10:05 PM 12/13/2008 The most important problem takes precidence; I've had so many problems the past few days that my back problems are the least of my worries. I traveled to Marquette, MI for some important personal business. ACCOMPLISHED. But, in the getting upset (needlessly) ... I may have incurred another minor stroke: I have a doctor's appointment for Monday.

3:48 PM 12/14/2008 I must be feeling a bit better; I've been taking ibuprofen quite a bit today. I did force my self to take it easy today and mostly watch T.V. I was going to town to pick up some things at the grocery store and at the FAMILY DOLLAR ... didn't. I was going to go get my Christmas tree up in the woods today, before it got cold again ... didn't. I may work on printing up my Christmas cards.

10:16 AM 12/15/2008 Just practicing my typing before I go off to my doctor's appointment. IT'S MUCH BETTER, NKT GID,'' Oh, well.

7:20 AM 12/16/2008 Just practicing writing. No news is good news; my doctor didn't find anything wrong ,,, except SOMETHING IS WRONG. She has some tests scheduled for me Thursday. She doesn't want me to be taking so much Ibuprofen regularly. I am supposed to be more concerned about liver damage & do without the pain tablets.

3:27 AM 12/17/2008
Making a new entry; typing is still screwed up. I gave up & had some Ibuprofen ... & just now took some 8 hour Aleve.

Lois

8:29 AM 12/3/2008

I didn't go to the chiropractor this week ... might not. I have to drive down to Green Bay to the dental clinic. My back has caused me to take one prescription Ibuprofen after another ... more than the 2-3 per day advised.
I took one at 8 ... doesn't seem to be helping much.

2:22 AM 12/5/2008

OKAY ... I did the Green Bay Dental Clinic thing; my back is just so mad at me. Back to bed.

5:29 PM 12/5/2008

My back has been bothering me so much today. I finally dragged myself off to town to do my banking, shopping (the Eagle flew over) ... bought some ALEVE ... like I usta take. Even with that ... I just cannot concentrate ... MY BACK HURTS!

2:09 AM 12/6/2008

WELL ... THE ALEVE JUST DIDN'T DO IT! I even took another Ibuprofen ... still I've been in agony for the past many hours. Cannot sleep; no kind of stretching, etc is helping to reduce the pain. Finally gave up lying in bed, sleepless. So ... I am sitting at the computer with a little snack ... and some linament (internal AND external).

I didn't get to the chiropractor this week ... I'm sure that is part of my problem. I have to go at least once a week.

8:02 AM 11/28/2008


My THANKSGIVING DAY went well; I spent the day with friends & their large family. Sitting, visiting, surprisingly, really makes me suffer. But, I've learned to pack some pain pills in my pocket where they'll be handy. My back is a bit stiff this morning, but I don't think it's too bad.



11:08 AM 11/29/2008


Now, after several pain pills ... sitting in the lounge chair for several hours ... I'm ready for the day. My back still has a sharp ache about half way up, mostly on the left. I did do the dishes, got my December budget printed out & figured out for when the Eagle Flies next Wednesday. The sun is shining; do I feel like doing something outside? I don't need to go to town for several days.



12:07 PM 12/2/2008

I cannot believe that my back is giving me so much grief! BUT ... looking back ... there were times in my life that excruciating pain was the problem ... not just the gripping aches & stiffness I have now that is more of a nuisance & aggravation. Thank Heavens that I can get high-dosage prescription Ibuprofen on my Medicade.

L o i s

We've had a little snow so far ... in fact, Marquette, MI ... somewhat a snow-capital ... set a snow-record (quite a feat) for the most snow that early. But ... here comes the "mother of all blizzards from the Dakota's ... 70 mph winds with at least 10 inches of dry, fluffy snow. IT'S HEADED OUR WAY ... supposedly only very cold, messy, & very miserable!

