Update you didn't ask for.
My Damn Back.
As you all know I had my spinal injection at L1 2 weeks ago.
They are now making me wait 4-5 weeks to see where this lands.
I spoke to the Doctor/Neurosurgeon on Wednesday.
He was happy to hear it made my life better by almost 50%.
However, he still wanted me to wait another 2 weeks or so and then we can do another injection if necessary. Only 2 injections per sight.
He is doing everything to try to avoid surgery and I get that. But I want this over sooner than later. I know surgery on L1 is far more difficult than L4/L5 as I had done years before. He told me this several times.
I read this as well. Even the doctor who did the injection told me.
I hear them but I am not a patient patient.
I asked if there was anything I could possibly do at the gym. Perhaps even chair exercises. He was not thrilled with any of that. I mean, look, I can't stand for a long time without a lot of pain. I can't walk a great deal for the same reason. So the treadmill is out obviously. But I know the Y has old lady classes that I used to laugh at now I may use, chair exercising. 'But the Doctor said and I quote, "It's a risk. If you insist, be careful"
Well, that is enough to stop me. I don't need to be in a wheelchair so I guess no Y for me.
I thanked him for his time and we decided we'd talk in 2 weeks.
Damn it!
I thought it would be helpful to get this awful prednisone weight off me to go to the gym. Dieting in your 60s isn't enough. So I guess I just keep plugging away.
Then I have Rick. Oh my God Rick won't let me lift a thing.
Rick even vacuumed the other day and he hates to vacuum.
Yes, I was told that vacuuming was bad, but I knew that already because of the pain and my first back surgery in 1984.
I hate the way Rick vacuums. He does it, but it's like he is José Felciano or Stevie Wonder.
We have all wood floors and I swear he can't see a thing that has fallen on them. The other night he was eating Frito's. He was sitting on the sofa and in the morning I saw all the crumbs on the floor between the sofa and the coffee table where he was sitting. I laughed and went to get the small handheld vacuum. He came running down the hall when he heard the vacuum sound. I held it up and said I am using this.
He reminds me he just vacuumed.
I laughed and told him to come to where I was standing.
I pointed down. He said, "What?"
Seriously?
I said, "Maybe you have to be short. Come down to my eye level"
He did which surprised me I might add. Then he burst out laughing.
The light apparently was different or something because he saw it all.
He said, "Gee did I get any of those Frito's in my mouth?"
Apparently not mister!
Then Wednesday I was outside on our deck moving the chairs and about to move the table. (I pull and drag, not lift.) He was in the garage.
He came onto the deck because he heard furniture moving.
He yelled at me like I was his kid.
I said, "Okay Dad. Then you can help me with this later"
He did.
So not only do I have pain restrictions now I have life restrictions.
How does one go through life not lifting anything?
How does one go through life not vacuuming, making a bed, etc?
Remember when Rick made the proclamation he was no longer bending after he retired?
I thought it was so damn funny at the time.
But that's what I am living right now, and it's not so funny.
Smart Ass Rick told me to just dust, not use the vacuum. Fine.
I did the laundry and he lifted the basket.
I guess we are a team in all ways now. I do not like it.
He said last evening, "This bothers you because you need control.
It also bothers you because you like things done your way and in your time."
"And your point?"
"Well, I am just reminding you of the facts."
He is wearing a shit-eatin' grin.
I hate a smart ass. A Smart Ass who's correct is even more annoying.
13 comments:
I like doing things my way too, which is both a blessing and a curse.
Sucks all around! I'd say get a dog but then you have dog hair and dirt lol
Maybe you can swim at the Y? Living with pain is a horrible fact for some of us, sorry. But you and Rick are a good team!
I've known people confined to wheelchairs. They would love to "have to" walk again - it helps me to not take walking/ moving for granted. And today, I'm going to gratefully vacuum.
I hope you're back to it without surgery soon!
Kathy, you are correct in that statement.
Julie, I miss dog energy here but nope, not at this age.
Gigmon, our Y pool is outside. It's not open yet.
Abby, okay now I feel bad. I'm sorry.
Not meant to make you feel bad!
Just saying, people can appreciate vacuuming/ doing manual labor things when they can no longer do those things 😊
One of the hardest parts about growing older is lowering our standards and letting go of control over how things are done in our domains.
I hated the Roomba and returned it! 3 years later I'm rethinking. Im trying not to stress the unimportant stuff these days. Love your blog! Hang in there ❤️
"How does one go through life not vacuuming, making a bed, etc? "
Come to my house and see. It's easy. I'll train you.
Some folks love their Roomba. Especially if they have pets. L1 is serious business. It really is a big player in our movement. Follow the doctors advice. Pain sucks. I have a bit of the arthritis myself. Glad your partner is so supportive. Appreciate what he does do. Sounds to me like he really cares.
Jean, are we lowering our standards or righting them? I've been told both. Interesting.
Jennifer, why did you hate it.
Mike, Okay you can give me lessons!
Paula, we see more crumbs on the floor and we've decided it's because our dog died. She must have been cleaning up stuff we never even got to see. :-)
Of course a partner should be supportive no? After 37 yrs I'd say he really cares. :-) Not just because he tells me daily but he shows me daily too. And vice versa. I'm lucky as hell.
I've thought about a Roomba, but I read a funny article about someone who's Roomba ran over a freshly laid pile of dog poo and then spread it all over. I just can't get that mental picture out of my head :-) I accept Romeo's help when he offers, but I too prefer to do it myself. He never even looks at the baseboards! Or the window sill! Or the dust on certain things. I also have ADD when it comes to the dishwasher.
Yvonne, oooh that story of the roomba is gross. I no longer have a dog. That is the problem. I never knew there were so many crumbs on the floor because Izzy sucked those up like a vacuum. Now we see how messy we were. :-)
Oh I like the dishwasher a certain way as well. I understand you!!
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