backpain again

[lobelia321]

I went to my Memoried backpain log from April when I had that horrible backpain episode (my pre-World Cup Friends willl remember) and read my advice to myself which was: take it easy early on, do not schedule things back to back, do not get stuck in one position, relax, take ibuprofen and paracetamol 3 times a day. I woke up in the night, starting to feel rigid with pain, and immediately swallowed an ibuprofen and decided I would call in sick for today and tomorrow. Especially as t'h is away in the States and I worry that if I go out of action, the whole household collapses. At least I'm still able to drive, so able to ferry children to and fro.

I feel much better taking my statutorily allowed sick leave. I will read my book manuscript, draft my book proposal and mark some assignments at home; endeavour to put today's lectures onto the web; and (hey, why not?) finish the wraith fic.

I mustn't type too much, though, I guess because this is not good for my back.

Bugger. It all started 3 weeks ago when I carried a heavy knapsack to work. My Horrible Institution kindly got rid of its staff parking two years ago so that I now have to park ten minutes' walk away and lug teaching materials there on foot. I must invest in one of those zimmer-frame shopping trolley-things for decrepit octogenarians. Also, in some sort of orthopaedic cushion for my desk chair.

Okay. The main goal is not to get into the terrible state I was in back in April where I ended up spasming on the floor of the living room for 25 minutes, groaning like an animal, frightening the sons and having to ring a neighbour to come over and keep them calm. That was Very Bad.

Comments

[sheldrake.livejournal.com]

Oh dear, I am sorry to hear that. Hope it doesn't get too bad. Glad to see you're taking it easy.

People keep trying to tell me that those trolley things are now *cool*. I have yet to see any evidence of this.

[lobelia321.livejournal.com]

It was getting a bit bad at suppertime and I had to take an ibuprofen and a paracetamol; now it's okay again but tender. I hobble around the house like an invalid.

Those trolley things are not cool. I will get one and be the Queen of Naff.

[rahaeli.livejournal.com]

I would add to all of this quite-sensible plan-of-attack -- go to the chiropractor! If you've got something out in your back, which it sounds like you do, just doing the rest/ibuprofen routine will address the immediate pain, but it won't fix the underlying problem that's causing it. The chiropractor will be able to do some spinal adjustments and get your spine back to where it's supposed to be, which will reduce the risk of further strain in the future.

I'd also suggest massage therapy. Basically, what causes all of this is a vicious cycle: you put stress on your muscles, which pull your spine out of alignment, which puts further stress on your muscles, which pull your spine further out of alignment, etc, etc. A visit to the chiro will adjust your spine, and then following up with massage therapy will prevent it from starting all over again.

I don't know what it's like over there on your side of the pond, but over here both chiropractic and massage therapy is sometimes covered by health insurance, and even if it's not, it's usually very reasonable. Massage therapy isn't a luxury -- it's an actual medical procedure, and it's starting to become very well-accepted. (My specialist has prescribed me massage therapy on a regular basis to deal with my joint pain issues!)

The granny-carts may be un-hip, but they don't hurt you :P (We have one for ferrying groceries from the car, which is parked two blocks away, to the apartment.) If you don't want to do that, you can still make some adjustments to keep your spine from getting too out-of-whack -- if you're carrying something heavy, use a backpack, and make sure the straps are firmly seated on both shoulders rather than just on one. Otherwise you hunch your shoulders up and really screw up your spine.

[lobelia321.livejournal.com]

I went to a chiropractor when I had my horrible back pain episode in April and it did no good at all but maybe it is worth going back again. And massage! I had forgotten about massage; you are right, that sounds absolutely good. I suspect much of this has to do with malalignment and with non-relaxedness so anything that addresses that will be helpful. I will try and get an appointment tomorrow; a friend today recced an alternative medical practice that has all these things under one roof. This is not covered by the National Health Service but I'll just have to pay.

And I wonder where I can find those granny carts...? *googles* Hm, I don't even know what they're called.

[rahaeli.livejournal.com]

We got ours at Bed, Bath & Beyond -- I don't know if you guys have one there :)

[lobelia321.livejournal.com]

What is it called, its official, googleable name?

[junalele.livejournal.com]

The main goal is not to get into the terrible state I was in back in April where I ended up spasming on the floor of the living room for 25 minutes,...
A good goal because no, we don't want that to happen. So take time off, take it easy and rahaeli may have a point there. Though I have to admit that chiropractors scare me because spine!

*hugles very carefully*

[lobelia321.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[junalele.livejournal.com]

Do you feel a bit better yet?

And I know this is terribly selfish but can I say that in a twisted way I'm kind of ....god, I feel so bad writing this!...happy about your back. Not the pain, of course. But you're here! Yay! I missed you and your crazy entries.