I've been so bummed about missing the deadline & losing over four years of AOL Journal/virtual diary entries .... PLUS all my numerous web pages. Those were the main reason that I was on AOL. I was there since its birth. NOW ... WHY BOTHER?, well, "Pull up your big-girl panties & go on from here" ... SOON, BUT, NOT YET! I've got so many crucial things going on in my personal & family & financial life that are more important, and very time-consuming ... I WILL BE BACK IN THE GROOVE, EVENTUALLY ... I PROMISE. All this stress definately compounds my back problems ... so, for now ... I'll just not make these entries too important a part of my concerns.

We've had a little snow so far ... in fact, Marquette, MI ... somewhat a snow-capital ... set a snow-record (quite a feat) for the most snow that early. But ... here comes the "mother of all blizzards from the Dakota's ... 70 mph winds with at least 10 inches of dry, fluffy snow. IT'S HEADED OUR WAY ... supposedly only very cold, messy, & very miserable! I've just been so bummed about missing the deadline & losing over four years of AOL Journal/virtual diary entries .... PLUS all my numerous web pages. Those were the main reason that I was on AOL. I was there since its birth. NOW ... WHY BOTHER? Oh, well, "Pull up your big-girl panties & go on from here" ... SOON, BUT, NOT YET! I've got so many crucial things going on in my personal & family & financial life that are more important, and very time-consuming ... I WILL BE BACK IN THE GROOVE, EVENTUALLY ... I PROMISE. All this stress definately compounds my back problems ... so, for now ... I'll just not make these entries too important a part of my concerns.

Up here ... in the U.P. ... this is our Yooper-ATM-machine. We get 10 cents per re-cycle can or bottle. You should see the kids getting spending money here!

Meanwhile backatheranch (backatcamp) ... it's too early to feed the deer yet (I wait until the bear have gone to bed ... but, I still have critters going thru the yard. I made the decision NOT to mow my lawn any more; my farmer's eye saw nummie green grass for deer food. Like out West ... they can paw thru th snow to eat it! But ... I see them out there in the middle of the night ... grazing. I know that I made a practical decision (made my back much happier, too).

TURKEYS

DEER

Still winter for a while

11:31 AM 2/23/2008

     I've spent too much time at the computer this morning ... I am in agony.  That is one less job I'd be able to do ... anything at the computer or even at a desk.
    Physical-activity jobs, which I used to love ... are also out of the question.
    I thought that doing crafts would get me some extra money ... but, that doesn't work for me, either.  No matter what position I try so I can do my crafts, even in the lounge chair ... my back soon starts bothering me.
    I'm so tired of being broke ... thank Heavens for Social Security ... but I earned that the hard way .... keeps me in the game, anyways.
   So, Medicare & my medical cards give me the chance to have treatments that do mitigate the pain & suffering.  I don't have the high level of pain that I lived with since at least the mid-70's.  Aches, agony, & discomfort do punish me for trying to do anything ... but, usually lying down for a while helps.

THESE PAST DAYS:
    I've felt fairly ambitious, which is always a clue that my body isn't hurting that much.  The trouble with that is I get involved with lots of activities (mostly indoor stuff right now) that make sure that I DO start hurting again.
    Most of the last of my Christmas stuff is down, tho, not stored yet.  Since "Valentines Day is my deadline for taking Christmas decorations down." ... I was forced to get that job done.
    SPRING CLEANING ... tho we've have mostly sub-zero weather (mostly at nite) ... maybe that's what's driving this cleaning urge?
     There's plenty of snow yet ... wondering if the amount of snow left will delay the start of my maple syruping, as it did last year?  I'm not looking forward to that project; both of my brush buggies need a mechanic ... cannot afford that ... will have to do it on foot again.

