Saturday, August 24, 2013

A Pirate Looks At Forty (Five)

I didn't really want to continue to post about health issues but at the moment not much else has been going on and I did want to share what I've learned and been going through the past 2 weeks so that if anybody else is having similar trouble it may give you some ideas for treatment.  Now, ya'll know I'm not a doctor and don't even play one on TV but this is just what I've been doing and how it's worked for me.  I was fairly disgruntled after my last visit to my orthopedic doctor and only having more pills shoved in my face, so I decided to look around for other options and ended up making an appointment with a recommended chiropractic doctor.  The chiropractor did complete spinal X-rays, not just spots here and there, and that was an eye opener for sure!  Seeing my whole spine from 2 different views really explained a lot.  I have a small crook at my neck (below the fusion) and a small one way down at the bottom but I have a fairly significant bend right between my shoulder blades.  It's out about 3/8-1/2" actually.  I have had muscle spasms and cramps in that area for years but never really thought about my spine being messed up there.  My tailbone is a little wonky also, so basically, my spine zigs and zags all over the place and it ain't supposed to.  Now, the doc assured me he had seen worse, and I don't doubt it, but this may be what is causing me a great deal of pain and trouble and if I don't get it corrected it will just continue to worsen until I could become almost handicapped.  He also showed me a number of diagrams as to how all the organs of the body are connected to the spine via major nerves and if you are having trouble with an organ, say irregular heartbeats, it is often because the corresponding vertebrae in your spine is out of whack.  Now, I know a lot of people don't trust chiropractors and this would all sound pretty stupid and woowoo, but it makes perfect sense to me.  Maybe I'm stupid and woowoo but whatever.  When he pointed out every one of my vertebrae that are out of place it matched exactly with every organ that I am having issues with.  So, I have started going twice a week for adjustments and therapy to get my spine straightened back out.  As much as he can anyway.  He does know about Klippel-Feil and said of course, he cannot correct the fusions I have but can help with the spinal instability and crookedness.  Another thing he also said was that, the vertebrae around the current fusion, will over time also try to fuse together (which I didn't think would happen) and that could be very bad considering it's in my neck.  As you get older your disk tend to degenerate and calcium deposits form on the edges of the vertebrae.  Because mine are way ahead of most my age, those deposits could get big enough to touch and ultimately fuse together.  Regular therapy should prevent this though.
So...it will take some time to get straighten back out.  He said my spine has obviously been like this for years and even the muscles around it have moved and set to compensate for being out of plumb and out of square.  In my first treatment he said my spine would not even move in one area due to scar tissue and such but things have started to loosen up a bit and the pain radiating down my leg is pretty much gone at this point.  The adjustments make me very sore though and I usually feel like crap for that day.  The next day though I feel better and so it goes.  Hopefully, as my spine and muscles get straighter, I will get to where it doesn't hurt so much and things will move easier.
I guess I said all that to say also that these past 2 weeks have found me in a contemplative mood as I have spent so much time laying on ice packs and such.  There has not been a whole lot I can do lately and that leads to a lot of soul searching and wondering about the future.  I know a great deal of my back issues will get better but at some point I have to ask myself just how much strain I want to put back on it and what activities now hold precedent over others.  Just how much more can I do and still be able to reasonably enjoy what I've built when I really get old?  I've debated whether or not I should continue my pottery.  Many older potters I know have some serious back and arm issues and many eventually learn to throw standing up.  I may have to go that route.  I do know that major production pottery is not an option anymore.  I just can't sit (or stand) at the wheel for hours on end churning out a hundred mugs or what have you.  I never sold many dinnerware sets anyway due to the price!  Maybe I should switch to another medium of art all together?
I'm also seriously contemplating just how much more of this house I can build.  I think finishing the kitchen and other similar inside work will be no problem once I get going again but what about the other half?  Will I ever get to it anyway?  I was recently talking about at least extending the roof over the deck and expanding the deck itself.  How much roof framing can I do?  There's a lot of outside concrete still to pour also.  And a lot of stone to lay, patios and flower beds.  I'll admit I was fairly bummed when I thought about it all after first seeing those X-rays.  Several people have suggested that I should just apply for disability and forget it.  But....I just ain't ready to throw in the towel yet.  If I learned anything all those years in construction, I learned that there is always a way.  I may have to sit in a special chair while I lay one little stone at a time, or learn to throw standing up and I may even have to pay another carpenter to help on some framing or roofing but I think there is always a way.  All of life is just one step at a time.  Just keep puttin' one foot in front of the other.


Now!!  How about some flowers!?  One reader had asked me where I got the seeds for my zinnias and I honestly can't remember that far back.  I have no idea.  Mama may have given them to me or maybe I bought them.  At any rate, I would be more than happy to share these zinnias seeds with anybody that would like some.  They procreate well!!  Just email me your address (ann.beaird @gmail.com) if you like and I'll send you a packet of seeds from these very plants.  I assure you I have plenty to share and don't mind at all.

14 comments:

HermitJim said...

I do hope that the Chiropractor can help ya. It did seem to help my Mom with some difficulty she was having, so maybe it will do the same for you!

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

Hey Annie, you sure do have some crappy health issues to deal with especially when you have so many things you want to get done. But, if a positive attitude can help, you sure got that too. Grenville's back is also a bit messed up and somewhat limits him now, but he's been seeing a chiropractor for many months and it's helped. He does still get pains, sometimes screamingly so, but says the sessions have helped him manage. Hope yours do the same. Thanks for the zinnia seed offer...will email you our address as there are none in the F&P flower beds.

Aunty Belle said...

