10/6/09 Another workout

Jan and I went to aqua aerobics again tonight, and it was a much better workout this week. I took it easy however, because last week I couldn't even finish teaching on Wednesday night. Can't believe that damn water aerobics did me in like that. And tonight I can already feel it starting, but perhaps with some extra pain meds I'll feel okay tomorrow. Sure hope so.


Tonight's article: Chicago Reality TV Examiner--The Biggest Loser: Don't move, Tracy

4/8 Home from QU

It was a good class tonight, but it sure makes me tired.

Went to Doc today so I got to see Jan which is always nice. New meds for back pain, which I couldn't pick up tonight so I'll get tomorrow. Sure hope they work.

Tonight's article is sure to spark some controversy--New anti-smoking ad: Effective advertising or bordering on child abuse?

Cindy, thanks so much for taking care of Gus tonight. I really appreciate it. Love to all.

3/30 Not a good day

I'm sitting here with a headache and a backache, so will go to bed ASAP.

In the meantime, my article is Screen all teens for depression. Thanks for your support.

2/27 Home with the animals

The day started well, then I had bunches of pain so I came home around 2. I feel so much better after lying down for a while. I tell myself to be patient. It took about a week the last time for me to be totally pain free. It will be a week on Monday.

Friday's article on Examiner.com-- Aging: It takes a lot of courage to ask for help

Oh, and this is for my juggling brothers. This guy is amazing.

2/24 A funny day

I went to work today even though the pain doc told me to stay home. He was right.

I came home at 3 and relaxed for a while before making dinner and writing my article. Hope this finds everyone doing well. I'm feeling much better and am thrilled beyond words.

Tonight's article is Best friends: Do you have one? And it quotes one of my anonymous brothers.

2/22 Yuck yuck yuck

The party last night was awesome. It was great to see everyone and the euchre tournament was a lot of fun. Unfortunately I couldn't enjoy it too much. This pain is worse than ever. Sure hope the pain doctor can do something with it tomorrow. I keep saying I refuse to have surgery, but I can't refuse when it's like this. I want my life back.


Tonight's article is Another fear: Bungee cord break

2/17 Posted during lunch

Had a rough weekend but am just "sucking it up." Gussie is at Alpha Dog today and is an excited little puppy.

Chicago Mental Health Examiner: Does mom of octuplets idolize Jolie?

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12/19 A Blah Blog

Ever since I started writing the column my blog has suffered. Many of you are probably smiling at that. But tough--here I am.

Things are going well. I love the writing and have been getting a good response. Nothing like having a huge family. :)

But alas, I fell today on the ice--right in front of my house. The roads are okay right now, but the sidewalks are treacherous. Of course it felt like slow motion, of course I cracked my sidewalk, of course every muscle hurts.

But the good news is that I didn't re-injure my back. The pain there is just muscle stuff from trying not to fall. What a joyous afternoon--came home after a Christmas lunch to let Gus out and kaplowee. Down for the count.

So after I write my article for today, it's going to be bed and a heating pad. 'Cause now it's the weekend and there are Christmas presents to be purchased. :) I just received $600 unexpected dollars from various sources, and still haven't been paid from examiner.com yet. So it's going to be a good Christmas, although most of this will go to buy a plane ticket for LA. Gotta see those grandkids (and Jill and Todd of course).

Must start writing. Love to all. (Ouch.)

11/6 A quick rule break

I know I'm not talking about my back pain on this blog anymore but I wanted to give you some good news. The radio wave procedure that the doc did last week on one quadrant of my back has actually worked. Of course I'm thrilled. And we just need the procedure done on the rest of it.

He can't do the whole back at once because the procedure itself is so painful (in his words) that people can't tolerate it. So he has to divide it up. As with everything else at the pain doc, it's not "curing" the problem but making the pain go away is good enough for me.

If this will only work elsewhere it will change my life for the better.

Doc said it will last from six months to two years. Sounds like good odds to me.

Okay, I'm moving my "bitching and moaning" back to my other blog. Love to all.

10/03 Much better news!

I don't have pneumonia, which is great news. So here's hoping the damn bronchitis goes away soon.

And I met with the new pain doctor and for the first time I really have hope. He is going to do a new procedure on Monday. It's similar to an epidural, but the needle goes on the individual facets of the spine. He's also going to do something with radio waves on a nerve running next the spinal cord.