2:58 AM 2/29/2008
     Where do the days & weeks go?  My back has just been bothering me lately ... I MUST make an appointment for my facets!  I did resume going back to the chiropractor. 
   I have the excuse that our weather has been too cold to want to abuse my car trying to start it.
    I've even postponed many doctor appointments.  Missing the weekly chiropractor visits will make me sorry!  Also, I need some injections at the Pain Clinic ... and ...  another clinic for injections in my knee.  The others are mostly just SOP TESTS as part of getting acquainted with my new "regular doctor".

 

My winter project is to read all the books in the Crystal Falls Library on history of the Upper Peninsula.
I have to return a book today.... 

    L o i s 
My webpage: Crystal Falls, MI

My main AOL journal: 

Click here: Upper Peninsula, MI and beyond

NORTHERN PROVERB:                         

 DON'T EAT YELLOW SNOW!

aoljurlAdd, aoljurlAdd_3

BACKLOG of entries in February

click here: IRON County Courthouse Special on my main blog

"click on this picture to get a larger view"

3:44 PM 2/3/2008

     There ... I feel so much more enthused about this journal now ... with the new diary format.
     While I was making the entry, tho ... I smelled toasted cabbage; my stew simmering was running dry!   Oh, well ... that pot is cooling out in the snowbank; I've started a fresh pot.  Thank heavens that I hadn't put the meat in yet.  Not sure I like the toasted cabbage smell, tho.
    My back feels pretty good right now ... did that have anything to do with I did a few P.T. exercises this a.m.?  So ... that must be why I am feeling a bit more ambitious?

 

7:35 AM 2/4/2008

     What should I do today?  Oh ... a quick check of the calendar (on my cell-phone) tells me that I have a doctor's appointment (just a check-up) at 10:30. Recently, I changed to a new doctor; we're still getting acquainted. She seems quite intuitive; she's also experienced bad back problems & had some good advice.
    That about takes care of the first half of the day. Since snow is moving in late afternoon ... to last a day or more ... I'd better do some shopping while in town, too.

 

6:27 AM 2/8/2008

    The past few days, I've been trying to get things ready to take my crafts to a week-end show.  No heavy lifting ... just sustained periods of activity.
    Even my knee started bothering me; with being mostly cooped up in the house, the knee hasn't had much reason to start hurting.  My new doctor had instructed me to make an appointment with the specialist for another injection.  I had told her that I purposely am not overly active so as not to aggravate that knee.  Partly, the reason for not having made the appointment is that I am rationing the gas for my car.  My winter heating bills are getting behind and I'm on a budget.
     Yesterday ... even tho I did my craft work tipped back in my lounge chair, the heating pad on my back, many aspirins/ibuprophen, some gin, stretching exercises ... my back still was siezed up & really painful.  That kept me from sleeping well.
     I did some stretching/traction type exercises before finally getting up ... it helped some.  Now, I have the heating pad on the lounge chair ready for me to sit & get back at the craft project.  I could have finished it last evening, except for I had to retreat to my bed because my back hurt so much.
     I'm not looking forward to sitting all day for two days this weekend at the craft show ... my back will be just so ruined.

 

5:11 PM 2/19/2008

     Okay ... here I am, back to making a whining entry.  I've been taking ibuprophen, etc ... my back is really in agony.
     Because of the cold weather, snow, car problems ... I've been cancelling doctor appointments.  I missed two weeks of chiropractor ... my facets injections at the pain clinic ... etc. ... now, I'm suffering.

Click here for my weather(& yours)

FIRST "DAILY" ENTRY;

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2008

     Another chilly day ... tho the bright sun, blue sky with pretty white clouds ... made you think it wasn't really that cold.  At the time of this writing ... it is 19 degrees (F) below ZERO!

     Many times, at the end of the day, like this, it seems as tho I didn't do much today ... but, I WAS busy doing SOMETHING.  I tidied up the kitchen, putting stuff away that I'd had at the craft (gun) show.  The set of antlers that I thought I'd done such a good job of repairing is loose AGAIN!  Now, I have to take it apart again & figure out a procedure to REALLY fix it.  I thought I'd done that.