WELL, Mah goodness, chile'. Sorry to learn of yore woes. Real real sorry.

That "chickens playing" sign is hilarious.

Red backwards to learn of the rain, too.

In Florida we awlays have a lot of summer r ain, so I ain't much help on the changes youse seein' though I know georgia has been rainy to the point of destroying gardens wif' fungus.

Yore zinnas is championship beauties.

I pray yore spine is helped some wif' the chiropractic work--want to git ya' some relief.

JO said...

I sure hope these sessions help more than you hope for. Back issues are ugly to deal with.

I love your zinnias I don't think I have seen so many colors before.

Keep the faith. I figured with this new round of tests I might have to deal with more than before. But I won't give in I will keep going until I can't anymore.

Ed said...

I have one foot slightly turned in as a teenager and was told by a Chiropractor that was the source of all my leg pain. He worked on me regularly for several years, snapping things from my neck down to my toes to the point when he had me walk down the hallway, I purposely turned it out just to get the session over with. Eventually after a couple years, I convinced my mom it was a waste of money and I've never been back. My foot still turns slightly in but has never caused me any pains once I stopped going.

Saying all that, if you think a Chiropractor works for you, I say go for it.

MamaHen said...

Hey Jim! thanks! yeah, I hope it does too. I'm kinda at the end of my rope.

Hey Bea! Glad Gren has gotten some relief with his back. I hope this helps me too.

Hey Aunty! thank you for the prayers; I hope to get some relief too!

Hey Jo! thanks and I hope your tests come back with good results. We'll both keep up the good fight.

Hey Ed! Yeah, I know a number of people that have never been helped by a chiropractor and I think there are plenty of conditions that it would just not do any good. So far I think this may help but I'm looking forward to seeing the X-rays he does after I have completed his initial 6 week treatment and see just how much my spine has moved, if at all.

Anonymous said...

I've gone to a bone cracker since I broke my pelvis. I like our guy. He's quick. I've been to one that I thought was going to hold crystals over me and told me I threw a pitch wrong when I was 17 and that caused me to have many of my neck problems. I reminded him I was there for lower back pain and he said it was all connected and I would need to get on his program of visits. Needless to say I found another Dr. He's an old farm boy, no nonsense, get you cracked and see you if you need me kinda guy. Has helped me out greatly.

Caddie said...

Sure happy you are finding some relief. Yeah, there are still many who think chiropractors are quacks and this comes from the battle between the AMA and other healing modalities. Finally, the chiro healing is recognized by insurance companies- didn't use to be, I believe. Actually, chiropractic gave me more relief for years than any physician ever has. I too had scoliosis since two years old. The doctor got it completely straightened at one time. Now my "innards" won't allow chiropractic adjustments since the cardiovascular surgery (doctor goofed) so suffering is constant. I creep along.

Acupuncture is also very helpful. There are many methods of healing our body and I hope you have found the perfect one - no pain is pure joy. I still remember.

Those zinnias are something else! Absolutely stunning and yes, I want my own patch; all I lack is a resident gardener now. Oh dear, where to find one ???

Gardens were a complete failure this year

I too love the chicken sign.

David The Good said...

Quick tip from my experience: I had back and joint pain until I quit eating wheat and potatoes (for the most part). I grow my own potatoes but don't eat too many of them, for almost invariably I'll be sore after eating them. The darn things are inflammatory. The chiropractor loosened me up and helped a bit, but it wasn't until I changed my diet that things truly improved.

MamaHen said...

Hey Woody! you know, I was wondering if you used a chiropractor after that spill you had. This guy I go to is pretty no nonsense, he explains things well too, which I like. So far it really seems to be helping in many ways.

Hey Sissy! Well, I hate that you have trouble going to a chiropractor now. I can definitely see how they can help many things. I have trouble laying on my stomach also but can take it for a few minutes. Long enough to get the adjustments. I will send you some seeds!

Hey David! Yes, I've read a bit about the wheat and gluten stuff and have wondered about that. We don't eat many potatoes either and I don't eat a lot of wheat myself but any would be bad if you are allergic I guess. I have made observations after eating such and don't really seem to have an issue but then, I hurt a lot all the time so might not be able to tell. I know my spine is definitely messed up and causing much pain but after he gets it straightened out I may run some more experiments with the wheat and such. Thanks for the input!

Anonymous said...

Hey I may have given you the zinnia seeds. :) I know I ordered way too many one year and was giving them to a lot of people. Can't remember if you were one of them, though!

About switching forms of art... I have no doubts that you would do well with that, if you decide to, after seeing your horse drawing - it was fantastic!

Sorry you have been ailing so. Hope the chiro can get you fixed up and flying right.

-Karen

MamaHen said...

Hey Karen! yeah, you might have given them to me! or maybe it was a combination from several places. lol!
Thanks; I am feeling some better but I think it's going to take some time. I may just cut back on the pottery and maybe supplement with some other drawings etc. I've been wanting to get back into some sculpture too anyways.

Grenville T Boyd said...

Congrats on finding a good Chiro. I've been going for 2.5 years. I started going 3 times a week and now am down to once a month. Yes, the day of your adjustment will be painful, BUT don't give up. It really does get better. My 3,4,5 lumbar are my problem. I've learned (after 2 years) how to shift them back onto place when needed. After the iceing a,nice thermo- wrap heating pad is great. Don't believe the warnings. I use them directly on my back and I sleep with them on. Sometimes I leave them on the next day also. Bottom line is that this didn't happen over night and it won't get corrected over night either.
Grenville (looking for his back brace to put on)

Grenville T Boyd said...
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