And for a change, I won't have to ask someone to give me a ride back from the procedure--my kids will be here. That'll be nice. So Monday is going to be a quiet day rather than an active one. But one day out of seven won't be bad.

The doc asked me what I wanted to do (activity wise). I said I wanted to do the Avon Breast Cancer Walk (40 miles). He asked when it was and I told him June. He said, "Okay."

That gives me hope.

In the meantime I slept all afternoon, which felt good. Tonight I'll use the nebulizer for the bronchitis and try the tens machine for the back pain. I got it from the physical therapist this morning. It's a personal version of the machine the therapist uses. Pain doc said that it works more for muscle pain and not the kind I have, but that anything (but surgery) was worth a try.

There's still lots of work to be done around here, but I may have my family make their own beds. That will help. Joe and Cindy came over and helped move stuff after the carpet cleaners were here. Jane is going to go grocery shopping with me tomorrow. So everything will be ready when my kids arrive.

I can't wait!

10/2 Don't bother reading....

it's just more about sickness.

Doc listened to my lungs and said, "We need to get an xray." I didn't even ask why, since I know several people who started with bronchitis and ended up with pneumonia. Don't know if I have it or not, guess I'll find out in a few days.

I have a nebulizer now and am using that four times a day. And doc told me I couldn't work for a few days. He even wrote it out. In order to be able to take off tomorrow, I worked until 7 pm tonight. Am pretty tired.

Because my back hurts so much worse I have an appointment tomorrow morning for physical therapy and then with the new pain doctor.

Have some different meds. Just hope I feel better by Saturday. At least bronchitis isn't contagious, so that's good news. :) Love to all.

9/30 My bad news

My back hurts as bad today as it ever has. It's as if I've never gotten any treatment. I'm depressed and even angry. I'll get over it, maybe after I have a nice meal.

Now who's going to cook it for me? Ha, that was funny wasn't it.

I'm going to make dinner as soon as I relax a little bit.

And, family, I'm going to need help putting furniture back, after the carpet cleaners moved things. Love you.

9/29 Talked to my bro

It was wonderful. He sounds like himself. (Thanks, God.)

Tomorrow the carpet cleaners come and my car gets detailed. I feel so exquisitely CLEAN.

Have been having a really rough several days with my back. Don't know what to complain about--the back or the bronchitis. Since I can't decide, guess I won't complain about either one. :)

Time for dinner. And then time to play with sweet Gussie. I can't take him for a walk again today, which makes me feel guilty, but at least I can play with him. And tomorrow he'll go to doggy day care, where he'll get plenty of exercise, leaving me guilt free.

9/19 Score: Cold 1, Jer 0

Finally gave in and am staying home from work today. I hate hate hate missing work but since I ran a temperature yesterday I don't want to make anyone else sick.

And unless a miracle happens this also means that I have to miss a big family gathering tomorrow. That REALLY upsets me.

But the GREAT news is that my brain MRI showed that I have one and that there are no signs of tumors or potential aneurysms. I'm very grateful. What did show was that I'm a compassionate, brilliant, talented, and humble human being.

Actually it showed the changes that come with age. And since we know I'm old, that came as no surprise.

Guess it's my meds causing the balance problems, which is what I was hoping for all along. Love to all...

9/17 It never pays

It never pays to say your back feels good. Because immediately it will start hurting in a revengeful way. Take my advice.

Still have my cold--blah, blah, ho-hum.

Had my MRI and it will be read today and the doc will probably dictate tomorrow. My doctor will probably have it tomorrow, which means my sisters will have it a few minutes earlier and they will call me with the good news. I'm going to win the "white spots on the brain" contest. It's an aging thing. And most likely nothing else will be wrong. I'm adamantly convinced it's my meds causing the balance problem. Saw my doc when I was visiting with Jan and he said the St. Louis neurosurgeon recommended surgery--same thing he told me.

Saw Lesa, the lady who adopted Quincy and Cookie. She told me wonderful anecdotes about them. I'm so happy they are so well-loved. But I still tear up when I think about them. Thank God it's only when I'm alone. The dogs have become outside dogs of their own volition--they really don't want to come inside at all, in fact they sleep outside now. I told Lesa they may change their minds in winter. These dogs are used to Mississippi winters. We'll see.

Guess that's it. I teach tonight so will go and prepare. (Jan and Jane, it was nice to see both of you today at the clinic.)