     I did some bookwork; found out that I probably cannot e-file my Energy Refund.  After many tries to get into the Michigan Tax Department, I gave up that route, too.  TOMORROW, I MUST MAIL IN THE FORM ... even tho I didn't get an answer to a question I have about filling it out.

     I don't know how long it will take to get that refund; it is not as much as I'd hoped.  It is based on what I used the past year; being economical with the thermostat thus worked against me.

     The only things that I did outside today were to bring some warm food & water up to the cats in the Gunta shed ... & feed the deer at the end of the afternoon.  After I got back into the house, I realized that I'd forgotten to get the mail ... but, I decided that wasn't important enough to go back out.

     Besides ... about that time, my back started hurting big-time.  Ibruprophen, etc. ... gin ... lounge chair didn't help.  I took a nap; that helped some.

     At the time of this entry ... now ... it's gone past midnite.

L o i S

 

YOOPER Ground Hog Day

3:25 PM 2/3/2008

 

     HERE WE GO WITH THE FIRST ENTRY ON THE NEW, IMPROVED WAY OF MAKING ENTRIES ... NOT JUST WHEN I TAKE SOME ASPIRIN, OR, HAVE TO GO TO BED WITH THE PAIN ....
    I feel more enthused already!  Here's a link to my main BLOG:

click here: YOOPER Ground Hog Day

  MEET "Aino Chukinen"

... our local YOOPER    Groundhog ...   

So ... I'm gunta KEEP my Resolution List
Posting it here reminds me!

• Get involved in community activities
• Get involved with church activities
• Get better at doing my vitamins & physical therapy

ADDING SOME MORE "GUNTA-DO's"

• Sort out my GUNTA shed
• Remember family birthdays

     I'm doing fairly well on my list so far ... found out that diligently taking my vitamins makes me more ambitious, which, in turn, leads to doing more of my P.T.  ... which helps how my back feels ... which makes me more cheerful, etc, etc.

 

 

L o i S

Tags: back, Yooper, New Year Resolution

BACK to entries

8:36 PM 1/31/2008
   In the past few days, it's been so cold that I've not been doing much outside ... not even shovel the snow.
   What I did do was to spend some extra time at the computer, making a web presence for a new geology club.
   That caused my back to be really painful.  This is a phenomenon that others experience ... one of my favorite blogs' writers wrote that she'd not be making entries for a while because her back was really bothering her & sitting at the computer caused horrible pain.  Click here: Sorry

     This is so discouraging ... everything that I'd hoped to do to earn a few extra dollars is just about impossible because of the back pain that I then experience.

     Now, I did get rid of the pain somewhat by taking first 3 Ibuprofen ... then, some gin drinks ... then 2 aspirins ... & some more gin.  Several hours with a heating pad with some more gin finally brought some relief.

8:46 PM 1/31/2008
    My new chiropractor is so great ... he has a new procedure that involves a special table that applies gentle traction while he's doing his work upon my back.  I've found out that I must go to him once a week ... even if I think I don't need it.  When he starts to work on my back ... I realize that there is so much tension/stiffness/pain that needs his help.  If I don't go every week, my upper back problems escalate so much that it takes him several weeks to get my back to a managable level again.
HERE'S A PICTURE OF A SIMILAR TABLE THAT HE USES FOR ME. 

Click here: http://myweb.cableone.net/mdclement2002/Images/Vintage%20Deluxe/Vintage%20Deluxe%20McManis%20Mauve%20(800x600).jpg

B A C K again

OKAY ...THIS IS A NEW YEAR ... I'M GUNTA RESUME MAKING ENTRIES HERE ... HERE'S A BACKLOG OF ENTRIES.

11:03 AM 7/27/2007

   My back is not too bad this morning ... some aches during the night.

