Home Body

Have any of you watched Mike and Molly? Oh my word, is it funny. I don't know if I have ever watched an episode that I have not laughed through. I only wished I would have watched it last year when it began.  I wonder if I can get the first season somewhere.

I have become a home  body over the last few years.  When I was younger I loved to go go go. But after having Blake and never being home due to him being in every sport growing up we were not home much. Give me a good book, show or movie and I'm good to go. It drives my husband batty.

I think the reason I don't enjoy going out as much is because I hurt everyday due to my back and neck.  I have three herniated discs in my lower back and two herniated discs in my neck.  I just found out I have two discs that have bone spurs. Fortunately I had the nerve stimulator installed at the end of 2009 for my lower back and that has help tremendously.  I would love to get one installed in my neck but, I don't want to fork over the $1,500.00 to do so. The Dr. is wanting to do the cortisone shots or something else I don't recall what it was.  I just don't want to keep sinking money in this issue that isn't going away so I'm trying to live with it.  Because the 5 herniated disc are not pinching off the nerve completely they will not do surgery to correct any of the problems.

I am trying to make myself get out and do things even if I don't feel up to it. I know I won't regret doing things with my husband and it will make him happy and in turn it will make me happy.  Don't get me wrong he is more than understanding and pampers me like you wouldn't believe.  He will do it all just so I don't risk hurting myself. He and Blake hate seeing me in the kind of pain that makes it hard to put one foot in front of the other.  My motto is it's a great day as long as I am able to walk.  Even if it's slow and steady it's better than being trapped in bed not able to sit up due to the level of pain it brings on the really bad days.  I'm am very blessed to be married to a man that is willing to care for me on those time.

Right now we are redecorating and organizing things a little at a time.  It's nice to have our house going in the right direction.  Now that we don't have games all during the week or weekend we actually have time to get things done a few weekends a month. It's strange but nice. I will try to remember to take before and after pictures.

Well I'm going to get to bed.  I hope all of you have a wonderful Tuesday.

Jackie

Bad back

One of the things I was worried about this weekend and so much travel is because I have a bad back.  I have five herniated disc's. Three herniated disc's in my lower back and two in my neck. I woke up early Sunday morning and was barely able to walk.  I had to take my medication and turn on my stimulator and by the time I got up I was doing quite a bit better. 

When I delivered Blake is when I pushed the vertebra out of my neck.  I felt it pop out.  I had toxemia and high blood pressure and they were giving me medication so I wouldn't have seizures.  I've been having problems with my neck since then.  It used to be just on the right side but now the pain goes down both arms and my pinkie, ring finger and thumb on both hands get numb.  Along with pain in my neck, shoulders and elbows.

I worked at a daycare starting before my Senior year of high school until I graduated.  Then when I got married I worked at a bank after about of year in the general office position I worked in the records department.  After lifting so many heavy things my back started bothering me.  I remember onetime my boss brought in water balloons and I jumped up to get out of the way and when I landed my disc slipped and I dropped to the ground.  Thank God it was a Friday so I had the weekend to recover.  The stinky thing was I had a stick shift and had to drive with my back and neck out.  That was not fun!

The first time my back went out so back that I couldn't walk was after my brother passed away.  I noticed I was dragging my leg but just thought rest would help.  I went to bed right after work one night then got up to get something out of the kitchen and my back went in to a spasms so back I was screaming and immediately dropped to the ground.  I tried for a while to get up but couldn't.  We called my Dr's office and the person on call said the ER wouldn't do anything about it.  So I was on my kitchen floor from ten PM until six thirty am when I finally allowed my husband to call the paramedics.  I was out of work for about a month.  I took pain pills, muscle relaxers and anti inflammatory and when I was able to get up a move a bit I started physical therapy.

The next time my back went out was after my grandpa and cousin passed away.  I think I was out of work for at least a month. again I was on pain pills, muscle relaxers and anti inflammatory and when I was able to get up a move a bit I started physical therapy.

I've been down a week hear and there as the times have gone on.  But this last time I was down  I was in a wheel chair then down where I couldn't walk from October of 2009 and didn't get back to work until mid January 2010.  And then it started out part time.  Even after I came back in January I still had problems walking.  I had to use a walker that has wheels and a seat.  I used it like a wheel chair but would use my legs to move it so they wouldn't get weak. I wasn't able to walk normally again until April of 2010.

 

My back Dr.  ended up installing a stimulator in my back.  It feels like a message.  If you hit the wrong program or set it to high it can give you quite a jolt. What the stimulator does is block the pain in my lower back.  It doesn't take all the pain away.  It just makes it bearable. I  have several different programs I can chose from depending on where I am hurting and how bad I am hurting.

 

The stinky thing is I am still having to take medication on a daily basis.  I don't like it but, I have to work so we can meet our bills.  Michael is awesome. He does all he can around the house so that I don't throw my back out.  I couldn't have asked for a better husband.  He spoils me rotten and is beyond patient when I am hurting.  I honestly don't know what I would do without him.

 

I sure was thankful when I woke up Monday morning with the normal pain and was able to walk.  I never know after a trip how my back and neck will respond. If it wasn't for the medication and the stimulator I think I would have ended up on disability and at forty that would have stunk!  I'm way to young to be confined at home.

 

Do any of you suffer from some kind of pain or illness?

 

Hope you have a wonderful Tuesday!

 

Jackie