Surgery Monday August 8th

[jsewell]

Hi Maria,
I started using hiking poles when hiking in my local trails after my hip replacement. They have saved many a fall, but i feel it would be ridiculous to use them on the pavement. I would rather use a cane , but it is not really necessary. My recent fall was in my bedroom and even if i was walking with a cane i sure would not be using one inside my cluttered house.

I do imagine it does burn a few more calories. I do or maybe do not have a cross country nordic track machine. I guess if jeff took it i will remind him i bought it for myself and ask him to bring it back. When i can exercise , of course.

I never made the pie because my daughter was going to a friends house adn wants to be part of it. So she asked me to wait until today, with the weather so nice she will have to wait until later. I'm hoping i can send my older daughter to the store for the apples.

Sorry about your aol. My computer keeps connecting to some other network that is not in my house and the signal is weak and i have to realize it has done it again and manually set it to my house one. It is set as automatic, but i assume someone was in my room on my computer and changed it accidentally. Ahh i just remember seeing my daughter sitting in here yesterday. Found the culprit.

I just found my MP3 player buried on my night stand and am excited to bring tunes with my walking. Maybe tunes instead of doggie today. He seems to have a tummy ache or at least his exhaust pipe smells that way!!!
judy

[Maria]

Judy,
Wasn't sure if you were on pavement or not the way you described your walks as hikes I thought it might not be on pavement rather on trails. Where my husband lives there are some incredible trails but he lives kind of far out so I hardly ever see anyone on them except on the weekends. There seems to be quite a bit of wildlife out there (snakes, coyotes) and such so I'm just too scared to walk on the trail alone since that one time I did so pavement/city walking it is for me! I thought perhaps the poles would help you to be more upright but if you're not that extreme that you don't "have to have" something and you can still walk or can get by with a cane that sounds good too or at least like a viable solution. I would imagine that you have to be even more cautious than normally re uneven ground/sidewalk and any kind of unbroken or dubious surfaces so I do hope you will figure out what works best for you.

When I'm walking on the bike path and there's no one around I try to involve my upper extremities (arms) in motion as well so as to burn off more calories.

I can't believe how much more energy I have lately because of my increased walking. It's just amazing! I wish I had no impediments to walking (feet at this time) so that I could walk and walk and walk however I am glad I get to do as much as I am.

I had wanted to try a recipe I saw for a caramel pumpkin supreme pie for TG. I've been invited to LA to relatives, and to 2 sets of friends around here so I'd like to come up with a few pies (may have to buy them!)! Realistically I think I'll make it to one TG meal and maybe desert at another.

[jsewell]

I haven't been allowed to go back to hiking yet and i am not sure how comfortable that will be . my local trail has a pretty steep grade. You gain 1,000 feet in elevation in one mile or i should say for the first few miles. I will use hiking poles for sure when i venture back there.

So i am on the sidewalks in town. I would just have nothing for the hiking poles to dig into . I know a cane would help me be upright, but i often trip over it too. I have been taking Buddy and i cannot manage a cane and a leash.

I still haven't made that pie yet! My daughter went out with a friend today too. When i came home she said it is only 6:30. Well something about the dark kind of shuts me down and gets me in pj's pretty early too! Like tonight, i surely could have gone to the store , but got ready for bed at 7.
judy

[Maria]

Judy,
I don't think I could hike that either. Not sure how my back would respond tho my feet would not like it. Flat surface walking I have to do more to get the exercise benefit tho I try to "shake it up" a bit and walk a far enough bit to go up and down some man made hills (streets). Yesterday I walked up more stairs down by the Pike just to bump up my heartrate a bit and walked fast most of the walk. I felt it pretty badly in my feet last night and then in my feet and back this morning. Tho the back stuff seems to have worn off already (been up an hour). Feet still hurting.

Dark early also makes me want to be home watching the tube and off to sleep earlier. If I take Lo out in the dark I carry a flashlight so I can see where she "goes." I notice many people don't bother tho Sure wish they did!

[jsewell]

I don't like to take off in the dark, but might be caught by darkness. so what i do is get my headlamp and put it around my neck brace!!! doesn't look goofy on my head, just makes me look like i have a tracheostomy!!

I would be tripping on everything if i did not have light . I have lost a few of my steroid pounds recently. I hope they stay off , although it is bad timing with the holiday;s approaching.
Now if this flat back would allow me to walk more, it would be easier, but so far no way. I am so ready to crash and sit down when i get home.
I am going to head out soon as tonight is my volunteer night. My cold is not gone and it has been over a week, but i do feel better than i did last tuesday.
so i will go and hope we get out early. Like by midnight.!!
Enjoy your day or what is left of it.
judy

[Maria]

Judy,
I read that 75mg of Zinc (gluconate or acetate I think) a day during a cold can reduce the duration of the cold by 4 days. There's an OTC remedy called Cold Eze that has Zinc in it and is touted to stop all symptoms of a cold tho I don't know about that. I have used Zicam spray and reduced the duration of a cold several times.

Hope you had a good night volunteering and your back/neck are hanging in there.

I really have done nicely with shedding some of the weight that was distributed to my waist and lower tummy. Now hopefully it'll start coming off my hips. I didn't walk as far yesterday because of my feet tho I walked about a mile and walked fast the whole time/way.

I need to once again get serious w/my dietary efforts however (just go back to eating very lightly for dinner).

[jsewell]

I can't wait to discuss the flat back syndrome with my surgeon next week. I really have all the symptoms and wonder if he will think that physical therapy will help at all. It certainly can not give me back my lordosis. Only surgery can do that. I would be ready for it too as this is also effecting my hips, upper back, neck and knees. Too much when you are really out of alignment.

Last night volunteering went great. We were done by a little before 10, which is a first for me to be home by 11. I am still exhausted though , i had a doctor apt this morning at 10. My body just needs so much sleep. I can hardly stay awake, i'm hoping when i take a walk in a little while that it wakes me up a bit.

Maria i hope your feet are cooperating and letting you walk today.
I will try the zicam with the next cold, which i hope is years away!
judy

[Maria]

Judy,
I didn't see surgery as an option in treating FBS (which also could be failed back surgery so I don't mean FBS as that!). I just worry that surgery after surgery is going to make you weaker rather than stronger. Guess you'll find out what's what when you speak to your surgeon about it.

As for me my right foot is bothering me re the posterior tibial tendonitis so I'm definately slowed down a bit. Had to take a shorter walk yesterday than the day before tho at least got one in. I really need the loooonnnnnggggg walks tho for the effect of losing a tad of the padding around my hips/bumm now as it has done such a quick and good job of getting off some of the little additional padding I had going on around the tum.

I didn't sleep too much last night.. 5 hours or so and felt like it was "enough" so was up at 3a.m. today! Means I'll be tuckered out by 7p.m. most likely or even earlier! Oh well.. gotta get Lola out early this morning as we didn't go out after 5:30p.m. yesterday!

[jsewell]

Up at 3am. that is just crazy. I sometimes wake up really early, and start on my computer because the other 4 people are sleeping, but i usually fall back asleep at some point. I can't figure out my sleep need one day up at 8 , the next day can't get out of bed at noon. My bedtime is late , but consistent.

For flat back syndrome, i believe they can do an osteotomy to correct the problem and add some curve to the lumbar area. That , i have read, gives instant relief. That is what i want, i am so used to surgery now, it doesn't seem like a huge deal. that is probably why i didn't rest enough at first with this last one.
Although i have had a lot of surgery, it has been on all 3 areas. My neck breaking is the only reason i had the repeat neck surgery. Then the DrRegan did not accomplish what he set out to do as he damaged my lungs so it needed some more work. i suspect him removing the fusion at my thoracic spine (without mentioning it to me) could have helped along or even been the cause of my extreme kyphosis in that area that was then effecting my lungs even more. So they all have definite reasons and were not repeats of the same problem.
YOu really should go to another podiatrist to see where you stand on your feet!!! At least you will know what exactly will help you.
judy

[Maria]

Judy,
I actually consulted 3 other podiatrists which I didn't like enough to follow their advice! One only wanted me to wear a certain brand of tennis shoe and in fact told me "don't come back until you've bought xyz shoe" so I said "screw that" and then one said there's no way he'd do the surgery my podiatrist did on my left foot so I knew this wasn't the guy for me because I got good relief on my left foot and another one told me that he never heard of orthotics giving someone sciatic pain but mine gave me that so I won't wear them. He didn't even make them! I wear these really good inserts that are called SOLE and they have helped me greatly re the posterior tibial tendonitis w/o giving me sciatica.

I really don't want to have surgery unless I'm really hurting badly more often. I know what my problem is on my right foot. I have a bunion that doesn't have to be surgically corrected but I think it would be a good idea for when it does bother me tho the hammertoes really would improve "I believe" with the same surgery the guy that did my left foot did."

However I have learned to be discerning and will find the right person to do this. I do not trust my body easily anymore to the hands of whomever agrees or recommends surgery.

I am pretty mobile so will keep going. The posterior tibial tendonitis flares up and that too isn't something surgery is done for unless one has a near a complete snap or tear of the tendon or cannot recover from as well as I can so I do know what is going on with my feet. Today I was able to take my regular fairly long walk as my feet felt better as the day wore on! Yippeee!!!

There was a time when I too thought I had enough surgeries that I didn't really mind one more (one good spine surgery so thought the 2nd would turn out that way too but it outcome was far worse than I could have ever imagined) but when one fails you very badly and it takes forever (more than 5 years) to recover from you might have a different perspective (or maybe not/maybe wouldn't make any diff). I'm very glad I haven't had more spine surgery tho can understand why you've had the number you have to date. To each his/her own in our pursuit of betterment!

