It's beginning to look alot like Christmas!

Last year at the beginning of January we had decided to go shopping at one of the outdoor malls. When were driving in, we saw that a patio store was having an after Christmas clearance sale on all of their Christmas stock. We went in to see if there was anything irresistible tree-wise. For the prior 3 years we bought a live tree, which after Christmas always ended up sitting in the backyard until we cut it up for firewood and kindling. We didn't really want to do that anymore if we could find a tree we liked that wasn't too expensive. Well, we found one, and it was less than the sum of the 3 years of trees, so we decided to buy it. Even if it only lasts us 10 years (heck-even 5!) It will have more than paid for itself.

All year we have talked about wanting it to be Christmas so we could put it up and finally we could! We put it up Friday morning, and throughout the day I went back and fluffed the branches out periodically. (There was no way I could do it all at once.) Saturday we didn't do anything but look at it. But today we put the bubble lights on (it is pre-lit with white lights and snow covered) which added some nice color. Tomorrow I will probably add a few ornaments at a time and hopefully have it decorated by the time Mike gets home. It already looks so pretty it almost doesn't need anything else!!! Once it is fully decorated I will put a picture up in a new post.

I found Mike's Christmas present today!!! I am so excited, I can't wait to see his face Christmas morning when he opens it!

I decided that I am going to go ahead and go back to work this Thursday as planned, and if I don't see any more improvement in my symptoms by the New Year I will arrange another leave and have the surgery done. I am pretty confident I won't have to do that because despite really doing more than I should this weekend I am feeling improvement, and I am hoping that it is in part from pushing myself to get stuff done. I am still resting plenty, but I've found after an hour or so of resting I am ready to do more. I can go for about half an hour, sometimes less, as long as it is not frenetic, but then I have to rest. That's better than 3 minutes!!! I did discover today I still cannot vacuum. There is "snow" all over my floor from the tree. I guess I will have to sit and do it tomorrow instead of standing! (and use the hose attachment!)

This weekend has felt nice and long, most likely since I haven't been working anyway and the days kind of all blend together. I am really going to miss being home all day. It's been so nice to be able to just do what I need to when I need to do it. (For the most part!) It's also nice to know that if I need a cuddle bug, Mocha and Oreo are up to it! If I can get Oreo to wear a Christmas Ribbon and stay still for a picture I will. I am pretty certain there is no chance of getting Ginger to. But Mocha should be a piece of cake. ;-)

Orthopedic Surgeon

Is it crazy that I am surprised that immediately after seeing my MRI the orthopedic surgeon wants to do surgery on my back? Because I am. Instead of just looking at the intraosseus hemangiomas like my Dr asked, he looked at the whole kit'n'kaboodle ( OK, I guess he's just being a good Dr) and was very concerned. He out of all of the other Dr's I've seen was the most concerned with my loss of muscle, and did a few tests that I would have never even thought to do myself, and now thinks I could have some permanent paralysis in my leg. WHAT?????

Despite that, and knowing that I would get to go under anesthesia again (seriously, it is so nice to NOT be conscious for awhile... I think it is really healing, since I'm not stressed out, and it induces temporary amnesia, which also calms me down hahaha!) and the fact that I know this time I would get some serious pain meds... I just don't feel right about it. I don't know if it is just because the 3rd epidural hasn't had time to start really working yet (there is a huge difference between my pain yesterday and my pain today, by the way) or if I am just really not supposed to have surgery. I just don't know. I'm definitely not scared of it. There is no way the pain from the surgery will be nearly as severe as my pain at the beginning of October. There is only a 3 week recovery time, so I wouldn't be out of work that much longer ( or very long next year, if I waited until January) but I am getting a blank every time I think of it. sigh.

I guess part of it is that even if I have this surgery, which will remove the part of the disc that could possibly still be bulging, I might not get any pain relief from it. It will take the pressure off of the nerve, but there is a possibility the nerve could be damaged even more. Also, he flat out told me I have a bad back from genetics, and that I am never going to be without back pain. I wanted to be like, um, duh, you have no idea... but going to the chiropractor a few times a week completely relieves that pain. And when I am working out and getting stronger, it's even better. Not that it is ever perfect, but at least it is manageable. If there is permanent nerve damage, my leg will be somewhat numb the rest of my life. So I just really don't know what to do! I'm frustrated. And it is quite possible that since everyone I have known who has had this surgery or any surgery on their back has still had recurrences, and sometimes very soon after is affecting my confidence in the possibility of this working. I just do not know. Any suggestions???