9/8 More teaching

Just got notice of a new class I'll teach at QU, beginning the end of October. It's Social and Cultural Issues. I'm really excited about this one since the topic is on that interests me a lot. In the evening courses the classes run for 8 weeks instead of a whole semester, so from Sept through Dec there are two classes that people can choose. So I'm very pleased to have another one to teach since I'm really enjoying this new adventure.

Work was hard today. I only took 1/2 hour for lunch, just ran home and let Gussie out and then went right back. Too much to do. Luckily I enjoy the job.

It's hard to work like this though because of how I feel. Yuck. Jan came over and let Gus out too and she carried out my heavy trash and recyclables. Thanks so much, Jan. Tim's going to take my SUV for another estimate on Wednesday. Thanks, Tim. You guys are really helping me so much and I can't tell you how much I appreciate it.

9/5 Gus and doggy day care

I had a bad day but Gussie sure didn't. They said he had a wonderful time at doggy day care at Alpha Dog Training Center. Am so glad he loved it. He was with four Boston Terriers that look like quadruplets. Jesse (Elizabeth's husband) said he had several inquiries about Gus. I said, "I hope you told them he wasn't for sale." :)

When we got home, I sat down and had a good cry. Gus came up and put his paws on my lap so I picked him up. He was so comforting that it was hard for me to stay sad. So I didn't. :)

Am going to lie down before dinner. That will help. And I think I'll make fried green tomatoes again tonight. That's all I had for dinner last night and it was an absolutely superb meal. Thanks, Joe and Cindy, for the green tomatoes. Don't cut down your plants without warning me, because I'll take some more. Yum.

Love to all.

9/4 Ugh, yikes, shit, etc., plus good old Gus

It would cost $2200 to get my car completely fixed. Of course that's at the Kia dealer and I know it would be cheaper elsewhere. But still...it's going to be a hell of a lot no matter where I take it. The three seatbelts in back cost $500 alone. (Yes, Quincy and Cookie cost me a lot....)

I'd be better off buying a new car. But... (insert all the reasons I can't afford to buy right now).

Tomorrow Gus is going to Doggy Day Care for the first time. I'm going to Springfield all day, so it'll be nice that no one (Jan) will have to put him out over lunch time. I want him to get used to the place because in a few weeks I'll be in St. Louis for four days and nights, and he'll stay at the same kennel. I think he'll love it there. Tomorrow is supposed to rain so they put all the little dogs in the training room with a door open so they can go outside when they need to. Gus will have a ball playing with lots of other dogs.

Last night was a stitch. When Cindy was walking him I drove by and parked at QU. He saw me and went nuts. In fact he even got loose from Cin and ran after me. It was so cute. He really wanted me. But of course Cindy was able to get him back on track after I gave him some attention.

Not feeling too good, so after checking the computer, will go to bed. But Jill has given me a super idea. Her company, Advanced Bionics, made an instrument for pain, that's inserted right under the skin. You use a remote control and it works just like the treatment I got at physical therapy. There's a new pain doc in town at QMG who uses it. We'll see if it's a possibility. I'd love to have another option besides surgery.

9/4 No major news

First thanks to Jan and Cindy for taking care of Gus while I was gone. He loves both of you, that's obvious.

Doc said I should think about surgery. No surprise. He also said that if I live 20 more years he is confident I'll have the surgery sometime because of the severity of the stenosis. I wasn't planning on surgery but if I need to have it sometime it would be smart to have it younger rather than older, I think. Will see another neurosurgeon in October.

Am in a hurry. Will post more details after work.

9/2 Brother and stuff

One of my brothers had cataract surgery today and is doing very well. It's so good to hear that he already sees the improvement. Hooray for that!

I go tomorrow to St. Louis. Am looking forward to seeing the neurosurgeon since I fell twice yesterday. Once at Jan's and once here. The fall at Jan's was definitely from the imbalance issue. The one here was aided and abetted by dog food on the floor. Just what I needed. After I was done crying and cussing, I laughed. Had to. I fell so hard that gas exploded from my body. Luckily no one was around and my animals weren't close enough to be killed by the explosion. Gosh it was funny.

But it sure hurts today.

And I found out today all the work that my car needs. Omigod, I might as well buy a new one. Sure hope it makes it to St. Louis and back. Forgot to ask the mechanic about that. Oh well...I'm sure it will. (I'm an optimist, remember?)