[Maria]

Judy,
I googled that so I could see what all it entailed and it sounds pretty interesting tho I guess it depends on what's causing it and the whole patient clinical picture as to how complicated the surgery would be if one were a candidate for this surgery.

I saw that Dr.Pashman and another doctor do this surgery in LA so maybe you've considered consultations with certain surgeons after checking out the information if your surgeon doesn't do this surgery?

Good luck w/talking to your own surgeon about it and hopefully he will have something encouraging to say when you're talking to him about it.

[jsewell]

I am getting so frustrated with this flat back syndrome. I feel i am feeling worse the more i do. It has definitely not improved in the last month. I guess i should be posting this on the thread i just started!!

My mind is ready to go for a long walk, but unfortunately my back in all areas is not. so Buddy and i will do our regular route.
Nothing to drink in this house except a tiny bit of milk and tap water so i will be off to Trader Joes after, although i really want to jump in the shower with Buddy and wash him. Then the soup i am hoping to make needs to cook for quite a while. I am hoping i can convince my older daughter to make it. Also that i can convince one of the boys to come shopping with me so i don't have to carry a thing. I guess i could ask for help out, just hate doing that.

I hope your feet are in a cooperative mood today and you got your walk in. I'm glad you know exactly what is going on with them too. I need to have one of my big toenails removed again (it was just removed with my last foot surgery) . It has grown in goofy and stopped about a quarter of the way up. It always hurts some too. With anything pressing on it. I may just have the whole nail bed removed or destroyed whatever they do. I made an apt for the beginning of Dec to see the foot surgeon again. Never ends. It sticks up so it also catches on everything including my blankets.

Time to do my little exercise.
judy

[Maria]

Judy,
I know I get very frustrated w/my feet now as they are less cooperative than my back re pain. They were however OK yesterday so took a good hour long walk in the a.m. and then my regular dog walks which are so full of stop, sniff and pee that a good dog walk takes an hour tho is in seriously slo-mo!
And Lola pulls so much or stops so suddenly I'm sure my right arm is going to have serious probs later on.

Oddly enough mentioning toes (of which mine are a mess) my two big toes curve upwards at the end of my toe and end up wearing a hole in my running shoes so they look raggedity even tho they're not very old! I can only wear certain ones that my inserts fit well in and don't over correct my arch and they running shoes have to be very light weight so as to not feel like they pull at my heel or whatever.

Yesterday I saw a Von's delivery truck delivering groceries or what looked like prepared meals? I hadn't ever seen that before. It was interesting to see the truck opened up and how the groceries were stacked in these plastic containers. The guy that was delivering them really has a tough job physically as the lifting and then loading them up on this cart that he bent over to push to the correct building looked like murder on the spine. When I see stuff like that I want to say something and sometimes I do but he was too busy. Stuff like that makes me wince ~ of course I catch myself doing some pretty stupid things spine wise! I think I'm going to write Vons corporate offices about what I saw and how I think that could be remedied (maybe the equip the guy was using was just faulty or damaged and just needs replacement).

[jsewell]

I'm getting or going to get ready to go for my daily walk, not sure if rain will interfere tomorrow.
Buddy has learned to not stop and sniff and pee everywhere or to do it before i am ready to tug on the leash so our walks together have become quite pleasant. I feel better about being a dog mom too.
Now today i woke up with not only my upper back sore, but my right knee which no longer will fully straighten out. Maybe it is used to me standing with my knees bent and is too used to that position. Or maybe i hurt it when i fell directly on it last month. My ribs have totally stopped hurting. Now it is my left shoulder blade area and my upper back and my knee that hurt even when on pain meds.
All , i think, could be coming through flat back syndrome.
A few months ago i bought a pair of Merrill very lightweight running shoes. I think they only weigh 5 ounces each. They are awesome. A bit pricey, but worth it . They are very comfortable. I have not put my orthotics in them, but i'm just being lazy about them. I actually have not taken them out of my hiking boots which i haven't worn since the end of July. I had only like 1 week when i was healed enough from foot surgery before my back surgery to go for a hike.

Also the other day i got the worst pain in my neck . Last night my left leg went numb on me too. All the sciatica signs disappeared with this last surgery and my leg going numb really was not pleasant thinking about the possible causes as it was not positional.
WEll off to get ready to walk
Hope you have a great walk today too and don't have to cut it short
judy

[Maria]

Judy,
Had a lovely a.m. walk and took another walk in afternoon and no complaints re anything hurting. Took all the "Lola" walks in between. She's 8 y.o. and has become more of a little poophead at times like stopping short and staring at me like "what?" "I'm NOT going to walk that way!" .. she's a trip tho so cute~ I took her on 2nd street today in Belmont Shore and she got so much attention it was crazy! People were petting her and saying how cute/beautiful/etc she is and she was just in her glory!

re your knee I hope that there's not an atrophy of a ligament going on due to so much time spent in a certain position. Probably not .. probably something else. Can you straighten your leg out at rest? When you are resting and does your neck and upper back hurt (and knee) hurt or is it just when you're up and about (as if that's not enough!).

I'm up super late tonight as I cannot sleep. I get up very early as I usually go to bed very early and Lola is used to going out by 6a.m. every morning so early a.m.s aren't bad for me however if I don't go to sleep tomorrow morning (it's already morning) will come a bit too quickly! time to go to sleep (hopefully)!

[jsewell]

I hope you got some sleep. I woke up at a decent time but fell back asleep for my morning nap and slept too long. got up at noon. I wish i would stop doing that.
My knee hurts at rest and yesterday my back and upper back also hurt at rest. i was not happy that is the first time i did not get relief sitting in bed. I did wash Buddy which required a few minutes of bending over partially. My back was screaming at the end of that so maybe that was the problem. He sure needed a bath and i cannot get anyone here to do it for me.
I can straighten the knee out when in bed, but can't stay in that position as it is not comfortable.
I am skipping my walk today as i was planning on it and the weather is making it mandatory.
Even sitting reaching for my coffee cup was painful earlier.
New class starts on Legal issues of medicine today it should be interesting.
judy

[Maria]

Judy,
I got a walk in this morning and it was really breezy and tough to walk against the wind. Spent the day doing next to nothing w/heater on except I did fall asleep for a few hours in the afternoon when a friend had wanted me to go out to listen to some live music! That figures! Woke up and have been awake since and even took Lola out at midnight as she hadn't been out since around 5pm. and had "business" to do!

New class sounds interesting as you mentioned. Hope your knee,back,neck stoped hurting so you were comfortable in class.

Don't know if I'll be able to walk tomorrow a.m. re weather.. hope so!

[jsewell]

I was wondering what the heck you were doing up at 1am. The afternoon nap explains it all. I never got the walk in yesterday.
About the class i was confused on the dates, instead of just having this coming Sunday off, we have 2 weeks off then the second class i will be out of town. Planning on going to fllorida to visit family . I am bummed that i will miss the second class seeing we only meet 3 times for this one. Seeing my family is more important and all 4 kids can probably make it which has not happened in years.

No matter how the whole body reacts of feels i will be going for the "cold"walk soon. Just need to get out of my warm pj's
I forgot my pillow for class yesterday while i was trying to figure out what to wear as there is a little walk to get to the class building and it was pouring. I just had to change my position often and did get the opportunity to get out for a break too. It wasn't too bad.
judy

[Maria]

Hi Judy,
I've been keeping the weirdest sleep hours lately it seems. I don't know why as I've been walking tho not quite as far or as hard but certainly enough. I have to run multiple errands because of holiday crunch so try to make sure that I balance out how much energy I spend walking (really that my feet won't be hurting too much) in terms of being able to get everything done.

Just as I was drifting off last night I heard my cell phone go off at 0130a.m. My heart still jumps as I think of my father immediately even tho he passed away last year.. so it takes me a bit to settle back down and go back to sleep. Then I'm up early again because now the animals are on an early schedule re eating and Lola walking so I naturally wake up very early even if next to no sleep.

I will miss not going back to Florida this year tho do not miss going during Holiday season. I only wish I had made it back before my father went into the hospital last year ah well.. I know you're dealing with your Dad's condition so you want to get back there even if having to miss some of school.

I was going to ask you some other back question tho now I've forgotten what it is..guess I do need some extra sleep! Ok hope you have a good day today and if you're getting ready for TG that everything goes smoothly!

[jsewell]

Maria,
I sure hope you can get back to some regular sleeping schedule. Yours sounds crazy.
I saw my spine surgeon and updated on my flat back thread. I don't know where to post anything to you and Dale lately!!
I made my reservations for Florida, the ticket prices went down yesterday and again today. The only problem was today with the lowest prices our flight back home leaves Florida at 5:45am. I tried all the airlines and the latest i could find for a departure was 8 so it would still make on of my brothers get up really early. So we will figure it out when we get there. Have you had any crazy flights? Can you return a rental car in the middle of the night?

I am bringing desserts and whatever my kids want to drink tomorrow to my friends house. My oldest went to Trader Joes and the grocery store. I love her for doing that, well i just love her and the rest of them. My back is so happy it does not have to shop. Standing and baking will be enough.
It is already almost 3 and i have not walked yet so need to get ready. Although i wonder if my back would feel better if i skipped it. Just like your feet. I will probably skip it tomorrow so i really need to go for the weight situation. although everything i lost has come back except for 1 pound. I had lost 4 recently. I am so bummed. I never even eat more than 2 meals and they are small per day. As soon as i added a little food in the middle of the day the pounds came back.

My doc wanted me to wait until January to start Physical therapy but i got a prescription from him yesterday anyway. He said if i feel ready , but only for my lumbar , nothing for my neck yet. I see him next the beginning of January.

