Accupuncture - nothing like a bit of a prick!

Friday afternoon I went to see if I could get an appointment with an accupuncturist I have seen on and off for about 15 years. Lucky for me they could fit me in immediately!! My back was still causing me a lot of grief, and I went to see the accupuncturist for some pain relief. I'm not sure how many needles he used, but I think it was around 6, all of them in my lumar region and hips. He also used a technique called cupping where they use glass cups to suck the skin up.

This is supposed to help rejuvinate the qi in the body, and help with pain reduction, and deep tissue repair. It was a very strange feeling, and hurt only a littel bit in one area, but I couldn't see the halm in it. It left some awesome red circles though!!

The day after treatment I felt terrible, but that is also due to the chiro visit. I always feel worse the next day after seeing him. But Yesterday and today my pain has lessened quite a bit, and I'm feeling quite OK. Compared to 1 and half weeks ago, my pain is at about an 4 instead of a 10.

So, I think I should be OK for China now. I'll make the final decision on Thursday whether to go, but I should be OK. I'm having another accupuncture visit on Friday, and off to the Chiro today... so I'm slowly getting there. When I can stop taking panadine forte altogether I will be a happy lady.

Shuffling Along

So, its been 5 days since I hurt my back, and I'm doing OK. Today was actually a really bad day - I was hurting pretty bad this morning, and its carried over during the day, so I came home early. Compared to last Friday my pain has lessened quite a bit but I am still on Panadine Forte...but have cut this down to half of what I was having on the weekend - 3 a day now which is OK. Andrew was much better on Sunday with helping me. I think he realised how much pain I was in, and did the things I asked him to do, so an improvement on his wanker behavoiur the day before.

My boss really really upset me today. I have been thinking about what caused this issue and I remember picking up something at work on the Thursday, and felt my back twinge a little bit, but thought nothing much of it. A few hours later I was in a lot of pain but didn't relate it back to what I lifted. I told him this today, and he turned around and said to me, 'are you ignoring the elephant in the room'. I didn't know what he meant, and then he said that the reason I have this back problem is becuase I have put on so much weight and basically fobbed off that I hurt myself doing something at work. Now that upset me, cause no medical person I saw mentioned this to me, not even my chiro.

I know I'm overweight, and having been making a real effort to do something about it- and have been feeling the best I have in ages, and then this happened with my back. So now walking is out the window and all I can do is watch my food...which at the moment is not going so well, but is not totally out of control.

so I have a boss who thinks I'm fat and blames that for my sore back.... not happy.

I just want the pain to go away now, I have had enough of it. I feel for anyone that puts up with constant pain, I really do. Chiro thinks I'll have pain for the rest of the week into next week and about 8 weeks for me to get back to normal. Regarding physio, I have not had good experiences with physio's, so don't go to visit them and would rather stay with my chiro. Thanks for the advice though Colleen.

Hopefully trip to China on the 30th will go ahead OK. Thankfully its only a few days over there on my own, so no obligation to do anything with other people. So sleeping when I want and relaxing when I want.... Not really excited about going, but it will be a good thing to do on my own

so so annoyed

I've hurt my back - apparently I have hurt a disk in my Lumbar spine. I'm not happy at all. I was in so much pain Thursday night even after taking Panadine Forte that I spent most of the evening in tears. Then went to Chiro on Friday and he only did a little bit of feeling around and adjustment, and by the time he strappped up my back and I tried to get up I was in tears again. I'd takenb 2 Panadine Fortes in the morning, and it didn't even seem to touch the pain.

Chiro told me to go to a doc to get some more painkillers, something stronger than the panadine, so I went across to my semi-regular doc, and he had so many people in the waiting room that I would have gone stir crazy if I had waited there. So I went home and had Andrew take me to the local medical centre. We waited for 1.5 hours, and when people who had arrived after me started going in I got Andrew to go check, and they didn't have my papaerwork in the pile. I was very annoyed by this time.

I fianlly got to see a doc who was useless and refused to give me anything stronger than panadine. he inisited I get an xray before doing anything else, and I honestly think that he thought I was one of those people just trying to get drugs. He didn't like that I went to a chiro and insisted it was muscular not a disk - but he didn't even touch me - just asked me to move around.

So he just gave me more Panadine forte, and anit inflammatories and to get an xray. Of course the Xray place was shut so that didn't happen. I don't want to go back to that place because the doc was terrible. So I'm sitting at home in pain even though I have taken the panadine and the Brufen and waiting till Monday to go see my normal doc.

i am so so annoyed. I have never hurt my back this bad before, and it has really hit me for a sixer - I can't bend down walking and sitting hurts, and I 'm consistantly in pain. I'm going to China in 2 weeks, so if I don't get a bit better before then, then the whole trip could be cancelled.

and the worst thing is I don't know what I have done. I'm sad, and Andrew is getting annoyed when I ask him to do things. Thats pissing me off so much. Its not like I did this on purpose, and he's just being a dickhead about it. its situations like this that really test things, and he is failing with flying colours. Not even being able to bend down to get something is so so frustrating. Why can't he just be a support instead of a wanker?

HOT HOT HOT!!!