Just went over to Joe and Cindy's to get some tomatoes and Cindy asked if she could take Gussie for a walk with her dog Kirby. Amen and alleluia. Thanks, Cin.

8/25 Why?

Saturday and Sunday I felt absolutely remarkable. No pain at all except for three or four intense attacks that lasted only minutes each. Same this morning. But after lunch everything started again.

I don't know what I did wrong, if anything. But it is sure depressing. Maybe it's because I felt so good that I didn't use my walking stick. Perhaps I overdid it. Who knows.

Or maybe it's because I forgot to sacrifice a chicken.

8/24 Happy Sunday

With one major, but mercifully brief, exception, I've felt good all day. This has been the best day ever as far as back pain goes. So this is what normal feels like. For five months I've forgotten. Am so very grateful for this good day. Am hopeful for many more.

Gus and I swam with Jan and her neighbors today. Gussie is very friendly to everyone, so he's welcome in the lake.

Now I'm starving, so better cook some dinner. Love to all.

8/23 Good news to share

I'm feeling much better. Don't think the pain will ever go away unless we can deal with the cause of it. But I'm able to walk a mile (with Gus), and the pain is manageable.

So I'm very pleased with the results of the epidural. Since I'd been complaining for five months, thought I'd share the good news.

And 28 years ago today I married John. I can't believe it was that long ago. Wow. Next week it will be 41 years since I married Phil. Amazing how time flies.

And now I'm really pissed. Right after I wrote I good I felt the stabbing pains began again. They are bad and will last from several minutes to a few hours. The good news is that they don't happen as often and in between them I feel pretty darn good.

Gussie and I are off to Starbucks for coffee. Love to all.

8/19 YUCK!

I just hate that I fell yesterday. Makes me so mad that I have to use the damn walking stick(s). But at least they'll stop me from falling again. My back does remind me that I fell--guess that's what made me mad; I thought the epidural was working, and then splat! Ah well, what can you do.... No big deal in the scheme of things.

Tomorrow night I teach my first class at QU. I'm excited and nervous. Dear Cindy is letting Gus out for me tomorrow after work.

Oh, and Jan rescued me today. Someone set an appointment for me to interview someone at noon, and I had another one at 1 PM. Had to pick Gus up at the groomer's by 1 PM, and Jan was able to do it over her lunch hour. I absolutely hated to ask her but was so stuck. She's an angel.

Spoke to Rob for about an hour tonight. How wonderful is that! I love it when my kids and I both have time at the same time to talk.

Okay, back to preparing for my class. Love to all and prayers for those who need them.

8/18 Pride goeth before a fall. Splat!

Just this morning I finally started feeling pretty darn good. Then at noon I lost my balance and fell. So yeah, I'm really mad.

Came home at 2:30 and put on the heating pad. But before I did that, I stopped to buy my own walking sticks so I can return the doctor's. They're really expensive, but they will be worth it if I can prevent another fall.

But damn....

8/15 Hallelujah!

The epidural hurt a lot more than the first one, but the doc was funny and fun. He put in a lot more medicine (steroids included). Jane and Jan were there the whole time and the doc said that if it hurt too bad it was Jane's fault.

Afterward Jane and Jan took me to lunch which was sweet of them. Then before taking me home we went to John and Paulette's new house and we got a grand tour. John and Matt were working hard and the place is looking great.

Right now I'm feeling a little "weird," but there's not much pain. Tomorrow I should be able to have my normal routine. I have high hopes that this epidural is going to work. I'm very lucky and very blessed.

Thanks, Jane and Jan, for being there for me today.

8/5 A really down day

Don't know why, but I didn't have one pain free moment today. It was rough. All I wanted to do was go home and lay down, but I couldn't. Pain influenced every action, and I found it difficult to even think.

Sure hope tomorrow is better...

7/29 From tears to laughter

It was the worst day since before my epidural. At work I was able to keep tears at bay because I was so incredibly busy. When it got really bad I went into the bathroom and made faces at the mirror. It helped me not take myself or my pain so seriously.

Rob called late in the day and I was able to confess to him how I really felt. I called Jan on the way home, and was able to be cool on the phone.