Better go so i can walk and then start baking
Happy Thanksgiving
judy

[Maria]

Hey Judy,
Well I was running around getting this and that and definately doing some things of a nature I tell everyone else not do to (don't lift this don't move that don't..) and I was a ball of nervous energy and high anxiety so the night before I was supposed to go to the relatives I had probably only slept a total of 4 hours in 2 days and that night before 0 hours .. had palpitations and just was anxious as could be. Not conducive to sleep at all.

So the day of TG I just went to my neighbors across the street with 9 other people and we had a really nice time. I was so happy as I got home after a few hours and walked Lola and fed the cats then laid down on the love seat and after a few hours of sleep someone had to come knocking on my door.

Tried to get up fast and my back went out!!!! Yep! I couldn't even breath it hurt so bad (Ok I breathed but couldn't talk and didn't want to have anybody over just then). Just got myself to the bedroom and laid down.

Next day (yesterday) gave myself an injection of 60mg Toradol IM (had some med left over from last trip to TJ) and that helped yesterday greatly. Today still hurting on left side over ileac crest and below it and can't sit really. Did walk yesterday and this morning (probably shouldn't have).

So how'd your TG go?? I need to get back on my diet!!! DRAT! The good news is I have slept like a baby these last few days! Missed seeing the relatives tho and not sure I can get up this weekend before a bunch go back to respective homes (MA. Hawaii, Vegas).

[jsewell]

Maria,
I am so sorry to hear you hurt yourself doing too much. I guess it is a life long thing now to take it easy all the time.
Glad you are back , hopefully, to a more normal sleep pattern. Last night i couldn't sleep at all. Don't know why.
As far as weight, i am petrified to get on my scale. I may wait a few more days.
Our Thanksgiving was nice at my friends house. it is a gorgeous mountain home, it was freezing up there so we had the 2 fireplaces going. My kids enjoyed the pool table and played Wii in the upstairs living room and we were downstairs drinking wine and talking them finishing dinner. We were all too stuffed to even consider dessert so we left some of everything for her . Then seeing she lives alone we got to take home the rest of the turkey , stuffing and mashed potatoes.

My back got very worn out during the clean up stage. I got to a point when we were almost done and i just told Rose, i had to sit down, just could not stand another minute. I hadn't taken any pain meds as i knew we would be drinking some wine and boy the wine wore off and no pain meds, ouch. I was so fortunate to have my kids there because they carried everything to the car and home and put it all away.
I'm having a lot of palpitations today too, don't know why. I didn't sleep very well last night at all. I remember looking at the clock every half hour or so until 4 then got some sleep. My dog sleeps in later than i do.

My walks went well yesterday and today. I thought i noticed on Monday and Tuesday that they were a little better . Either i am a little better or i have been better managing my pain medicine to the right time frame to walking. I also started taking a muscle relaxer before walking as well. It could be that. I hate when i change too many variables at once.

My doc had said see him the beginning of January and then we would talk about more epidural injections as i also have my right hip starting to bother me again. I thought about that after i left and on Friday left a message with him to maybe get the injections sooner so i could maybe enjoy the holiday's more and be able to do more things. Not sure if he will go for that one. I have also been using my heating pad a lot lately. It feels good at the time, not sure if it helps though. Ice would probably be more helpful.

Hope you are healing or healed now. TAke it easy
judy

[Maria]

Judy,
My back was a pain all night long. I got up this morning and felt much better walking around. Walked Lola at 6.a.m. and took myself for a walk at 7am.till nearly 8a.m. and walked much better/quicker than yesterday w/little pain. It still hurts on the left side from above my waist to near down to my hip but like I said I feel much better moving around.

Hope you're feeling "recovered" as well from your holiday! take care!

[jsewell]

Hi Maria, I did feel recovered from Thanksgiving day , but then i went grocery shopping and no one was home when i got back. I left the drinks and a few other heavy things in my car, but did carry and put away the rest. So more pain the next day. Recovered from that , then the mall last night and carrying one bag around as i stuffed everything into it, so not so good this morning. I have lots of pain in my shoulder blades. Percocet taken at 6am finally helped with that , now just left with the from about a little below my waist down pain. It is ok when sitting , but doesn't want to do anything else.
Buddy and i will walk today though.
judy

[Maria]

Lifted Lola's getting bigger butt into my car several times yesterday! She's gained some backside which looks funny on this cute little schnauzer tho I'm thinking she may weigh something like 24 lbs now as she was quite a heave ho to get into the car. My back was hurting quite a bit more this a.m. so I didn't even do my walk yet. Wanted to see if the back pain wears off after a while as I have a dental appt. today so want to make that and hope to walk later.

Lola now needs to diet and walk more too!

[jsewell]

Maria,
We are without power, since the storm on Wed and no known return date yet. I don't know when I will get to an internet cafe again.
Buddy weighs 16 pounds and i really can't lift him without much pain. I really need to find out if i am not ever supposed to lift more than 10 pounds. But he hides under the bed sometimes at bedtime and in the middle of the night comes trying to jump up so i do lift him.
Ill be back on when the power is on for sure or when i decide to haul the computer somewhere
judy

[Maria]

Hi Judy,
Hopefully by now you've power. I finally got over my flare up and surprisingly enough it was after going out to a really nice Italian dinner on Sat. night and sitting more than I usually do. We took a nice walk afterwards so that must have helped stretch everything out that was feeling compressed and angry while sitting and so far I've been feeling better than since right after TG. Hope you're doing OK!

[jsewell]

Hi Maria,
We got our power back yesterday at 3pm. It was great and very exciting after 4 cold dark nights.
My back is bothering me , my lumbar and i just got word back from my surgeon that i can have some injections to see if that helps. I called originally last monday hoping i could get them this Wednesday before my trip to Florida. Just got a call back today , so i don't think my insurance co will approve it in one day so i will have to wait a few weeks more.
Now my foot is hurting. My left one. Saw that doc today and said it is hammertoes developing. Sound familiar. It bothered me the whole time i was walking today. He gave me some metatarsal pads and some tape . I am supposed to stretch them every day and tape up toes 2 and 3. We'll see if this works.
Glad to hear you are doing much better. I am happy i can use my heating pad on my back again. Or ice . It was too cold in my house to use ice while the power was out.
judy

[Maria]

Hi Judy,
I don't think my back would do well at all w/o heat. I mean I know it wouldn't! I am very glad you got your power back as that must have been grueling to live w/o!

I need to see a podiatrist re my right foot hammertoes. Esp. one toe actually had tendon or ligament spasms I think and was really painful one afternoon and all night long. It's better but it can come on very suddenly and be extremely painful (like difficult to bear weight on that foot). So that means I need to find a podiatrist. I tried the pads and tape before tho mine are very messed up re the joints.

Well I thought my back was doing good until this morning while standing at the sink in the bathroom I leaned forward and man o man did I get a nasty spasm right across my back. Super sharp pain and the left side has some mild pain in it now so I had one good day of relief.

I have to take the cats for grooming today so I do hope this lets up so I can manage that as it's a big hassle to get parking nearby my apt. in the afternoon to load them up and put in car and to bring them back, unload and carry upstairs. It's the biggest stupid pain in the arse! Will see if I can manage it today or have to let it go. Persians are a lot of work re their coats and when the fur on the backside gets long stuff gets stuck in there when they're "going #2 sometimes.. yuck!!!

Then there's Lola who pulls me so much I think that's why my back isn't able to recover on the left side as I realized when I don't walk her or have her (when she stays w/my husband) usually I have no back probs! dh and I still aren't talking so no hope of Lola going there for a few weeks. Sigh....

take care and good luck with all the prep to get ready for your trip to Fla. How's your Dad BTW?

[jsewell]

Hi Maria,
Let me tell you i do not like this hammertoe thing. Does the pad of your foot hurt also? Mine does, it feels like it is larger than on my other foot. I started out years ago with only foot problems before my back problems and they are bad. Hard to do anything when your foot hurts. I see my ortho foot surgeon back in 6 weeks. I also have blisters on some toes already from rubbing on the top of my shoe. It is the same sneakers i have been wearing for a year so no change and i have never worn high heels. I would fall instantly .

I just go the Ok for shots tomorrow. for my lumbar spine. I am so excited. My doc just said OK yesterday and he does them on Wed and i thought there was no way i would get them tomorrow. My insurance approved it already. I do have a ppo, but I didn't think it would happen that quickly.
I really wanted to have them before my travels.

My poor dad is not doing good at all. He has a treatable form of cancer , but is not eating. he says he is not hungry. He needs to force himself to eat. They also have an HMO and it has been over a week and his injection to boost his white blood cells has not been approved yet so he is too weak was not able to get round 2 of chemo yesterday. I just hope i can convince him to eat.
I'm sorry to hear your toes are being a pain and your back is too, i can relate to it all.
judy

[Maria]

Judy,
Yes that pad part under my toes hurts at times. It feels like the bones have the weight of the world on them and then I have trouble baring weight or walking and usually have to get off my feet or sort of limp along not putting so much weight on that part of my foot. The toes are maddening. I had bunion surgery on my left foot and all toes broken on that foot and reduced and it took a while (more than several years) for all toes to feel Ok. Now the right foot is doing the same thing as the left foot did but I'm a bit reluctant to have surgery on that side because I have something called "lymphedema" in my right leg and while it's rather mild currently I don't want to do something that could spark a big problem on that side and surgery anywhere on that extremity could do that. In fact I probably started to have the problem sometime during my right knee injury and or 2 knee surgeries (noticed it starting before my 2nd knee surgery in 1990).