 

2:31 AM 7/30/2007

     Overall, my back is better since my last facets ... but, tonight, for some reason, I just cannot sleep because of the agony of my lower ribs & upper back.
    I have not accomplished much to be proud of the past few days ... even got several good night's sleep.  Yesterday, didn't do much outside because of the heat ... WHY IS MY BACK HURTING SO MUCH NOW?
    I didn't take aspirins before bedtime; I don't like to take aspirins, etc. on an empty stomach.
    Now ... I am telling myself to get downstairs & make up a big cup of chicken broth ... with some powdered eggs & maybe a few noodles.  Not that I'm hungry, but I need to take some aspirin & some acetaminophen.

2:56 AM 7/30/2007

     There, I took two 500 acetaminophen & two aspirin ... plus applied some liniment to my upper ribs, the base of my neck, and my neck.  (Wish I could reach to apply to my entire spine.)  My spine & neck seem to be really stiff & sore; my neck clunks as I try to loosen it up.
     My next appointment at the chiropractor isn't until Wednesday afternoon.  The appointment for my facets in my mid back was to have been Thursday ... but, I had to postpone them until next week so that my Social Security check would be in.  I didn't have enough money for the gas to get to the Pain Clinic in Niagra, WI.

 

3:26 AM 7/31/2007

     My back is just so much better tonight ... is it because I let the hot spell we're having keep me mostly watching T.V.  a lot?

10:06 PM 8/2/2007

     I went to the chiropractor yesterday.  My back felt pretty good today.  I kept moderately busy ... just did short sessions of the harder jobs.

2:11 AM 8/6/2007
     Been sleeping a while; thinking of putting some liniment on ... and of taking some aspirin.  If I take aspirin ... I need to eat something first ...
     My back is only stiff & sore ... but quite sore.

12:41 AM 8/11/2007
    After my facets (injections) last week ... my whole back was just so improved ... I shore ruint it today!
    It wasn't as tho I had been doing heavy labor ... just spent the day in the kitchen, mostly.  But, I just kept too constantly busy.  NOW, I'M IN AGONY.

9:52 AM 8/11/2007
    After several applications of aspirins & some gin thru the night ... when I got out of bed ... my back is just awful ... I cannot imagine my being able to do anything today except lie down & watch T.V. & make phone calls.  Even sitting at the desk or computer feels terrible!

1:36 AM 8/21/2007

     I have company coming in a few days.  I am way behind on my basic  house-cleaning.  I am going to have to lower my standards on the outside work I'd hoped to do.
     Even after a few hours of sleep, my back dictates that I just lay around for at least a day; these cleaning projects must be cancelled.  CANCELLED IS NOT AN OPTION.
     I just had some aspirins, had to have some cheese to coat my tummy ... drank some gin & milk (with maple syrup) ... am going to do a few easy/sitting down jobs before I go back to bed.

4:26 AM 8/22/2007

     I'm really going to appreciate that trip to the chiropractor today.  By experimenting, I found out that I'd better not skip my weekly visit there ... it just keeps my back from becoming an emergency situation.
     With company coming in a few days ... I must push myself to get my cleaning done.  Housework is one of worst things for my back.

8:06 AM 12/6/2007
     Not writing in this BACKlog doesn't mean that my back is better ... what it means is that it sounds like just a different verse of the same old whining about the pains.  Pains is plural; often there are distinct different areas of my back that are giving me problems ... often in different ways.
     I know that the aches/pains of yesterday that even the chiropractor wasn't very successful in mitigating are TENSION caused.  My social security check came; I've been trying to stuff it into my new, improved, written monthly budget form.  What with a cash-advance loan to re-pay, the $79 the State of Michigan is demanding to renew the plates on my car, gas for the car ... I'm not sure if I can appease everyone.  ALSO ... I FORGOT TO DO THE PAPERWORK TO RENEW MY BENEFITS FROM THE STATE ... FOOD CARD, MEDICAL INSURANCE PMT'S ... DON'T KNOW IF I CAN MAKE THE DEADLINE.