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Pain in the back
Just about everyone I know has had back problems at one time or another. In my 30s and early 40s, I used to get these spasm attacks every year or two -- lower back would seize up, I could scarcely move without pain, and after a day or two of lying down as much as possible it would more or less clear up. This happened in Dubrovnik in the middle of a complicated trip in 1976, which was highly inconvenient, and explains why we never made it to Belgrade.
About 15 years ago, after a particularly bad episode, I went to see a chiropractor who had been recommended by a friend, and whom John had been seeing with good results for some time. I had good results too; I continued to go to him for another 5 or 6 years (probably 4 or 5 more than necessary), and never had another spasm episode. Oh, I've felt little tweaks now and again, but nothing that lasted. Occasional backaches have responded well to 15 minutes of icepack.
About 3 years ago I had a herniated disk in my lower back, which was a very different thing, as it manifested itself as intense pain in varying parts of my right leg. This required a couple of months of physical therapy and exercises to clear up.
So this brings us to yesterday, a gorgeous day on which we had nothing scheduled, so we went to Gloucester (rather later in the day than we had expected, but we were still recovering from NEFFA), it being time to put out the first set of tomatoes and set up the "tomato teepees" (transparent plastic tents that you fill with water to help protect tender plants from cold temperatures), plus a bunch of other stuff. So I got the tomatoes in the ground, mulched and watered, and reached over to set up the first teepee.
Ouch. The old familiar stab of pain at the base of the back. Slow, careful, straightening up. No more gardening for you today, pal.![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
jwg had to set up and fill the rest of the teepees, and plant the pansies, saxifrage, and forget-me-not that we'd bought on the way up, and replant the rosemary that we had taken in for the winter, while I watched and made helpful suggestions. Seeding of the second crop of lettuce is delayed until at least Wednesday.
I've been doing ice and ibuprofen, and trying to avoid sitting continuously for long periods, and it's somewhat better today. There's "experienced" English country dancing tonight; it remains to be seen if I'm going to be able to do that -- I'll be really pissed off if not, but I suppose I should err on the side of caution. (Contra would be out of the question, but English might be OK).
I guess this answers the question of whether we're going to New York to dance this weekend (which was looking pretty unlikely in any case).
I hate my back.
About 15 years ago, after a particularly bad episode, I went to see a chiropractor who had been recommended by a friend, and whom John had been seeing with good results for some time. I had good results too; I continued to go to him for another 5 or 6 years (probably 4 or 5 more than necessary), and never had another spasm episode. Oh, I've felt little tweaks now and again, but nothing that lasted. Occasional backaches have responded well to 15 minutes of icepack.
About 3 years ago I had a herniated disk in my lower back, which was a very different thing, as it manifested itself as intense pain in varying parts of my right leg. This required a couple of months of physical therapy and exercises to clear up.
So this brings us to yesterday, a gorgeous day on which we had nothing scheduled, so we went to Gloucester (rather later in the day than we had expected, but we were still recovering from NEFFA), it being time to put out the first set of tomatoes and set up the "tomato teepees" (transparent plastic tents that you fill with water to help protect tender plants from cold temperatures), plus a bunch of other stuff. So I got the tomatoes in the ground, mulched and watered, and reached over to set up the first teepee.
Ouch. The old familiar stab of pain at the base of the back. Slow, careful, straightening up. No more gardening for you today, pal.
jwg had to set up and fill the rest of the teepees, and plant the pansies, saxifrage, and forget-me-not that we'd bought on the way up, and replant the rosemary that we had taken in for the winter, while I watched and made helpful suggestions. Seeding of the second crop of lettuce is delayed until at least Wednesday.I've been doing ice and ibuprofen, and trying to avoid sitting continuously for long periods, and it's somewhat better today. There's "experienced" English country dancing tonight; it remains to be seen if I'm going to be able to do that -- I'll be really pissed off if not, but I suppose I should err on the side of caution. (Contra would be out of the question, but English might be OK).
I guess this answers the question of whether we're going to New York to dance this weekend (which was looking pretty unlikely in any case).
I hate my back.
no subject
Except that our next-door neighbor's sister called this morning to offer us tickets to the Met's performance of The Rake's Progress on Saturday afternoon, which we decided was too good an offer to refuse. So, a whirlwind trip to NYC is happening after all.
And my back is getting better; I had no trouble with English last night, although I didn't dare bow to my partners at the end of each dance like I usually do.
no subject