Sorry to hear about your Dad and I do hope you'll be able to get him to eat as well. Stupid insurance crap. You'd think the HMO could get the auth for something as important as that STAT but that's what I really hate about HMOs is the even slower than normal authorization process if it happens at all. They're as bad or worse than WC. Anyway I do hope your Dad gets the auth STAT for his needs and will have more energy and eat. Also am glad you're getting your injections so that you'll feel your best for traveling and helping your parents out.

If you're wondering what I'm doing at the computer right now I was completely asleep and Lola woke me up barking in my face nearly at 11:30p.m. to take her out to P. I guess I should say I'm glad she woke me up vs. the alternative! Now I hope I get back to sleep!

Nightynight! Maria

[jsewell]

Hi Maria,
I feel like i am ignoring Dale, i don't get to write an email very often, this is easier.
I had a pity party today. It maybe because i forgot to take my regular meds on Tuesday morning and of course i did not take them yesterday morning. Then i thought i woulld take them in the afternoon when i got home, but i was so tired i slept. I made myself get up at around 6 and stay up a few hours and then went back to sleep for 12 more hours. The general anesthesia really wiped me out. Or maybe the anesthesiologist understood what kind of dose of percocet i take on a regular basis and gave me lots of pain med. i never woke up with the normal feeling that someone had used my back as a punching bag.

I am so lucky with my dog. He really only needs to go out twice a day. At sometime after noon and sometime around 11pm before bed. Of course we usually go for a walk and he is out doing it all the time, but mostly just lifting his leg to mark his territory.

I will be at my best or as good as it gets on Saturday although i am vacuuming and doing too much today. I just can't stand the mess anymore. i wanted to decorate for Christmas and the house needs to be cleaned and de cluttered first. At the surgery center yesterday it was decorated so nicely it made me come home and get depressed about it all today, I have pissed off the kids because i was just about in tears over the messy house as no one can pick up after themselves.
I guess they deserve what they got which really wasn't much.
WEll i'd better get to something even if it is paying bills.

Oh i am sorry your feet hurt so much. i don't like this taping my feet, but it is better than the alternative , if it works. I don't know why my feet have started doing this. Years ago i had a terribly painful right foot and i remember hopping as i really at times could not put any weight on it. I remember being out on community skills with our special needs class and not being able to do anythiing but hang onto a counter top with the kids all worried about me or the sneaky ones happy that they could try to escape and i couldn';t catch them.
well i'm off to pay bills now
judy

[Maria]

Hey Judy,
I'm not ignoring Dale tho this thread is yours so I do hope Dale might check it out as I find it easier than emails too actually and since I have enough stuff that seems to be back related I just find it easy to post here. I guess eventually we'll have to stop or this will be the longest thread on the forum!

My back seems stabilized for now tho that's subject to whatever I do I guess. My right foot has that one toe that is going to need attention. I definately want to have the surgery done on this foot as well because the left foot is so much better off because of the "hammertoe reduction surgery" but I want to find the right person to do it. That might be difficult before the new year as E's insurance changes in January (he's still not talking to me).

I have lightly decorated my small apt. for Christmas. I put lights up on my small balcony and some decorations around the living room and have a tiny tree on my kitchen table! I don't go all out with decorations as I usually end up at friends/relatives homes that are heavily decorated and it's just a pain for me to do and undo plus in a small space with 3 animals I'd rather not have anything up they can get into (esp. one of my older cats and Lola that likes to eat whatever).

It's a shame that we get ESIs so we can clean tho I remember doing that as well or at least that being a major activity I'd do after I got one!!! Please don't overdo now that you've had your ESI!

take care and hope Dale will come back and say hi as well here or maybe we should email her! I wonder how her blogging is going and/or website development? Will have to email her! bye now! Maria

[jsewell]

Hi Maria,
i guess i missed the why your husband is not speaking to you.

I do need to email Dale , but not sure if it will be today. I got up at 4:30 probably thanks to my stress dose of steroids i get with the ESI's for my adrenal insufficiency. I think that is why i was wrapping presents and cleaning house until midnight , then up at 4. I even took pain meds which always knock me out in the morning and I am still awake at 8.
I have so much to do today as i just stayed home yesterday. But if i can stay awake i'll be all set. To the airport tomorrow. Everyone has some type of suitcase of carry on bag except me. i thought about giving everyone some of my stuff as i am not carrying anything anyway.
Just my healthy backpack which i got last week and love. In between my shoulder blades still hurts as the injections were lumbar. Not sure if that is coming from my neck. Still in a neck brace, although surgery was in January last year, i started wearing a neck brace in December for pain, hoping it would help. It at least helped me with lifting my head off my chest a bit.

I didn't realize you needed to get your toe fixed before the end of the year. Good luck with that. My ortho foot surgeon is Dr.Thomas Harris. He is here in Pasadena a few days and practices out your way or maybe too far down for you the rest of the week. Just thought i would offer that in case he is close enough, he is a sweet guy.
Lots of people try to fit in the last surgery in December. I say last as i have averaged 3 per year. I already hit this year's quota! So try to find a doc soon.
I am now hungry !
talk when i get back next week
judy

[Maria]

Hi Judy,
Not sure you'll see this before you leave tho hope your trip is a safe and fairly comfortable one and I do hope your Dad is doing Ok.

I didn't say why dh isn't speaking to me most likely. Just got mad at me one day about something and we haven't spoken since. Wasn't anything super big deal but I guess he felt it was. Oh well.. I hope eventually he will not be mad at me.

I think my back is finally giving me a break and hope it continues to do so b4 the next time it flares up which would probably be around Christmas or whenever I'm overdoing and not getting enough rest! My toe is probably going to have to wait until next year for surgery because I likely need the bunion done and all the toes on that foot and if I do it would want to do it all at once.

With dh's insurance changing not sure who I'd be able to go to so will have to check that out as well. Will look up your guy and see where he practices down this way if anywhere I can get to. I would want it to be somewhere close by though and I'm worried about who would take care of Lola as she needs to be walked at least 3x/day. Guess I'd have to pay someone.

Oh well those worries can be pushed aside for now and thought about closer to the time I decide to do something!

Wishing you a good trip and holiday with your family!

[jsewell]

Hi Maria,
I just got back yesterday after one day of not sleeping around the clock. Didn't like that at all. Next time non of that nonesence. It was worth it with the large amount of tickets i bought, but i suspect next time it will be just me.
good thing my back likes to sit ok. So the travel was Ok. I only carried my healthy back purse, and a book , and a small pillow. I didn't even bring a suitcase, i just put my stuff in my kids bags and didn;t take much.

I mostly sat with my dad on the couch when he was awake and only ventured out the last day to get my nephew (little one) something for Christmas. Even though my dad didn;t speak much after the first day i was there, i sat with him and every once in a while he spoke.
My back was happy with this trip. Mostly sitting and just 2 days i went for a walk and it is flat as a pancake. I did notice the difference when i walked versus when i didn't so it really wants to be a couch potato. Which i am not. Seeing i have not done much for Christmas, and i have a bunch of appointments coming up, it will be taxed in the next 10 days for sure. Still if i bend over, it really is hard to get up and hurts. Maybe something i am not supposed to do.
The toes were acting up on both feet though and i only did a little walking as i mentioned. So now i wonder what will happen when i get back into my routine.
The good news is i lost 5 pounds when i was there. I usually gain weight at my moms as she is always cooking and has cookies around. I found out my cortisol level was not low for the first time in like 4 years , so i stopped taking my hydrocortisone replacement, i really think that is why i could not loose weight. All that time i was fighting it too. I guess it was good or i would have a lot more to loose.
I'll probably run out of steam early today (east coast time) so i'd better get going.
judy

[Maria]

Hi Judy,
Glad you got to spend some time w/your M and D and that you got to hang around w/your Dad. I'm sure the hanging out on the couch did you both some good (time spent w/Dad and time resting for you). We are opposite re our backs.. as sitting bugs me the most and walking is what makes me feel better!

I think I've gained weight lately since I had a cold and I was feeding it. Not sure if that's right (feed a cold starve a fever or vice versa?) tho anyway the cold was short lived! I took Zinc 75mg/day as I read it cuts the length of a cold down by 4 days and it pretty much did for me! So now I've got to get back to my walking!

Hope you catch up on your sleep and will feel rested ~ take care!

[jsewell]

Hi Maria,
I had an seminar today from 9-2 for school. I think waking up at that time and going all day did me in. It is 6pm and i am ready for bed and tired enough to sleep. I am going to try to stay up awhile and maybe wrap some presents .
Yes the rest in Florida did my back some good, or the injections and the rest after. Yesterday's walk was great, no complaints. I still have the uncomfortable feeling when walking, but it was less severe. I'll see what happens tomorrow.
Then also Monday. I have an apt i did not know about with my spine doc on Monday afternoon. Good thing they gave me a reminder phone call on Friday! I was told at the surgery center that my follow up was Jan 10th. which is really too far away as he likes to see you around 2 weeks after the shots to see if they worked at all.
I feel better, but is it the week of rest? or the shots?
judy

[Maria]

Hi Judy,
Both probably help and for me the ESIs used to really help. I feel good tho spine wise so no complaints. I also was tired as could be yesterday so fell asleep super early like 7p.m. and got up for the last time at 5a.m. That's a lotta sleep for me!

I'm not getting anything done for Christmas not even cards.. I'm so behind!