Today is going to be 43deg C. Way way too hot for me. I'll be hibernating inside under the airconditioner for most of the day. We have to go out to a birthday party later this arvo, but that should be OK as its inside and they have airconditioning.

I went back to work on Wed, and in a strange way it was nice to be back. My brain spent most of the holidays in relax mode, and it was time for it to get back into thinking mode. And then my boss sprung it on me that his wife is pregnant! Good work I say....this means she leaves work in June..... :)

I have decide to study this year, and keep trudging on with trying to get my accounting degree. The subject I have chosen is one I have failed twice before....so I am determined to pass it this time around!! I took last year off from study, so its time to get back into it. I only have 5 subject to go before I get my degree, so 2 this year, and then 3 next year, and I'll be done!!!!

I have been doing heaps of walking in the holidays, and am planning to walk for half an hour each morning before work during summer. I am determined to both lose weight and get fitter, so a walk each day is a step in the right direction.

But for today I am planting my arse in front of the TV and the airconditioner and am trying to keep cool. I hate this hot weather, and can't wait for winter.

Happy new year & all the jazz

end of 2009 is probably a good thing. I haven't had the greatest year, but it certainly hasn't been the worst year either (that was 2008).

I haven't consciously made any new year resolutions, but I am planning to get back on the weight loss wagon. My walking is increasing week by week, and I'm feeling much better for it. I've been walking for 50mins to an hour at a time 3 to 4 times a week, and even getting up early on my holidays to get in some walking before the hot days settle in. Once I'm back at work, then the food side of things will fall into place. I have a goal to reach by my birthday, and will be very disappointed if I don't achieve it.

Tonight will be a quiet one. Its 41 degrees here today, and I hate hate hate hot weather. I wish so hard it was winter again. So I'll be sheltering under the airconditioner, and probably watching telly all night....this suits me just fine.

wishing you all a Happy new Year, and that 2010 brings you much happiness, and joy.

time for an update

So its been a while since I have been blogging. Reading plenty of blogs, but not inspired to write much lately. Had a great time in Melb with my friend Becy, and we went to the aquarium, and on the puffing billy (old steam train), and generally had a nice time going out for lunches and dinner and catching up on gossip!!

Me and Bec on the Puffing Billy

Puffing Billy

A romantic shot of Bec and her fella

King Penguin at the Melbourne aquarium

Another King Penguin - they were so cute!

View of the MCG (Melbourne cricket ground) from Bec's rooftop deck

Nightime view from the rooftop deck

As much as I'm not keen on Melb as a city, I had a great time with Bec, and did heaps of walking and shopping!! Spent too much money, but got some really nice shoes and a few clothes. All in all a great weekend.

I also met my favourite author in Nov - Diana Gabaldon. She did a talk at a library in Mount Barker and my sister and I went along. We both really enjoyed her talking about her life and how she became a writer, and how the Outlander series began. It was a great night, and something I will always remember. I'm about 100 pages from finishing the new book she released in September, and then we have to wait for another 3 years for the next one!!!

Diana Gabaldon talking about how she writes the Outlander series

Me and Diana - and I got my book signed!!

All in all it was a good November. I got most of my Chrisco hamper - just waiting on one more thing, and have 2 freezers full of food. I just need to prepare it all in a healthy manner!!

I have started walking again, and my achillies seems to be holding up OK. I'm trying to do 2 or 3 walks a week of about 45min to 1 hour, and so far am feeling much better for it. Feeling very very unfit, but otherwise, doing OK. just have to get through Christmas now, and admittedly, I don't have much Christmas cheer this year...just can't be bothered really - and I guess if i had kids it would be a bit different....but since I don't I'll stick to being the Christmas grouch!!!

Looking forward to November!!

Next month has lots going on, and I'm looking forward to it so much!!

On the 10th November, my sister and I are going to a meet and greet with one of my favourite authors, Diana Gabaldon. Her latest book was released at the end of September, and we have been waiting for it for so long!!! Diana writes a series about a woman who goes back in time to the Scottish Highlands in the mid 1700's, and gets stuck there for a few years, and ends up marrying a scotsman.... the 7 books take us on journey's through time, through war, over land and over sea, to the West Indies, and finally to America.... and the new book sees them head back to Scotland. I'm about 120 pages into the new book, An Echo in the Bone, and am really enjoying it.

On the 12th of November I'm off to Melbourne for 4 days to visit my best friend. Andrew is staying at home, so it will be nice to have a weekend away on my own...well with my best mate!! I think we'll have a nice girlie weekend, and it will be some nice to spend a few days with her. This is the friend that went to Ireland for 2.5 years, and has only come back this year, and then headed to Melbourne to live. Looking forward to my holiday so much!!!

Then on the 19th november, Andrew, myself, and a friend of mine are off to see Nickelback at the Adelaide entertainment centre. We saw them a few years ago, and they put on the best show with lots of Pryotechnics...so we are looking forward to that so much!!

And finally Chrisco arrives on the 25th November!!. I'm taking that day off work, so I can be home when they drop it off. I just have to do a freezer clean out between now and then!! I have heaps of meat and frozen vegies coming, so I will need all the room I can get!!

PHHHEEEWWWWW!!! It might not seem much, but for me, this is a fairly busy month. We're also going to see the truck racing on the 1st of November... I'm such a rev head!!!!