AGONY CONTINUES

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I'm still dealing with the sciatica problem.  I had an appointment with the chiropractor yesterday and after arriving couldn't lay down on his examination table due to the pain.  We changed the date of the next session to Thursday this week.  When I awoke this morning all pain was gone.  This is how sciatica plays with ones head.  I immediately called my chiropractor to tell him I'm pain free and asked if he would like to crack some bones this morning.  I went; he cracked bones and I came home feeling fine.

I mean I felt like a million dollars.  I gathered up the dogs and grabbed the camera for a ride down to the old state park.  There weren't too many photo opportunities there, however.   I noted the flowers were beginning to bloom and photographed a few. 

Even periwinkles were coming out.  Spring is definitely here in East Tennessee.  A very green grassy spot was beckoning me to come and sit down for awhile.  I like to write in a journal when I take these little stops.  The dogs were having a great time of it, to say the least.

Shade, the black lab, had just stepped upon a rabbit.  She was crashing through thick bushes that line the carriage trail at the ruins when she simply stepped directly on the rabbit.  Of course that started a chase.  She is so absolutely humorous when she  finds rabbits.  The rabbit runs full out curving left and right and Shade follows the rabbit's course perfectly.  The scene sort of implies that the dog must follow the rabbit in the rabbit's exact path.  We couldn't take the shorter distance to the rabbit.  We have to stay exactly behind the rabbit and follow precisely where it ran.  It's so funny to watch!  She, like Douglas the golden retriever, doesn't stand the slightest chance of catching up with a rabbit.

The chiropractor told me last Friday morning at the end of our session not to sit in one position for long periods of time and no lifting.  He also stated no motor boat, motorcycle or canoe until we get this sciatica under control.  I felt great late Friday morning so, I loaded up the canoe and paddled the top of Tellico Lake.  Then in the evening the dogs and I drove to Calderwood lake for a camp out.  Those two incidents are in this blog below.

Saturday morning was horrible.  I was in terrible pain from the instant I woke up in the morning until I fell asleep that Saturday night.   I was totally incapacitated.  I couldn't walk, sit or lay down without excruciating pain.

I finished writing my journal entry and made a careful attempt to stand up.  Ouch!  The pain was back.  Amazing!  I can't even sit or lay down in the beautiful grass without ending up with pain.

I slowly completed the task of getting up.
So;  the chiropractor asked me, "what did you do Friday?  We had this sciatic nerve issue well on the way to stabilization?"
I told him, "I just took a little canoe ride and later in the day took the motor boat to Calderwood Lake for a camping trip."
He replied, "we're back to square one.  Everything we accomplished in your last three visits has been negated."
Great I thought!  I promised to do better.  He shook his head as he stared at the floor of the examination room.  I felt embarrassed. 

I know now why people have vertebra's fused when they have sciatica.  The cure by chiropractic manipulation is a long one.  Sciatica is sneaky.  Just when you feel great;  it reappears offering pain ten fold.  Excruciating pain can disappear within a footstep.  It can also reappear in a footstep.  This "feel better get worse," off and on routine seems endless.  I believe there is a frustration factor in the pain equation that forces a person to go ahead and get the vertebrae fused so the pain will end.

A person named Paul who resides in the United Kingdom sent me an email stating he also has an affliction much like mine.  He also made a nice comment about my blog.  Like myself, he is a canoeist and when he sits for long periods at a time, his feet ache or become tingly.  One has to respect the sciatic nerve.  Thank you Paul for responding to me.  I think you and I could tolerate each other on a lengthy paddle trip.  We do have things in common.

I leaned against the old foundation with my right side, arm straight down and I pushed against the stone.  Then I squatted down and rotated my upper torso left and right.  When I stood up I felt a bit better.  Half way back to the truck all the pain left instantly as if it never was.  There is a distant ache in my right leg now, reminding me of what is to come.

I hobbled back to the truck and drove home.  A quick run across the highway to the cafe and a bite to eat was in order.  When I stood up after lunch and took a step;  the gremlins were back.  I don't know how much of this on off pain I can endure but, I'm certainly not at my limit yet.  I am very disappointed in losing this great weather.  It's perfect weather for any out door activity.

I apologize if this entry presents myself as a complainer.  I normally am not one to complain about much of anything, accept where politics are concerned.   It's just that Winter has held on a long time this year and finally the gorgeous weather I waited for so long has arrived.   And, here I sit at this computer in pain.  I'll give it another week.  If things don't improve I'm heading for another camp out by canoe.

Thanks for looking in on this blog.  If you have a sciatic nerve problem;  you have my sympathy.   I promise I won't mention the state of my health after this entry.  Well, maybe a tiny update....