So, I better go get a little bit of housework done. I'm trying to (very slowly and carefully) get the living room ready for tree decorating on Friday, and dinner on Thursday. I think turkey is going to be the best part of my week!

It's almost the end of November!

My how time flies! I can't believe that it will soon be Christmas and the New Year! I am looking forward to Thanksgiving since I am making a turkey for just Mike and I... I love making turkey- since all I really do is stick it in the roaster and season it... I love that I don't really have to do anything to it until we pull it out and cut it! Plus, we get to put up our tree we bought last year on Friday! EEK!

The one thing I really hate about this time of year is winter visitors. I know I've said it before, but I just can't stand being on the road with them. I get road rage whenever someone just doesn't know what they're doing! I should feel bad, because I am sure they are confused, but if you are confused you should not be driving! Oh well. We also chose the worst possible place to buy our house at... we are surrounded by retirement communities out here. So we really get it pretty much all year. It's just worse right now. SIGH.

Well, I think I am going to go work on blankets and baby beanies... I don't feel like trying to drag boxes out of the junk room or cleaning right now...

YAY!

So Friday was my 3rd epidural, so far no results but it does take about 72 hours for it to start working. I was actually alot more sore after this one than the previous 2, so I was a little worried yesterday. It seems to be getting better today though, and probably partly because my Dr FINALLY approved and sent the refill request back that my pharmacy sent almost two weeks ago! I got a call yesterday morning that my muscle relaxer was ready, and when I picked it up it showed he sent it on 11/20 finally. As I was looking it over to see how much he had given me, I saw that he authorized two refills beyond this one! That was such a relief I wanted to do a little dance but decided not to so I wouldn't hurt myself. HAHAHA! Last night I slept the best I have in those two weeks!

Yesterday I also got to go see Chris's new house. When he first told me he was buying a house and where it was I was like "You better get that house!" First, it just seemed right when he told me, and second, it is literally 1/4 a mile out of my way driving home from the chiropractor, and about a 1/2 mile if I am going straight home. So, hopefully I can go see Erica and the girls maybe once a week after work or the chiro so I can see more of them! Plus, I really love this house! It is really cute, and it kind of rambles. I love houses that ramble. And it is an older house, with block construction, so it should be a really easy house to take care of. The additions were all done by the original owners... and we know them! That's cool too! I can't wait to see all of the changes they make to make the house their own. It has a big enough lot that if they need to expand in the future, they can. It was also fun to hang out with my brother for awhile and see how excited he was to tell me about all of his plans and dreams for the house and yard. The yard is smaller than the Decatur house yard by alot, but that should make it easier for him to maintain too. He has alot of great trees too.

We decided to stay home for Thanksgiving instead of going to CA again. Mostly because my chiro expressed some concern about the traveling and sleeping in a different bed so close to when I am going back to work. Right now the date is Dec 3. I am kind of excited, but kind of not. I really like being home with the animals all day, and knowing that when I feel good I can do a little housework. If I was feeling really good I could get it all done myself... but that is not the case hahaha. It is good to know that I have a really great job to go back to though, so that makes it easier. I really like all of the people I work with, and I miss my team, even though I didn't get to know them really well yet. I am excited to get to know them alot better! Before I had to go out on leave I had talked to my team lead about taking on more of the morale role again with this team, because really that is my favorite thing to do! ;-) So I get to plan activities for the team and sometimes potlucks and little games in team meetings. I will take it easy for a little while though. I know I am going to have to adjust to being back again.

Things are all so exciting!

I know I've said it before, but I really love it when the weather is no longer in the 80's and is in the nice, balmy 70's. This is probably why I like San Diego so much... even though it gets colder there too...


The weather since about last Thursday has been wonderful and cool. I can open my windows everyday, and the ac hasn't turned on for quite a few days! (even with it set to 85 during the day. It just doesnt get above about 76-77! Thank goodness for tile flooring!)

My back is getting better too, although I can't do as much as I want to do still. It's not too bad when I am sitting anymore, and I am recovering faster after walking around. I made it through the grocery store last Friday, and found some great deals on chicken so I was glad. Two weeks worth of chicken (if we ate it every night!) for less than $13!!! Plus I love all of the holiday specials. For instance, usually Stove Top Stuffing is $1.20 or more for one box, but right now it's .75 a box alot of places. I am a little bit of a snob when it comes to stuffing, and this is my favorite. I didn't look for too many other deals because I didn't want to hurt too much when I left. I did keep forgetting stuff though, so had to go back and forth a bit. Thank goodness I was in the Neighborhood Market, which is smaller than normal grocery stores! (Walmart. I can't help it. I love them.) It was nice. I also cooked meals all weekend for a change, (mmm French Toast, tomato basil chicken with couscous and broccoli, cheese sammiches and soup) instead of us ending up going out like we have lately because I was too sore to cook.