At home I immediately went to bed, and the tears flowed. Jill called shortly afterward and could tell I'd been crying. But I told her that I'd gone from tears to hysterical laughter because of my animals. They were just hilarious. The funniest thing was when Bozie tried to jump off the bed but couldn't because Snickers had her tail in his mouth. He wasn't biting hard because she wasn't meowing, but it was effective nonetheless. Gus just watched with me.

God it was funny. And I enjoyed trying to explain it all to Jill.

What wonderful kids I have--they call to check on me every few days, sometimes every day.

I'm feeling a little bit better. Have been in bed since I got home, plus I took a pain pill.

I'm so glad I have these animals. They are so fun to come home to.

7/23 Puppies and doctors and stuff

Today Gus and Snickers are at the groomer's. They're getting a "face, feet, and butt" trim. So they'll still be nice and fuzzy and adorable.

Got a call from Wash U Medical Center in St. Louis to screen me for the neurosurgeon appointment. Now they'll give the info, plus the MRI results, to the doctor there and they'll call me back with an appointment. There are no choices about date and time. So I'll wait...

Also, we're setting up the next epidural. They'd told me I may need more than one. Unfortunately I was only pain free for one day and it started to get worse day by day.

So there it is... but tonight I'm having potatoes, sweet corn, tomatoes, and cucumber and onions. And yeah--it's going to be great.

7/17 Lots of GREAT news

I took Gus outside at 6 AM as always and thought, "Something's different." And it was--I was totally pain free for the first time in almost four months. It felt weird at first.

After my shower, when I started moving around a lot more, little pains came back--but if my worst back pain was a 10, this is a 2 or so. Nothing that will stop me from doing anything.

I actually wanted to call in sick and clean my house. The house is the worst it's ever been in my life. So I'm anxious to rectify that, but the prospect of doing it all is daunting--therefore it's going to be one room at a time.

The TAB (talented arrogant bastard who did my procedure--no names) said it may last for hours, days, weeks or even months. But he was really negative about the ultimate success. Guess what? I wanted to slap him but didn't let him drag me down. He also acted like all my answers were wrong. "If I do this with your leg, it's supposed to hurt. But it hurts when I do this, and it's not supposed to." That kind of thing. I know he had to give a negative spin on the ultimate success so as to not get my hopes up, but still....

Anyway he's talented. And I feel really really good, and am incredibly grateful.

Thanks so much for all your support and love.

AND--I'm getting Gus's brother. Yep. He's the last one in the litter and they don't want to advertise and they just want to be done with puppies. So I said I'd take him if he was free. And he is. :) I get him today. Anyone in the family want to steal him?

7/16 Happy birthday, Jan and other stuff

Hope you have a great birthday dinner tonight with Kris and Tim. Thanks to you and Jane for a delightful taxi service today.

The epidural went well. Other than two brief times when I experienced bad pain (he was trying to find the right place to inject the meds), the procedure was painless.

Right now, the paim is gone/minimal in the upper areas of my spine, but still hurts from my lower back down to my knees. I expect this to be gone in a day or two. The power of positive thinking. :)

Gus and Bozie were happy to see me. There's a chance I'm going to get Gus's brother as well. Will keep you informed.

7/15 Finally

Finally my internet is working again. I'm happy about that.

Today was so bad that I even cried a few times at work. This was probably the worst day I've experienced.

So tomorrow is coming none too soon. The epidural will be done around 12 which means I can work tomorrow morning for a few hours.

Keep your fingers crossed for me.

7/13 More down than up

Today is the worst day I've had in a long time. Jane took me shopping for some things I needed, and while in the stores I kept experiencing attack after attack of extreme pain. Spent a lot of the time in tears and there was nothing I could do about it.

It's very discouraging.

Plus my internet isn't working except for two sites--my writing bb and Blogger.com. I can post but can't go to my website and answer comments. This is freakin' weird.

Anyway--back to bed.

7/12 Long time no post

Internet isn't working at home and I haven't had the energy to be on the phone forever trying to get it fixed. I'm at work trying to catch up, so will take the opportunity to post now--it's Saturday.

I misunderstood the doc. If it hurts, don't do it, means that if it hurts and I continue to do the activity then it may cause a muscle spasm which of course hurts like crazy. Activity won't cause further damage, so that's awesome news.

Have felt really bad the last several days except for yesterday. Pain was mild and was a welcome relief. Jan invited Gus and me to come swimming last night because I do need to start doing easy exercise. I swam with my puppy and did it very gently--using a noodle and not flailing my arms about. It felt superb, until afterward. Then the pain started and hasn't let up since. That saddens me because the swimming was fun.