Ok better get on it re the cards and have a Christmas party to go to today so need to get out the door w/Lola and then out for a walkl and then .. on and on until I run out of energy today! take care! Maria

[jsewell]

Hi Maria,
My day sounds like yours except no party , well kind of a pot luck that i didn't know about for class today . I found out at yesterday;s seminar. so i will be buying something to take. Walk is first priority for me and Buddy. We missed ours yesterday. After the seminar i did a little shopping.
At the end i had a dead car battery, and a parking ticket. I hope today is better for me!!!
I did wake up with my back hurting so i will see what happens on the walk. Need to go today and tomorrow so i can report to my doc tomorrow afternoon.
I also start physical therapy on Wed. I wish it were a week later, i still am not done shopping and really want to stay home and make cookies.
judy

[jsewell]

I saw my spine surgeon today. He told me i could do what i like and to start physical therapy. I am to judge what i am doing by the pain level it causes. I told him it always hurts when i bend over. But i am allowed to bend at this point,. He also said I could start hiking. He said i have to live my life. I hope it goes well although i do not have time to test it out tomorrow. Darn. I will just have to time the pain medicine correctly for hiking. My dog will also be thrilled.

A little more resting the back after going all afternoon and time to get help putting the Christmas tree lights on.

He also said i could get the ESI's for my lumbar area every 3 months. I already am looking forward to the next ones in March.
judy

[Maria]

Hi Judy,
Now I've forgotten when
s you had your surgery tho it doesn't seem all that long ago! I guess because you've been active from the get go so seems like you never even had a surgery to me tho I'm sure you can tell the difference!

I'd be so happy to hear I could have ESIs every 3 months. Or I would have been happy. They really helped me out when I needed them. Now my OSS knows WC won't pay for them so doesn't even request them for me anymore. I wish they would but the case is far too old and I'm considered a "lifer" and WC just wants me to settle out my benefits so they only pay for the pain medication which is dirt cheap.

Just as long as I"m this mobile I'm ok. I noticed today however that my right leg in which I have lymphedema was more tight and swollen and I have some pitting edema on the lateral aspect right above my heel (side of my foot). It doesn't hurt but has me worried as it's a new development for the swelling to be down that low and it really does scare me (if you'd seen my Dad leg you'd know why I'm worried). Now I'm going to have to get more strict with my diet (salt intake) wearing compression stockings, and elevating my leg while at rest. Right now I'm semi reclining on the love seat with my laptop on my lap, my grey persian cat snuggled next to me and I have my right leg elevated on the back of the love seat. Lola is up on the futon sofa on the back of it watching the squirrels play in the tree in in front of the window and my other persian is sleeping away in the bedroom.

Such a lazy day! not.. I was writing Christmas cards and only mailed off 4 of them, did a bit more christmas shopping, went to the post office, stopped at the bank, now writing and will go out and take my walk and then come back and walk Lola once again.

Ok wishing you a good day whatever you're doing and hoping you're feeling well and hoping Dale is doing well with all that she's doing for the holidays and of course everyone else!

[jsewell]

Hi Maria,
I haven't even sent one Christmas card. I get home from where ever and usually a lot of dishes await me or some other messes to clean up. Then i am usually wiped out too. And my back is hurting so i need to sit on my bed (or my legs will swell). I don't know what the deal is, but on clinic nites when i volunteer i get home with swollen legs. I usually take several breaks a day in bed even if short so i think that keeps the swelling down.
I'm not even sure if the shots maybe helped me 25%. But that is better than nothing.
My email buddy sent me a gift card today., i thought it was only a Christmas card so of course i feel obligated to get her something fast and send it to Massachusetts. Ughh Wish she had not done that.
I still have some shopping to do thanks to my kids taking forever to tell me anything they might like. I just want to sit home and bake cookies too.
Tomorrow is my physical therapy evaluation. It is only for my lower back. I am still in the neck brace, but i don't think my spine surgeon will let any therapist touch my neck. No mention of me taking it off . Jan 6th will be a year for that surgery.
My T7-L4 surgery was in August. Followed by jeff leaving.

Now my neck has been bothering me too. Probably why he is never letting me out of this neck brace. I woke up a few times at night with my whole left hand and arm numb so that is not a good sign either. He also said i could have neck injections next month if i still need them. Never a dull moment with my spine.
I am looking forward to physical therapy tomorrow. It is just the eval, but i will be on my way to building up some strength.
judy

[Maria]

Hey Judy,
how'd the PT eval go? I hope well.
I've been running around quite a bit and getting last minute medical stuff done on this year's deductible as well as before insurance changes (hub got new cards for Cigna PPO vs. BCBS PPO). So now I have to see if I have to get new providers in Jan or not.

I'm tired tho going to Pasadena today w/friends and tomorrow I'd like to stay home, watch TV and just kick back. May want to go to the dog beach w/Lola if it's real warm and sunny (probably one in LB tho may go to Huntington).

Still haven't finished writing or mailing out cards and have Christmas presents that haven't gone anywhere. The good thing is they are already boxed and wrapped and just need to be fixed up to send/give!

take care and Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays to you and yours! Maria

[jsewell]

Hi Maria,
I'm pretty behind too. didn't mail out one card. Usually i at least mail out one!! Have presents to wrap for the kids and our gift game for tomorrow at jeff's Aunt Joyce's house.He is going out of town so we get to go.
I don't even have any food to cook for dinner tonight!! I haven't made one cookie. I have been so tired this week, but today i need to get moving.

It is supposed to be pretty warm so a good day for the dog beach. Wish i could join you , maybe in a week or 2.
Pt eval went fine. I was welcomed "home" as i have spent a lot of time in that office!! Felt good and feels good to work out a few muscles. Even if it hurts!

Merry Christmas
judy

[Maria]

Judy,
I didn't make it to the dog beach. Too much going on and I can no longer bathe Lola in my tub as she's too big for me to deal with that and even the do it yourself wash places have been hard for me re Lola's increased weight. I don't think she weighs that much more than before tho she's definately over 20lbs and big in the bumm area. When she puts up any resistance and she does it just overpowers me nearly or wears me down quite a bit.

So have been running around doing stuff and today to Sprouts for veggies and Vitamin City and Trader Joes. Gotta use my Vitamix and gotta start eating very right.

Went to lab this a.m. for my bloodwork and because that made me about 4 hours later on my a.m. coffee and some breakfast I am feeling a bit run down or not quite right yet tho no aches/pains to speak of~

Hope all is well w/you and your spine! take care!! Maria

[jsewell]

Hi Maria,
Well we all had a pretty nice Christmas here.
My spine is still giving me problems and also my legs and hip . So i stay on percocet. I need to get organized and start eating more protein. Last time i went to my nutritionist doc i had lost weight but some of it was muscle.

I went part way up my local trail yesterday. It was so hard, i felt like a turtle going up who was out of breath and hurting. going down wasn't too bad although i was very tired. I just kept it to 35 minutes up hill . It took me almost the same amount of time to go downhill as i am so afraid of falling and some parts are slippery. Buddy came with me and although it has also been about 6 months since he has been up there, you sure couldn't tell by his running up hill . I let him off the leash on the trail, he doesn't go far and always waits for me or comes back to see where i am.

My other huge problem now is this terrible fatigue. I had a normal cortisol reading so my endo told me to wean off it and i have only been taking a tiny amount. when i wake up , i get my computer out and keep falling asleep and have a really hard time getting out of bed. I woke up today at 9 and did not stop falling asleep until 1. That was in the middle of drinking coffee and after i ate breakfast. I think the normal cortisol only lasted a few days and i am deficient again. I will get a lab slip tonight to have it rechecked. That problem will be getting to a lab at 7:30ish!!!! But i need to do it so i can get back on the proper dose if needed. I hope that is my fatigue problem and not something unknown.
well i need to get moving to get to my volunteer night at my endocrinoligist tonight
judy

[Maria]

Hi Judy,
Wondering how you are doing of late? I've just finished my 2011 labwork and diagnostic testing and thus far found out I'm low in VitD. I'm rather surprised tho shouldn't be so am wondering how my BMD testing will come out. Supposed to start Vit D and got the message over the phone while I was out driving so will probably have to call the doctor's office and ask again. I hope they put it in writing and send it to my husband's address (since I use that as my current mailing address).

Now I'm very glad I got the VitaMix as I know I need to make dietary changes and probably spend some more time in the sun!

Hope all is well w/you and you have a wonderful New year (and everyone else too)... take care and be well~ Maria

[jsewell]

HI Maria,

I am still amazingly short on energy. I can just sit and stare at nothing. If i try to read i am out like a light.
Today i did make it to the lab and had my cortisol and a few other endocrine tests. My doctor had told me to go to 5mg after i had the test. It didn;t seem to do anything today.
Yesterday was my second hike. It went well. I felt much stronger and made it up further in the same amount of time as my first day. I do plan on going tomorrow too. I may have to break Buddy's heart as it is full of people and dogs and i can't move fast enough or pick up Buddy for long enough if someone comes along with a less than friendly dog.
I have had some really miserable days with this body between my back/hip and my toes on my left foot. but it could be a lot worse so i will not really complain.

ON my way shopping with my 2 girls,really to return things i got them.
judy

[Maria]

Judy,
Is the area where you hike close to your home or do you drive there? Sounds like great fun for Buddy.. I think Lola would love something like that and she could definately pull me along tho I know what you mean about meeting up with a less than friendly dog and esp. if on difficult for any reason footing.

Really the only thing that is bothering me is my right foot the last 3 toes. They drive me crazy so I have to use something to thinly pad or buffer them from each other. I cannot even wear a sock on my foot because if it makes the toes get closer together they cramp up or run into each other and really hurt much more. Or some such weird thing!

Glad you're able to make it up the trail even if sitting you seem to fall right to sleep. I seem to do that too unless sitting straight up which I don't do much of because of my sitting on my tailbone for long bugs me so when relaxing I "lean" to one side and relax.