Mike is sick today. Poor Mikey! One of our friends had a cold, and we were hanging out with them Friday, and Mike went golfing with him Saturday. So, he caught it. I am really hoping I don't! My last epidural is Friday... for some reason work thought I was coming back Friday, which is weird, that was never the date... so I am getting an extension form sent in by my Dr, and then my first day back should be Dec 1. I want to give it a week to settle in, and I have the orthopeadic surgeon appointment on the 24th. Which I need to order my MRI scans for... and fill out a huge packet. EEK!

My aching back!

hahaha it was too funny not to title this post with that....

Last night as we were getting ready to finally go to bed at 11:30, Mike decided to clean the cat box, we discovered that one of them had peed under it (seems like a stretch but when you have tile, it really does all run into the grout...) so Mike was cleaning the box while I cleaned the floor with a Clorox wipe and my foot.... in my sandals of course. And several Clorox wipes.... anyway, that was done, I topped my water glass off (when I wake up, I need to take Tylenol again LOL) and we started to walk the loop around the kitchen to turn the lights off and saw a really gross bloody mess on the floor. After a WTF??? moment we opened the freezer and discovered it had apparently not been working long enough to ruin everything in it... and the blood was coming from an elk roast at the top of the freezer. In addition to the puddle on the floor there was more leaking from it, down through the ice dispenser. What didn't make it out of the fridge made it to the bottom of the freezer where it combined with some strawberry mush that had defrosted and was running down the back of the freezer. It was quite the disgusting red mess. We checked the fridge, and it seemed fine.

Well, this morning when I started to clean the freezer out so we could call a repair man I opened the fridge and discovered that too was no longer cooling. So, I told Mike and found a repairman to come out and see if it could be fixed. In the meantime, I had not eaten and certainly was not going to eat anything from the fridge, and needed ice, so off to McDonald's I went- the only place I know of that sells ice through the drive thru! I think I was able to save several important items, which I will check tomorrow!

The repair man was able to fix it. I was certain it was the compressor and I would be getting a new fridge, but alas it was something about a starter relay that, quite frankly I do not understand. Oh well! It's working now, and that part is guaranteed for a year! a $300 repair is a little cheaper than a $900 new fridge... ;-) He reminded me alot of Grandpa McClellan. It is probably the most comfortable I have ever been in a house with a repairman in it too!

After he left (Mike came home to write him a check) and Mike left I got to work first cleaning the floor ( in a chair with my steam mop-holy crap does that thing pick up blood!) and then taking as many of the door shelves and regular shelves out as I could. I couldn't figure out two of them, but Mike said he would when he got home. Just from the floor and wiping out the freezer (ok, I did try to move it- every other fridge I've had has just glided right on out!) and I was able to push it, by accident, back into place almost all the way... anyway, I am really sore! And really ready to go to bed. It was a long day dealing with this fridge!

That was my adventure today!

Last day of October!!!

It's Halloween! I am hoping I can make it through our Halloween party tonight (at a friend's)! I have a plan if not... Mike can stay there and I will come home for awhile and rest and then go back! Mocha will be here so it will be a perfect time to go check on her!


Well, with all of this back stuff comes other stuff... my blood sugar went back up. So I have to up my metformin dosage again. (back to 1000 a day instead of 500) Also, because of the diabetes my cholesterol jumped. This is partly due to the prednisone I was on for awhile, but to be safe my Dr started me on a cholesterol med to help for now. I test again in 6 weeks and we will see what has happened. Also, the stress my body is under made my blood pressure higher again, so I have a second blood pressure drug, that right now is making my head all woozy and generally not feel well. The dr and pharmacist told me this would happen though. One GOOD thing/bad thing... I've lost 9 lbs since Sept 22nd.... but I am little scared that at least half of it was muscle loss (I have very little definition in my right leg right now, both thigh and calf) and the MRI noted that I had muscle loss as well. (I have no idea how they know that, but somehow it shows I guess!) I do want to keep losing though. Guess it's time to break out the oatmeal and cheerios to get my cholesterol down! Funny thing is my HDL went UP quite a few points, which was good to see, and my Dr was confused about that since everything else tanked so badly. I wonder what I'm eating that's affecting it? I have had alot of guacamole recently... hahaha!

I always read everything I can find on new medications before I take them. So I started reading about the cholesterol meds and found something interesting... people on statins actually have a higher resistance to the flu! I have been really worried about the flu lately, so that made me feel a little better about it!