Jan and Kris made a salad and zucchini fritters so they invited me to have dinner. It was delicious and much better than the PB&J sandwich I was going to have. Craig and Megan arrived last night to celebrate Jan's 60th this weekend. They aren't inviting us all over because it was a really long drive for just the weekend. Plus I really understand that they want their immediate family to spend the special time together.

7/9 Doc appointment

Saw him at 6:30 AM.

Guess it's worse than I thought. A lot worse.

The stenosis and arthritis aren't pushing against nerves like I thought. They're pushing against my spinal cord. That's why my shoulder and neck hurt too. If it was lower on my spine, it would be pressing against individual nerves.

Recommended I see a neurosurgeon ASAP and also recommended I make an appointment at Barnes or somewhere else out of town so I can get a second opinion immediately regarding the necessity for surgery. Will talk to my private consultants about other doctors out of town. (Jan and Jane, get ready.) :)

Also, he said the main thing to remember is--"If it hurts, don't do it." Told him my house is a wreck because of that very reason. Originally I thought I could do stuff and just pain would result but no additional damage, but he said that's not true. I could hurt myself worse.

The good news? My systolic blood pressure is 110. I attribute it to my puppy.

I know there's more, but I need to get back to work. Love you all.

7/8 Don't read this either

I'm finding it so hard to tolerate this pain. Am happy I'm going to see my doctor in the morning.

Went to the grocery store after work and got caught in one aisle where I couldn't even walk. Managed to shake that off and called my sister-in-law Cindy so she could help me unload my groceries. Thanks, Cindy, you were a godsend. And chatting with you for a little while made the tears stop. I only let it get to me that badly when I'm alone. But I'm okay now (emotionally). I love you.

My animules are glad to see me. After writing this I'm going to take another pill and go to bed.

7/8 Don't read this

Don't read this if you're sick and tired of reading about my back. But...

Wish the epidural were today. I experienced my worst night ever last night. Had pretty bad pain all day which is not the norm. By the time I got home I was crying. And the hydrocodone didn't help. Finally called my sister who's my doctor's nurse and cried to her. She said, "I don't allow patients to call me at home." God that made me laugh, and of course that helped immensely.

Of course, she did give me comfort. That calmed me down. The pain didn't go away but I stopped crying. Being calm makes things a lot better. Thanks, Jan.

Oh, and the night before last we had a first--Gus slept all night without me having to take him outside. Last night it was three times, but I do see that a full night's sleep is now possible.

And when I got out of the shower, Bozie was watching the weather. She's such a smart cat.

7/3 TMI on MRI

I know this will be too much information, but am writing it anyway.

Had the MRI yesterday and both my sisters called me with the results. I have two things wrong.

One is on L4 and L5 I have moderate to severe narrowing of the central canal. My doc said no wonder I'm in pain.

On the S1 and T12 I have perineural cysts (also called Tarlov cysts). Apparently they don't cause pain unless they grow to a certain size, so I don't know if they are just incidental or what.

There's also some stuff about "facet osteoarthropathy." Here's some info: "Most people who have facet arthropathy will complain of low back pain that is worse with twisting or extension (bending backwards) of the lumbar spine. ...as the facet joints become arthritic, they often develop bone spurs that can decrease the amount of space available for the nerve roots as they exit the spinal canal. This can be a contributing factor in the development of spinal stenosis, which does cause pain, numbness, and weakness in the buttocks and legs." Our father had arthritis of the spine, so it's no surprise that I have it.

Haven't spoken to my doc but he's sending me to a neurosurgeon, and also to the pain clinic for an epidural. I think I'll love the epidural. He does want me to have surgery, but of course I'm going to weigh my options. Luckily my sisters are wonderful and are great to have as consultants.

One sis said, "At least you know that you really have something." I laughed so loudly over the phone and replied, "I've always known I've had something. It's just you guys who think I'm a lazy slob." Laughed again. And so did she.

Yesterday and today were both big pain days, so I just took a pain pill. Will lie down soon and hope to begin snoring within moments.

7/1 Stuff

Work flew by today. I had so many meetings that I didn't get my work done and had to bring a lot of items home.

The good news is that my eyes are fine. Saw the ophthalmologist this morning.