Like you said some things are not so hot with my bod tho things definately could be much worse so I'm far from complaining!

Happy Healthy New Year! Maria

[jsewell]

Maria i wish you a Happy Healthy New Year as well.
It is almost 7pm and i am ready for bed. I probably will celebrate the east coast New Year or wait until i first wake up around 4am!!!
Today i went for an abbreviated walk as i needed to get to the grocery store and buy some food for this house.
So that makes tomorrow a Trail Day. I hope it feels as good as it did the second time i went.

I also noticed with my back that when i have been standing in a line my legs start to really hurt then my back does when i start to take steps again. The first number of steps are really painful then it gets back to its normal. I hope that goes away like it did with my hip replacement. I know it has been 4 months but these things usually take a year or more to totally heal.
Happy New Year
judy

[Maria]

Hi Judy,
Happy New Year! I spent most of last evening asleep on my love seat which is getting too soft for me I woke up at midnight to sounds of fireworks and Lola jumping up to be w/me cradled in my arms as she's afraid of loud noises/fireworks. The cats could have cared less... they have long ago learned that the noise is distant and treat it as such!

Today my back is really hurting. I will have to get rid of the love seat even tho it's only about 2 years old (and leather). Argghhh...

Ok Happy New Year to you and hope you have a good walk on the trail. I had a great beach walk yesterday w/a friend and many mini walks w/Lola!

There's a lot of fog out here in the a.m.s and that used to bother my back so I was surprised it hadn't. I wish that's all it would be in terms of the pain today but I think not. Oh well... such is life as a spiney! take care and have a great day! I'll probably watch a bunch of TV in bed today if the back is super cranky! Rose Parade and other stuff!

[jsewell]

Hi Maria,
The Rose Parade is tomorrow. I live close enough to walk to see it. Well it is a few miles , but i haven't done that in years. My youngest is spending the night on the parade route with a bunch of friends. She usually goes with a friend and her mom and older sister, but they are away this year. At 17, i guess i should let her go. It is the thing to do.

Sorry about your love seat pain. I dont even have anything downstairs i can sit in at all and spend most of my time sitting in my bed.
I carried in one grocery bag yesterday and a part of my back is bothering me in addition to the usual. Well time to take my daily meds and get ready for my hike.
judy

[Maria]

Hi Judy,
I don't know why I was thinking yesterday was Monday. All day long in fact! Oh well.. guess I was getting ahead of myself somehow. Thankfully my backache went away as soon as I got up and was active! I need to get some new furniture most definately and a new bed. Worse than sitting for me is sitting or lying on a surface that's not firm enough ~

Beautiful beach weather lately huh?? I didn't take Lola to the beach tho as I'd have to bathe her afterwards and didn't know if those dog do it yourself bath places would be open or not yesterday so we settled for a trip to PetCo and many walks with other people w/dogs!

Have fun if you do walk to see the Rose Parade. I wish that were in walking distace for me!!!

[jsewell]

Hi Maria,
Better to
be a day ahead than a day behind. I keep thinking today is Sunday. I go to court tomorrow to decide child custody, i texted jeff to remind him , but did not hear back. His usual inconsiderate self. I had asked him for a ride too, it is hard for me with my limited motion in my neck and back to see behind me or back up at all from a parking space. I really only drive places that i am familiar with and park through a space so i dont have to back up. Well, i never heard back from him on that question either. So now i am even nervous about being in downtown, LA.
It really is all pointless as my daughter will not go to his house.

I didn't go to the parade as i was up picking up my daughter at midnight last night or this morning. I've been having a tired issue lately too. I did go up the trail yesterday and today as there will be no time for exercise tomorrow. My legs did not get all weak today so that is an improvement. It is still hard going up and only my toes seem to hurt on the way downhill. Always something.
What did you learn about hammertoe surgery. I don't want to be facing it, but was just wondering.
judy

[Maria]

Hi Judy,
my right foot toes are bugging me so I asked my dh for my new (different insurance) card to be sent to my address here where I live and he wants to send me the informtion via email! I said "I need the card!" so he thinks I don't and I think I do! I want to see a doctor re my right foot esp. the little toe and the one next to it as they are driving me nutz and hurt after I've been walking or weight bearing a while. In fact the pain can be really pretty terrible.

Having lymphedema in my right extremitie alone can create these probs and it's not so easily taken care of as if i didn't have this condition. DRAT!!!!!

So it sounds as tho you're busy with custody issues. Gee you seem to do all the work so one would wonder what the "issues' could be?! Hope Jeff just agrees to stuff and makes your life that much easier.

Well think I'll private mail you with some other news so please check your private mail if you're notified that you have any!

take good care~ Maria

[jsewell]

Hi Maria,
I know you need your card as i spend a lot of time at doctors offices. Did you get it yet or is he still holding out?

I got home from the night clinic i volunteer at after 2am this morning., I had physical therapy and made it there ok, but then tried to take a little nap because i coulkd not stay awake and no luck. I was ready to go for my hike and got on the scale before. BAd idea. I have gained back all the weight I lost, I was so frustrated i didn't even go out.
tomorrow i will.j

I also need to find something type of mat to do my physical therapy exercises on as the bed is too soft and i don'[t think i could lay on a hard floor without screaming or crying from the pain. We had one, but i lost track of it. I'll have to quiz the kids to see if anyone has seen it or has it buried in their rooms.

I lost my new reading glasses that i loved from Target. I can find my old broken ones, but not the new pair. VEry frustrating!!!
I have no other places i have to be so tomorrow will be a hike day for sure.
judy

[Maria]

Hi Judy,
Supposed to get it today from someone driving up to LB from where hub lives so hopefully will get it sometime today. I tried to use a printed out copy of the card to get my medicines yesterday but was unable to do so. Walgreens says they are unable to process the request as they cannot reach the insur. co. Never had that prob w/BCBS. I sure hope this isn't going to be a big insurance pain in the butt. Hub's company changed carriers.

Hope by now you found your readers. I have 3 pairs and one I cannot find. I try to leave on pair in the living room and one in the bedroom and one in my purse (the one I can't find). Probably left them somewhere...

How's everything w/you? Did you enjoy the heat wave? It sure was nice for my back as colder weather just makes my hands ache so much tho the first day of heat brought on a migraine for me. That's normal..

Took a lonnnnggg beach walk yesterday and it was lovely~ sure love the beach. Left Lola at home tho because she only likes to walk certain routes which are ones where she thinks she'll run across her friends or pick up food on the street. I think she weighs 25lbs now as she's getting hard for me to lift. I was holding her last night and my tspine hurt and still hurts a bit today.

I just found out yesterday I still have osteoporosis with a t score of t-2.4 I think as the average. Have to pick that report up for my rheumatology appt. (see this doctor on the 23rd of Jan).

ok hope all is well w/you...take care and hope Dale is doing well too!

[jsewell]

Hi Maria,
I loved the heat wave. It is gone now for sure. Today hiking was nice with the cooler weather, i actually went further. Seems like going down hill feels normal with my spine. I like that, that is when my feet start bothering me , but really with my toes taped together it really hasn't been that bad.
Going up hill is a different story. My posture do to my back hurting makes me want to fall over on my face. (I have done that before although not recently) It is really not that bad anymore, but that is only due to percocet.
I have been in physical therapy now for 2 weeks and Friday when i was leaving, i just felt great.
I'm not saying i feel that great. I still wake up in a world of hurt and take forever to get going. That includes the hour for the pain meds to kick in. I don't take them immediately, i always hope i can function without them. But i really can not.
Hope you have your insurance card now. Jeff's insurance is Aetna, i used to have bc/ppo and it was so much cheaper for me. Each prescription if it is normal was $5 before now they are $15 and up each. Big difference when you take a lot of medicine.
Hope your new year has started off good.
judy

[Maria]

I have it in my hot little hand! Have to go to Walgreens and see what's up w/my scripts. If anything. I did see the cash price on one was going to be $185 and they were going to try to get a pre authorization from the doctor but don't know if that will happen or not. I don't want to pay $185 for a GI med. Gotta be something different I can take...

Ok glad to hear downhill hiking going good for you. I'm doing long flat walks mostly with a bit of uphill maybe and that's good tho my last two toes on right foot can kill me during the end at times so I'm trying different things to pad them and still not make the shoe too tight as they swell.

If not one thing it's another! Sounds like PT is going well for you so your New Year must be going quite well! Good for you! Hope your kids are doing well too! take care~ Maria

[jsewell]

Hi Maria,
I hate having insurance companies change. always a pain for us that really use them.
All my simple prescriptions went from a $5 copay with bc to a $15 copay with aetna. That is for the inexpensive ones only. It really adds up when you use a lot of prescriptions.
So far the trail is good if i time the percocet correctly. I wouldn't be able to do it without or go to physical therapy and survive and want to go back. I got the back massage yesterday, it was wonderful. I did actually lay on my floor to do some exercises on Sunday and didn't need to scream!! that is an improvement.
The bad part of the new year is jeff. WE were supposed to go to court today to settle the money part. He just got an atttorney and she did not have time to prepare so it is being delayed as i gave permission. Maybe i shouldn;t have. He also said some very mean things about our kids and that has me very upset as well. Good thing the back is not getting worse, not sure i could handle all of it.
judy

[Maria]

Hi Judy,
edited out everything. Not having a good day. canceled contract on property at 55plus place in Seal Beach. Just not ready to move there "yet" tho liked the prop very much. I think I'm going CRAZY! I love living by the beach tho this isn't ideal either~ oh well now i can walk here as much as i want until the situation changes. Can't get my meds w/this new insurance! Dang!!!!!!!! I just really don't feel like dealing with insurance issues today so will hope I can manage that another day. Thankfully it's not my Pain Med!!!

take care and be well~ Maria

[jsewell]

Maria,
I hope you have better days ahead. I've had days like yours though.