The epidural definitely has helped, but I can feel the disc pressure big time... and my next Epidural can't be done until Nov 10. Right now my leave is through Nov 20, but since that week will be my last injection I think I may have to take an additional week or two to get some physical therapy in and start building my muscle back up. I also have a consult with an orthopedic surgeon Nov 24th to look at the hemangiomas showing on my MRI to see if anything needs to be done about those. I am hoping he looks at them and declares them harmless but also recommends monitoring them.

That's about it for now!

It's Chilly outside!

Well, for AZ at least. Supposedly it only got to 61 today. I didn't believe what I was seeing until I went outside to get into the car and go to the chiropractor and realized that I would not be needing the AC in the car today... hahaha! What a nice change for a few days! It'll be back to the 80's by this weekend!

So, my epidural went well yesterday. I only got about 4 hours of sleep, if that, Monday night between indigestion and anticipation. I think I ate something bad Monday.... ugh. It caused me to worry that I might not get my epidural yesterday, but I took Pepto finally and was fine after that. Still couldn't sleep. That was at about 3:30 am. I had to start getting up at about 7:30-7:45 ish so I knew I would be able to walk into the surgery center. So it was probably more like 3.5 hours of sleep.

We got there a little early, and I was happy to note that everyone in the waiting room was actually waiting for someone... not there to have something done themselves. So I knew I was going back next! The door opened after I was checked in and I was expecting to go back and get ready but instead there was an older patient who wanted her son to sit with her. I unfortunately got a flash of granny panties ( literally) when I looked over expectantly. HA! Oh well. It was about 20 minutes later and I was called back and all my vitals taken, etc. The nurse decided to take my blood pressure on my forearm. I tried to tell her that doesn't work on me, but she was blabbing away at something. So, the cuff kept inflating and deflating and hurting... and then it said my blood pressure was 191/114. SO not right. She finally listened and took it on my upper arm and got a normal reading. Well, normal for me. sigh. Then she put the IV in, but didn't start saline. She put me in a little waiting room, and I sat.... and sat... and sat.... for an hour. I have supersonic hearing, so I just listened to everything she was doing out in her little area, and quickly found out my Dr was running late from another procedure, and then found out the person who was supposed to put me under anesthesia was not there AT ALL, and they couldn't locate him. SIGH. Finally, another anesthesiologist was available and they started my procedure at 11, instead of 10. I was just happy it was happening! I remember the first two drugs the Dr gave to put me under, and seeing the third tube as she was about to add it to my IV.... and then all of the sudden I was waking up on my back with two nurses I had never seen before! (you are on your stomach for the injections, which means somehow I rolled myself over.... supposed to happen but luckily I have NO memory of it.) Then some other nurse was lecturing me about something... but I have no idea what it was! So, all went well, and I came home to rest. Mike stayed home from work with me and checked on me throughout the day, which was so nice. I knew if I needed something or something happened, he was there to help me out. Plus I just love when he's with me anyway. ;-)

Today I am sore but that is what is supposed to happen!

Why is it...

That my blogger is not updating updates correctly? For the past 2 or 3 days a few have said something like"updated 18 hours ago" but I read those posts days ago! Is anyone else having this problem?

I am counting the days until my epidural... I am so ready to have complete relief for a few hours, and the knowledge that there is medicine in my back, on my discs, making the swelling go down. All I remember from last time is those few precious hours after it was done where I couldn't feel anything at all. Walking that way is VERY weird too. I can't remember if after the third one I still had nerve pain or not. The scariest part of all of this is not knowing when the nerve pain will go away completely... and it is the worst part of it all! It is so bad I pretty much can't feel the part of my back that is actually causing the pain in the first place. I am thinking that once the disc isn't pushing on the nerve root I will be fine. Crossing fingers!

I slept so long today... I am trying to make sure I get it when I can! I feel like I could still go back to bed right now and sleep more and I have only been up about 2.5 hours. I guess that's what happens when your body is under stress! That's another thing I am looking forward to, restful and restorative sleep!

Decision made

Got my MRI results, and depsite the several options I have I decided to go with the epidural injections again, because I know they work, and I was good for a few years. I think this may have happened because I wasn't going to the chiro like I should have been, and everything just slipped out. So, that's the plan. Right now the chiropractor office is looking to get me scheduled ASAP with the surgery center that the anesthesiologist who administered my last ones works at. This time in Tempe instead of Peoria. I can't take that drive again. Cross your fingers that they get me in quickly! Now, off to bed to relax and read. Or watch TV. Haven't decided which yet.