Also good news is that I got some pain meds from my doc and they are helping. Tomorrow morning I'm having an MRI, so we'll see what happens.

6/26 Happy sad mad disappointed and more

I moved into my new office and the new job starts Monday. So I'm happy about that.

And my house sold in MS. So I'm happy about that too.

And my pets are fantastic. They make me smile after a day of listening to people's very real problems.

The sad mad disappointed comes from this: after work I was totally pain free. Decided to play with my pets a few minutes on my bed and then actually clean part of my house.

Kris came over and helped me fix a few things, and while getting her a screwdriver the shooting pains and spasms began. This was around 5:30 or so. And they're still happening. Makes me so damn mad.

I've finally gotten to the point that I'm not in constant pain. So that's very good. Yet, when it hurts it really hurts. I'm still in physical therapy, and will visit my doc again on Monday.

So I guess it's just cuddling with my cuties tonight. Love to all.

6/4 The best, the better, the good, the bad, and the OOPS.

The best is that I accepted an offer on my Mississippi house. The bad is that I'm losing a ton of money, but I just need to unload it.

The better is that I had physical therapy today and it felt good while I was there. The bad is that it doesn't feel good right now.

The good is that my promotion will give me a lot of satisfaction at work. The bad is that I'm hardly getting a raise.

The bad is that I still haven't found homes for Q and C. The good is that I get to keep them longer.

And the OOPS? Well, I slipped on a wet kitchen floor and fell flat on my back. Ah well...such is life.

6/2 The good, the bad, and the forgetful

Let's start with the forgetful before I forget. May 29th was my darling Jill's birthday, and I was so caught up in my own drama that I didn't post about her. Please forgive me, Jilly-bean, and I'm so happy you had a great 34th birthday.

The bad is that my back gave me fits over the weekend. Today was the worst. I start PT on Wednesday morning. That should help. And Doc said he'll order an MRI.

The good is really good--in fact two goods. First, we had a super time at the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. There were 4,000 walkers and 600 crew. What a fantastic weekend. The group raised more than 9 million dollars. Unbelievable!

The other good news is that I got a promotion at work. Beginning very shortly I'll be the Coordinator of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Programs at work. I'm so happy, and am really looking forward to the new challenge.

5/17 Too bad....

Woke up and took the dogs for a walk. They behaved really well, but after two blocks I had to turn around and come home. Spent most of the day either in bed or in a chair. The Advil just isn't cutting it anymore.

I'll see the doctor on Friday, and am looking forward to finding out what this is, and to get some relief.

Okay, this is the last post about the pain until I can post that it's better. :)

4/17 Good and bad

The good news is that I picked up the girls last night and they were sure glad to be home. Jan stopped by and we walked them for about a mile and a half through and around the college, with just a few squirrel problems.

The bad news is that I was in such pain I could barely walk by the time we were finished. It's no wonder my house is still a wreck as I have trouble bending over, and have trouble standing still. Due to some pain medication I was able to sleep. This morning, I couldn't walk. Well, a little. After a hot shower it was a little better. But even with the pain meds and muscle relaxers things aren't good. I'm pissed off.

My insurance begins May 1, so I'll be able to see a doctor.

1/11 A week from hades

What I didn't say in yesterday's post was that I hurt my wrist at dog training. And late last night both my dogs rolled in the mud and swam in the holes they dug. So both had to have baths which exacerbated the injury.

By this morning the pain was horrible but I had a meeting I couldn't miss. After the meeting I went to the doctor. I knew it was just a sprain but wanted to make sure.

It is a sprain but involves tendons, ligaments, and a muscle. It has to stay immobilized for a week, then we'll see.

9/5 A pain in the neck

Finally called the doctor today after being in pain for weeks. My admin assistant threatened me. He's a former Marine and said he was going to call my son and let him know I wasn't taking good care of myself. That scared me enough to make me call.

Funny thing was--my doc is out of town for a week. The doctor on call told the nurse to call in some pain meds for me. I'm buzzing but the pain isn't gone. If it doesn't feel any better in a few days I'm to call back in.

I re-injured it lifting my couch on Sunday. I feel so grateful though--I have some great friends here who have offered to help me in any way I need it. My house is so messy though that I refuse to have anyone over to help. Will wait until I feel a bit better and will try vacuuming again. When I did that on Sunday it made it hurt worse.

What a dork!