I have seen Leisure World when i get off the freeway on my way to the beach though, just the outside. I guess i will not look it up as it looks like you will not be there any time soon!
I dread the day we have to move out of this house. It is a rental, but i won't be able to afford the rent once the child support is ended. Of course non of this has started yet.
I really can't do anything with this back unless i am on pain meds. I don't want to take them all day and night. I do wake up early, tired and in pain. If i take them then and get a few hours more of decent sleep, i don't have much left for the day. I am going to talk to my pain management doc on Monday. Also see my spine surgeon on Monday. And have physical therapy. It will be a busy day.

I hope you are feeling better . Should be about staying in your place. That decision about where i should go next will be horrible for me. Need to find a nice town that is cheaper for rent!!! I would leave the state entirely and should but my daughter is now at UCIrvine and i don't want her to leave until she is ready. Not sure i would be able to pay rent for her either. All these unknowns drive my nuts.
take care
judy

[Maria]

Judy,
I wish I could have prolonged the property purchase thing longer as i lost 5lbs with anxiety! I was just a mess!!!

Someone sent me a clip of a placein Fla called "the villages" and it is a cty of pimped out golf carts and people look really super happy driving these things around. Now that's my idea of driving! You don't even need to have a license!!!!

[jsewell]

Sorry you were such a mess , but good always to loose weight.I wish i lost weight with anxiety and stress.
I had to get to an apt at 8am this morning, I'm not used to getting up at 6 am so then i did shopping at Trader Joes and then physical therapy. I was planning on hiking next, but fell asleep. So my back gets 2 days of rest. I did take Buddy for a little walk ,but that hardly counts.
judy

[Maria]

Judy,
If we get another super warm blast coming up do you want to try and meet up with our dogs or just meet up? I don't have any doc's appts till the end of the month so my schedule is looking pretty good for awhile. Just thought I'd ask! take care! Maria

[jsewell]

I would love to meet at the beach or elsewhere. I know it will be near you as you do not drive on the freeways. My schedule is not that clear, i have physical therapy twice a week, then class again this time on Saturday , my volunteer docs office on Tuesday evenings. I don't want to go far away on Tuesday because the office is about an hour away with traffic and i can't stand to be traveling that much in one day.

I'm sitting here icing my back after my hike, then a trip to the vets for doggie shots and toe nail clipping. Then i came home and started vacuuming and sweeping the floors downstairs , now i am pooped and hurting. I still need to get some groceries too!!! Yuck, one of my least favorite activities.
judy

[Maria]

Judy,
I go to HB via PCH and my schedule varies so maybe when we get a good warm weather week prediction we can figure it out! I don't know how far where you live is from HB or is it closer to LB (where I live)? My back hurts this a.m. tho maybe if it's damp outside that is why.. or because I had to carry my groceries a bit too far when cart stopped (locked) in parking lot at grocery store or could be when I lifted Lola up to keep her quiet in PetSmart...she barks and barks and then if I lift and hold her she's as quiet as can be. Spoiled dog!!!!

[jsewell]

Hi Maria,
sounds good to wait for a warm weather week and see what are schedules are like then. I can't believe how busy i stay with md appointments. Tomorrow i have physical therapy followed by 2 medical appointments. No chance to walk or hike, just a short trip around the block for Buddy if i am lucky with traffic.

My back could never handle picking up my dog at 16 pounds. that is why i don't walk into town and take him to the pharmacy or into any store, if i don't pick him up there is a good chance he will have to mark his territory and he thinks he owns every inch of wherever he goes. If i even carry one bag of groceries , i pay for about a week, inbetween my shoulder blades just burns. I have a new pain going into my left butt now. it is pretty constant on the right side, but the left had gone away for a few months and now reappears. Great. I wish once some painful area clears up it would stay that way.
I come down the 605 then go by leisure world then head left on PCH, so i don't know what i am closer to, haven't looked at a map in ages. But i am very familiar with the doggie beach in Huntington. I can't wait to go , i am truly missing the beach right now.
time for more coffee
judy

[Maria]

Judy,
If you're getting off near LW you're actually close to Seal Beach, Belmont Shore and HB. I can meet you at any of these tho if it's a questionable day for me re timing Seal Beach or Belmont Shore would be closer. I hate to have you drive that much considering you seem to actually have more spine wise going on than me tho at least you've not limited yourself as I have me with regard to driving.

It'd be great to get together. I look forward to actually getting to meet you in person!

re picking my dog up I shouldn't lift Lola either. I feel it in my thoracic spine and that worries me because I have been told I have DDD around the the bra hook area in the back. I have scoliosis at T7 and have had a few instances of such sharp pain that it took my breath away in this area. I worry now about a disc herniation in this area as my Ortho told me long ago he expected the T spine to go next tho seems like my cervical area did. He said I am one of the unfortunate persons with DDD thru out my spine or in other words~ I have a "crappy spine"~ and that is exactly how he put it.

So Lola shouldn't be picked up .. I know this! I wish I had a really little skinny dog (16-17lbs feels that way to me).

Ok so hopefully we can get together soon! Looking forward to that! Wish that Mark could join us too. Also hope Dale is doing well and imagine that she is probably just busy. take care~ Maria

[jsewell]

Hi Maria,
I should probably limit myself driving do to my limited range of motion in my neck. I really can't see very well at all when changing lanes on the freeway. I bought a rear view mirror that is supposed to eliminate the blind spot, but i have yet to open the package!!!

My physical therapist measured my back incisions , 19 inches!!! Does not include the other scars for VATS and lung surgery and hip replacement.

I really look forward to meeting you too , hopefully soon. We can let Mark know and see if he is up for it.
judy

[Maria]

19 inches? Is that from your lumbar area to thoracic? Pretty dang long! Are your other scars vertical as well or do you have some horizontal scars?

My lumbar scar is about 7 inches across horizontally. The surgeon that did this in LA used to "brand" his patients w/this surgical approach (everyone else went vertical I was told). The surgeon told me it was better to approach the disc in this manner as I had disc material squished out on both sides tho he wouldn't have really known that until he went in (spent 6 hours in my first spine surgery for open L5S1 discectomy).

[jsewell]

Hi Maria,
I'm not sure if he measured the part that is under my hairline. But it is from C-4 thru L-4 . It wasn't all done at the same time, my back has been opened up several times. Revisions and such.
My partial thoracotomy is horizontal , some little horizontal ones as well. Then the small ones for the VATS surgery.

I saw my spinal surgeon today, he wants me to stop physical therapy. He said if i don't notice a difference in my pain level no point in going now. It will waste my visits. So he wants to really get me out of some more pain before i go back. I think i will still do the exercises that do not hurt my neck though. I may go back one more time to see if he wants to add any more exercises for me to do at home. Or not!!
I told him my neck pain is related to how much time i leave my brace off per day. So now i am back in it most of the time. He said He does not want to stress it at all yet. It has been a year too. Oh well these things do take a long time to heal.
I've got 2 kids downstairs making chili , that's progress. I have a ton of dishes to wash even before they started. So i will go attack those.
judy

[Maria]

Hey judy,
trying to get my tum back together again. I get off my veggie kick and eat solid crap like too much french or Italian bread or yesterday a blob of mashed potatoes and my stomach really reacts .. the only thing i truly hate about opioid medication is what it does to gut function.

Oh well.. gotta go pick up copy of my labwork to take to Rheumatologist on Monday as my t score was low still t-2.4 I was told tho it could be lower.. have to check. Don't trust any info I get over the phone w/o seeing the values myself re BMD testing.

Hope you're doing well with your walking and such. So far doing Ok here~ take care! Maria

[jsewell]

Hi Maria,
I am having my bone density checked by my nutritionist in a few weeks. I am curious as to what kind of decline i may have., I think i counted 4 spine fractures and my femur fractured during my hip replacement surgery . Also stress fractures on both of the heels of my feet. Not good. That is why i am so cautious about falling . Unfortunately i am such a clutz too and always have been.
My endocrine function is all in the normal ranges now, with treatment so maybe my bones have stayed the same. With all my spinal hardwear they had to change to using my wrist for bone density. I have on hip and my wrists left !!

My spine surgeon took me our of physical therapy saying if i was not getting any pain relief from it , i was wasting my sessions . Insurance only pays for so many .Now the plan is to see him in another month, have another set of shots and then go back to therapy.
As far as my neck, some things were stressing it in therapy so he said to stop doing anything that stresses it and to wear the brace all the time once again. He said i will probably need the brace for my whole life. This time he wasn't kidding!!! The less i have been wearing it , the more pain i have been in neck wise.
Talk again soon,
judy

[Maria]

Judy,
do you use a hard neck brace or is it more like a soft collar brace? Do you sleep in a soft collar or do you have x amount of hours w/o it daily?

I still haven't made a podiatry appt tho am going to have to do it as my feet are bugging me when I walk over a mile now which is every day that I walk. I hate being limited by something like a bum toe or callouses and stuff like that after having to deal with posterior tibial tendonitis and getting thru the last few years of that as that was soooo painful and debilitating tho so can one toe be that way and some other seemingly minor things.

Arghhhhhhh....and to think my back is hardly at the root of my bodily complaints anymore~ that in itself is amazing!

I must say I woke up today with a pretty good little arthritic backache going on for the first hour or so I was awake. thankfully it passed and I'm fine tho it did feel very cranky when first up.

Lola has been out several times now tho she absolutely hates walking in the rain tho I can't say I blame her getting her little schnauzer cut all soakin wet!

