So how are YOU today?

What an excellent report... thanks!

The severe spinal arthritis is worrying to me, but you kind of tossed it off -- something you already knew about or suspected?

So glad that your instincts were correct here, and also that you have a good doctor to address things.

I totally get the intellectual vs. emotional thing re: work and rebuilding trust.

Yeah...well, I have had lots of spinal pain for a long time, so I figured it was injury/too much ******* study/poor posture/and arthritis ages ago.

I have used natural remedies that seem to have some real research base for a long time (with real or placebo effect) and I get help when the pain is unbearable.


Compared with the pain from the prolapsed disk, the arthritic pain is a joke.

Also, I NEVER focus on my "normal"pain ( crapping off my physios etc, because I NEVER am able to report where yesterday's or last week's pain was)...but I think not focussing on pain is good.

I am responding happily to 24 hour anti-inflammatories (whereas over the counter ones make me feel like ****).

The neurologist said to continue with them, suggested the kind of exercise I already do, pluss a few I have been considering.

Ces't la vie.


My back has worked within some limits that I find fine (except I now HAVE to pay for housework....: ( ) for twenty years. No point worrying about it.

And...maybe there will be some real help for arthritis before I am crippled.

Frankly, with my family history, I suspect I will be dead of something else long before arthritis becomes a problem that takes precedence.

And....it is WAY common.

Why should I feel entitled to whinge?

YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am very happy about this from Deb -

"Oh well.....one can do one's best.
And, I AM GETTING BETTER!!!!!"

and glad for Walter's mother's progress and the relief for Walter.

Oh, I don't know, because you're suffering excruciating pain that is severely impacting your ability to work and live a normal life???

<whaps deb upside the head>

Enough with the "whinging" stuff, this sucks and a bit of venting is entirely justified.

Meanwhile, very glad for you that things seem to be improving.

You know...the funniest and most predictable psychological reversal has occurred.

When I rang Boss on Friday to let her know what specialist said, I, who had been busy insisting on my doing a reasonable amount of work this week am now feeling : "not too much...I need a slow start....'" and Boss (who has clearly been kindly masking HER concerns about the huge amount of work sitting and waiting for me, and the effects of my absence politically and psychologically and reputation-wise for our agency) was a bit getting into pushing for MORE days.

I am now letting the pain and stress and fear affect me, while I kept it more at bay before, because I needed to stay as positive as possible.

This is predictable and kind of funny.....but very real.


I AM STAYING HOME TODAY (Monday) for instance, come hell or high water...and, since I have been on recreation leave this whole time, I am gonna go out and have a brunch, and maybe even see if my back can tolerate a film, and recrerate myself a bit, goddammit!!! I am also gonna try a walk and see how that goes.

I may also need to see a damn doctor to attend to what appears to be a spider bite I have had for a couple of weeks, but is staying huge and hot and red and hard...ie may be a bit infected. It;s been too low on the worry totem pole to give a damn about so far.

The kid from the country I was to see on Tuesday has been too late to re-organise (I tried on Friday) so Tuesday is gonna be (gulp) facing up to the enormous body of work that has piled up while I was gone.

I have other folk booked in on Wednesday and Thursday....but I am gonna take friday off too goddammit!!!!! I am actually still in possession of a med certificate that says I cannot work until 20th July AND on rec leave!


Had first social event involving me GOING OUT and seeing a BUNCH of people yester day....instead of having kind visitors and phone calls.

Oh my!!! Had to go to bed early! Which has resulted in me being awake and typing this at 2.23 am Monday morning.

Deb, have you any idea what kind of spider it was that bit you?

Girl, hang in there. You always were a fighter.

Deb, I'm glad you're a bit more active and feeling a tad better. I worry that you'll overdo. But I worry.

A spider bite! There are some doozy spiders in Oz. It's always something with you, bunny.

I NEVER see what bit me!!!

And this one was odd.....I felt no initial pain, then quite intense pain and hotness began to develop in two parts of my left leg.

One formed a little bite mark.....and one has become a hot, red welt...about 3 inches long by about an inch and a half.

Initially very painful...now just hot and hard, and the ankle is generally swollen.

It's kind of formed a large "head"which is purple with skin peeling away.

I have hust watched it for signs of turning into cellulitis, and it worried me a bit that way last night...now seems to be settling again.

I am feeling like it IS always some damn bloody thing with me!!!

I think I need to be thrown overboard like Jonah.

How's the spider doing? Bad, I hope?

Sounds like a 'redback' to me! Had a good look around the smallest room in the house?

I'd be sicker with a redback...a female one at least.

Thanks...I think...Thomas!

and here was I thinking you were staying up to watch the cricket - or celebrate Mark Webber's Grand Prix win! The bloody Poms held on for a draw! Bastards.

Wrong again, eh??

Take it easy!

So was it a good day gadding about, then?

And is it back to work tomorrow? If so, good luck!

I thought of you when I read this, Deb. Seems it's excellent idea to develop your swearing skills! Good for pain, according to this report. And if anyone objects, you can tell them it's therapy!

http://www.theage.com.au/world/the-curse-of-tolerating-pain-20090712-dhct.html

Ha!!!!

Swearing.

I'll show you swearing.


NOW I have the locum coming because the goddamned bite is much worse.

Only noticed when I took my walking shoes off today.



SHOOT ME!!!!

Well goddamn.

Swear some more, maybe it'll help. (What's a locum, some sort of house call doctor?)

Yep....they come...but how good they are is a whole 'nother question.

We have a doctor shortage, so lots of kind of questionably trained foreign doctors have come in. They tend to start off with the locum stuff.

They're supposed to be vetted and all...and lots of them are fabulous...but there's been some BAD stuff.

Still, I guess s/he oughta be able to prescribe antibiotics.

I bet it's the same Indiam guy as ther last two cellulitis episodes.

I bet he thinks I secretly keep poisonous spiders!

Hope s/he's here before midnight.

I just set my alarm for work!


Did I mention I HATE LIFE????

Your life isn't giving you a lot of reasons to love it lately.

Shape up, life!

Antibiotics = good.

absolutely knackered! tired of being tired. hey ho!

Streuth, I don't blame you, Deb!

Monday was supposed to be fun day!!!!!!

Oh good grief.