[lobelia321.livejournal.com]

*laughs and feels all warm and fuzzy, and especially at your angsty contortions*

God, I badly need a Bollywood film full of footballers cavorting in deliriously romantic song-and-dance sequences that segue effortlessly into full-on nudity and man-on-man empornfests.

[junalele.livejournal.com]

*nearly chokes herself laughing*

Did I mention how much I missed your craziness?

Also naked footballers dancing à la Bollywood? Nice mental image but I'm afraid the real thing would have us rolling around the floor laughing. Still...

[lobelia321.livejournal.com]

Also naked footballers dancing à la Bollywood? Nice mental image but I'm afraid the real thing would have us rolling around the floor laughing.
Now that you've said it, I am laughing even at the image of it! But then, Bollywood is a total mix of genres! Slapstick, romance, all rolled into one! And porn! Porn should be added into the masala mix! Also, while they were actually dancing they could be wearing clothes. But then they take them off in the emo porn bits. I'm thinking of Kabhie Alvida Naa Kehna here where the sex scenes of Shahrukh Khan (topless! *growl*) and Rani Mukherjee were spliced into a song-and-dance sequence at a night club, as a kind of angsty contrast to the jollity of their clueless spouses in the club. I want Kaká and Cristiano and Wayne, all lit beautifully with mellow raked light coming from the left, casting shadows on their faces and the dents and bulges of their chests, and I want close-ups of shoulders and napes, and then faces in helpless ecstasy as the music swells to swoon, plus there's a sunrise in the background, visible through the window, possibly also illuminating the city they are in which could, possibly, be Cairo or Samarkand and have minarets, and the camera pans to the floor where their kit lies discarded, the red 7, and black gloves, and a tin of hair gel which they've been using as lube.

And then the scene could cut to a terrace where we see Mourinho and Wenger, dressed impeccably, he in black and he in a suit'n'tie, and they talk on their mobile phones and wonder why they can't reach their players (okay, in this particular film, these managers are teamed up with these players), and then Wenger says, 'well, let's go for a cruise down the Nile' or the whatever-river-Samarkand-is-on, and they do, and then there's a time warp, and yurts, and Genghis Khan!!!!

Because there can be plot as well - ten minutes of plot, and ten minutes of UST dialogue, and then a ten-minute song-and-dance, and then ten minutes of emo porn, and then we start on the plot again.

[junalele.livejournal.com]

I want it! Let's write and film it. *cackles*

What a beautiful picture... Kaká and Cristianochen and Wayne and maybe a bit of Sheva so that Kaká won't ever feel left out. And there has to be fake wind so their hairs kind of move with the breeze. Except Wayne's because he just got it chopped off again. And Cristiano has to cry all silent and beautiful because well, it's Bollywood. And oooohhh yes....

Like the yurts and yes, Chingis khaan... I suspect he had something with his 'anda' (his best friend, oath brother). In the 'Secret History of the Mongols' - the only Mongolian chronicle of the time - it says something like 'They shared a bed'. Or was it a blanket? I can't really remember. And I triple-checked the translation. It really says so. And when Jamukha (the oath brother) has betrayed Chingis Khaan in the worst way possible by turning Mongolian peoples against him and trying to become king himself so to speak, Chingis Khaan still is not able to kill him. And he normally hasn't had any scruples there. ;D

[moth2fic.livejournal.com]

I've seen a lot of people using the smallest size of wheeled luggage. Smarter than shopping trolleys and possibly cheaper.

[lobelia321.livejournal.com]

The thing is that last time it was a pull-along piece of luggage that started the back pain. I need something to push. :-)

[moth2fic.livejournal.com]

Well, be warned. I found myself pulling a trolley too.
I damaged my back nursing my mother (lift+twist=agony). My sports-physio has 90% sorted me out and given me exercises for the times when they're needed (not often now). Seriously, good massage is worth paying for.

[lobelia321.livejournal.com]

So where does one find a sports physio? Are you in the UK?

[moth2fic.livejournal.com]

Yes, I'm in the UK - and I could ask my physio about others here, but I don't think she'd have any idea outside UK.

[msilverstar]

*hugs you (gently)*

Take a day off, yes!

You may be able to get a temporarily-disabled pass for your car, and park closer.

What is this wraith fic?

[lobelia321.livejournal.com]

Temporarily disabled-pass sounds nice. I wonder if my Horrible Institution has such a thing...? I could claim discrimination, hah!

I have an appointment with an osteopath on Thursday and hope to be referred to massage

This wraith fic? A fic I've been writing since the spring, Stargate Atlantis, John Sheppard/wraith. The day off enabled me to finish it almost!! It is set on the island in the icon. :-)