no more aspirins ... I decided upon a can of soda for using for my gin  drink   ... that seemed to go well.

     I put copious quantities of liniment &  rubbing alcohol on ... liniment is expensive ... tried to fashion a liniment poultice ... didn't work.

    Let's try BED again ...

 

 sitting at the computer is not yet an option.  It's discouraging to think that I couldn't even get a sitting down job ... that is not always possible.   I'm so sick of being broke & IN THE RED!

 

Return to AGONY

     After some days of my back feeling better ... this past week has been off & on terrible.  I did practically nothing today because I was so miserable during the nite last nite ... did just a little snow chopping, no shoveling.  Just laid around watching T.V. most of the day.

     No amount of aspirins, rest, aspirins, liniment, or gin can relieve this misery.  THIS IS REAL PAIN ... not just ache or discomfort.  I don't know what to try next.  What good will it do to go to bed?  I've been napping some.  I cannot even sit at the computer or desk to do anything.

copy of last entry

A RE-RUN OF THE LAST ENTRY

SOME  IMPROVEMENT

MORE:

• Pain
• aspirin
• gin
• Food to coat my stomach
• More exercises
• HOPEFULLY: more sleep?

 

L o i s

MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT

MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT

 

MORE:

• Pain
• aspirin
• gin
• Food to coat my stomach
• More exercises
• HOPEFULLY: more sleep?

 

L o i s

Some GOOD, some BAD

     WEDNESDAY ... before & after ... the two days & nites before ... my back had felt worse than it has for MONTHS!

     TUESDAY night ... I kept taking aspirins,   gin, and applying liniment.  FINALLY, Wednesday am ... my back started to feel better ... and in the afternoon, I went to the chiropractor.  I didn't dare do any shoveling ... almost made it out of my driveway ... had some minor shoveling to get my car unstuck twice.  Same for getting back in.  I left the car halfway to the house.

     The chiropractor did quite a bit in different areas of my back ... even did some extra on my neck/shoulder muscles, which are always so tight... THAT FELT SO HEAVENLY!   Afterwards, I got off the table & walked very carefully ... felt a bit stiff ... but okay.

     My back was pretty good for several days.  I noticed that I had the usual several nights of great sleep after the chiropractor.

     Today, I did some vacuuming, some floor washing ... and a little snow chopping & shoveling ...  MY BACK IS RAPIDLY BECOMING SORE, STIFF, AND PAINFUL!  The worst area is my mid-back & lower ribs ... I feel like it even hurts to breathe.

    I had forced myself to drive in to town & get some gin ... I'm glad I did ... I'm going to need it.  I will take some aspirins, some gin, put some liniment on ... and just quit for the day ... LIE DOWN IN THE ONLY THING..... I cannot even sit here at the computer because of the pain.

Slight Improvement

  Somewhat better ... after aspirins ... several hours on the sofa & several gin drinks.  My back is no longer at the crisis mode ... but is threatening to revert to that.

     I have left so many things undone ... so many just plain messes that I don't dare even think of doing tonight.

      Another gin, some more aspirins, sit at the computer for a while ... some strong liniment ... hopefully, then, sleep the rest of the night.

     My pain is still at the severe level, not as bad as before, but threatening to get worse.

Writhing in Pain

  Where did this pain come from?  All day, I was marveling at how great my back felt ... even if I had to cancel my chiropractor's appointment because I was snowed in.

     I hardly took any aspirins today ... did some of this & some of that ... some T.V. watching, some computer stuff.

     I was  just going to do the dishes, when my back started hurting so bad ... like severe pain ... like a 9.  The pain is in my lower rib section, terrible ... probably working its way up.

     Just now, I took several aspirin, several gin ... got back in the lounge chair .... this is lie down pain ...

no sitting at the computer even.

      Why?????  I did do some serious snow scooping today, in several sessions ... mostly no lifting.  But ... that was much earlier today.

 

OWIE ... WOWIE!

  This really hurts ... 

      I took one of my evening naps; woke up to find that my lower ribs have severe pain ... at first mostly on the left side.  I couldn't stand up straight, but had some unfinished business, which was that my whole salmon    still laid on the sink, waiting to be "stuffed", wrapped, & put into the oven to bake.  (I haven't had supper yet).  I did all that ... & even forced myself to put everything away.

     Now, I am sitting at the computer so I don't sleep thru the time for the fish to be done baking.  My whole lower rib section is in agony ... my shoulder's are drawing up & tightening ... and there is a horrible ache at the base of my neck.

      I also, because of my nap, did not get the nice hot bath I'd planned ... not sure that I am into the preparation necessary to do that ... tho, it probably be a good thing to do right now.

      I took three aspirin ... almost took a   PM pain pill, but, decided to wait until my fish is done (not done for).

Slow Start this morning

TRAIN OF EVENTS ... Was I overly-ambitious yesterday because my back started feeling better????

•     I brought the birdfeeder in & took care of how unsightly it was, and put it back together quite sturdily, and filled it.  (Actually got some birds visiting)
• Did some wading in the snow to get a bucket, etc.
• Cleared the north steps
• Used up the rest of the snow-melt in the bucket on the steps to sprinkle on my tire tracks in the driveway ... hope to get down to the gravel so I can get up the driveway all the way to the house without several runs at it.
•      I did the washer/dryer thing ... those wet clothes had been in there maybe three days?
•      I found my bag of leather scraps. 
•  I finished packaging, freezing, & putting away all my cooked meat.
• I took half of the bathroom apart so that I could do a perfect job of vac/soak/scrub the floor on that half. 
•  I scrubbed ALL of the toilet.
• All the dishes are done/put away.

AT THE END OF THE DAY ... I HAD TO RETREAT TO THE SOFA ... HAVING PUSHED MYSELF TO FINISH THE LAST TASKS. 

    I did sleep soundly, tho not without waking up a few times.  My back didn't feel "better" until this morning.  I'd been putting a little liniment on, mostly on my neck & shoulders ... this last time I put some on my hips/lower rib section.

     I'd been taking some aspirins ... had only one drink of gin left.  Just now, I took two Ibuprophen.

     My back has moderate aches & pains in all areas ... I don't think it is a good idea do much except to get back onto the sofa.  If I had some gin ... I'd take that.  (Have to go get some LATER after I loosen up)  A hot, soaky bath would feel good, too.

     Lately, I've been having a fleeting threat of a hint of a headache that doesn't stay ... worries me to think it might have to do with my blood pressure.   HOPING, instead that it has to do with my neck problems.