Ok gotta go back out to Von's for an item I forgot yesterday. Good thing i live less than 5 mins away walking!

Hope you're doing OK in this weather! Maria

[jsewell]

Hi Maria,
I have been hiking my mountain about every other day the way it works out. I wanted to see if you had any free time this week, but i have things going on every day at around 10 some of which i don't have any idea what time they end.
I am seeing my foot ortho doc today and of course nothing is bothering me and i wish i had canceled the apt. Too late now.
I finally decided my prescription readers are lost forever so i ordered a new pair at Target last night. They always advertise a special at $79 but that is after you buy your first pair. So no deals.
I"d better not loose these.
Today will be a hiking day after my apt, i can see how much new water is at first water . That is the name of my destination point. I don't always go down to the stream because Buddy gets muddy and needs a bath when we get home.
My left leg/hip have hurt me so bad in the last few weeks. The right already hurts, but not the left is back. They both started hurting like crazy when i woke up from my scoliosis/kyphosis surgery in Sept/2010. I am really tired of it. When i get epidurals it calms it down, but does not take it away. I am looking forward to the next ones.
Need to get in the shower. Have a great day
judy

[Maria]

Judy,
Maybe next week if the weather is good/warm. I'm kind of tied up this week too as I'm a bit tired and doing things in slo mo. Had a rheumy appt.yesterday that treats my osteoporosis. Going to try to get an auth for Prolio 2x/year. I think that's the name of the drug. I've got to read about it.

One of my cats is in renal failure and so I'm having to do a bit more with him this week, the other one has IBD so she's on a special diet too. Lola needs bathing and Winston (renal failure cat) needs grooming so guess I'll take them on a warmer day this week.

For now going out to run more errands.. does it never end... still have to get a podiatrist as my feet are bugging me more and I need to do something about it. Can't walk as much as I used to .. arghhhhh tho still walking.

take care and hope you have less pain! Maria

[jsewell]

Hi Maria,
I forgot to answer about my neck brace. For months after the surgery i was in a very stiff brace that allowed virtually no movement. I also had a component that went down my back and braced my thoracic and some of the lumbar area. That was for several months. I also had a hard waterproof one for the shower. I was never allowed to be without one.,
I graduated toi the bottom piece off after maybe 4 months. Then after a few more months another one that was not so stiff, then a few months more and i am not in a soft brace.

I hope next week will work out with nice weather. It will be so great to finally meet.
well i'm heading out to take buddy for a short walk to let him do his business!
judy

[Maria]

Looks like it might be around next week too! I hope so. My cat w/renal failure just got bathed and shaved and he's skin and bones so I'm hoping the weather stays warm enough that he doesn't get sick.

Hope you've been able to keep up your walks~ I've had to beg off a bit re my right ankle tendonitis was bugging me last week. Seems better now tho am not going to push it. I did do a nice walk by the beach yesterday and it was spectacular and then today I did my regular dog walks on Ocean Blvd and yes it was lovely!!!

Hope we do get to meet next week! take care!

[jsewell]

Hi Maria,
I was so full of apts for me and my son last week, i had some of those days where i just come home to pee, pet the pets, get more cold water and head out. Then i got in kind of a depressed mood and didn't hike a few days that i could have so last week was a washout. I am going hiking today and tomorrow with no apts this week, i think!
I have some work to do and get a child enrolled or get all my part of the enrollment process done and wait and see if she gets in to an online program, our last program .
My hammertoes are on both feet now and getting larger and involving more toes. My ortho foot doc prescribed some type of device to keep one toe straight on each foot. I have yet to have time to pick it up though. I think i can find what he was talking about cheaper at a drug store i have in mind so i guess i will do that stop tomorrow.
My dad's pet scan showed NO cancer cells so that is great news that is bringing up my mood a ton. I should make it hiking this week.
as usual once i am hiking, i do not walk in town anymore!!
My hammertoes, i think are the result of my walking different since my last surgery, it still is very uncomfortable to walk and stand up in line is down right painful. (i was at the DMV with my son last week )

Hope to see you this week.
what days , times work for you. I will be easy to recognize wth the collar on!!
judy

[Maria]

Judy,
I'd be interested to see what your doc prescribed for your hammertoes. I tried some of the drug store things but they don't work or help me w/o making my toes more uncombortable. Having them all cut down on the left foot really helped and if I didn't have to worry about lymphedema in my right leg I'd want to have the same surgery (and bunionectomy) on right foot.

I still haven't seen anybody yet. I'm so bad about making new doctor appts! I have to see someone soon tho as I walked today and I can't walk as long or as far w/o having my right foot starting to hurt because of my toes.


I don't remember what day I have a doc's appt. coming up this week so am going to call the office tomorrow and find out (didn't write it down) and then have to take Winston to Vet on Thurs or Friday a.m. for fluids. If I do it early enough we can meet after that. I'll probably have to bring Lola just because she wants to go "everywhere" w/me unless it's too hot outside then she's ok about staying home.

You'd recognize me if I bring Lola my miniature schnauzer! I'm 5'2" with shortish blondish hair.

Last week was really back to back "stuff" for me too. I ran around so much I stayed home this weekend just relaxing with the animals pretty much! At least my ankle that was bothering me a lot feels much better so I hope it stays that way.

Glad to hear about your Dad's PET scan. That's great news!

ok will check back tomorrow! better get some sleep now!

[jsewell]

Maria
What did you have done to your left toes? YOu said cut down. did you have surgery for hammertoes? I just think i am heading in that direction. Unfortunately. I am having my big toenail removed in a few weeks, it is just growing up instead of where it should be. He already removed it when i had my foot surgery in June, but it is not doing well. So we decided to do it again. Sure wish it was under anesthesia. He did say the needles to numb it hurt. Yah just what i wanted. I tried to watch that on u-tube and it almost made me sick to my stomach. so it should be fun.
Funny because watching a hip replacement before i had mine did not bother me. Maybe because i will be there and awake.

I had to go and rescue my daughters dead car at her place of employment today. When the toe truck got there, he just went in and started it. Boy were me and my son embarrassed. But at least no car repairs for now.
Let me know about later in the week, i will bring my little buddy too. He is sweet and gets along with all people and animals.
So i did not get a hike in today, instead i did the car thing and didn;t do much else, i woke up with my back in its usual bad state and a headache worse than my normal one. I took pain meds and went back to sleep once they kicked in a little.
talk to you later
judy

[Maria]

On the left foot first I had my bunionectomy and then I got something like a "trigger" toe in one toe for which I had cortisone shots to no avail and was walking on the side of my foot because of the pain I was having. So my then Podiatrist said I needed to have bone removed from that toe and the tendon needed to have something done and meanwhile he said I also needed all other toes cut down or some bone taken out so that they would be shorter and then my toes wouldn't curl like they do w/hammertoes.

He did the surgery in the office with me sitting up and a big drape over my legs and I had plenty of local anesthesia and something that made me tired so my husband talked to him the whole time and watched (he was fascinated) and I didn't really see what was being done (thankfully). It wasn't a terrible surgery to recover from suffice for the first week or two as it was very painful the first few days when I had to put my foot down (dependant position) because of the swelling tho still not as horrible as the bunionectomy!

I was going to have the same surgeries on the right foot w/bunionectomy and hammertoes but then my neck went out real badly then this podiatrist got a brain tumor at age 47 and he died within a few months. I haven't really found anyone I like as much as him tho I have to see someone soon.

I have my doc's appt. on Thurs at noon time which kind of screws things up for me because where I take Winston for his fluids is farther away than where I go to the doc's but they are both more or less in the same direction so I don't know if I can make 2 trips that day or not (like Vet really early and then doc's appt). I say this because parking down here where I live is so bad so I always have to try and get everything taken care of sort of early in the day that's by car if I can so I can have a decent parking space. May have to take Winston on Friday for his fluids tho I was thinking we could meet Friday if I can get everything cleared on Thurs.

Would you want to meet in Belmont Shore in Long Beach by any chance or maybe Seal Beach? There's a doggy beach in BS. It's not nearly as big as HB tho it's far easier re walking or we could go to lunch if I can get things taken care of in a "timely manner" ...

Lola doesn't like the heat anymore it seems so hopefully it won't be too hot by the end of the week either. Seems like these days I have so many pet considerations with everything!! Just like us as they get older they seem to want to "have it their way too!"

Ok will keep you posted and you me re what's going on this week and hopefully it'll work out!

[Maria]

Judy,
Dh is going to be in town tomm and I'm trying to get some info together for him re meal planning and such (ADA/AHA/reduced calorie). So I think maybe if next week is nice maybe we could try for then? My doc's appt. was canceled today tho I've been feeling nauseated in the mornings (GI stuff not preggers at near 58!)!!!

Maybe I'll take take a bex, have a cup of tea and have a good lie down (or Becks as we all agreed!)! oops yeah skip the bex or becks re the nausea

[jsewell]

Hi Maria,
sorry it took me so long to reply, i got logged out and had to find my log in and just kept forgetting. I thought i had been bad and had been booted off permanently!!! I never had to log in once i did it the first time.

Anyway next week is fine,better for me too towards the end of the week.Only Monday and Tuesday i cannot make it and generally move slower than normal on Wed morning do to my late clinic hours on Tuesday night.

I have another contraption to wear on my toes or on one toe on each foot anyway. My left foot is still giving me trouble.
What type of surgery did you have on your one foot? I want to hear all about hammertoe surgery to see how bad it sounds.

Today is my last class for this whole Medical Billing and Coding class. Started back in June and will be ending kind of sad for me.
With living on a restricted budget, i will not be able to afford any more classes even if i did want to. I always love learning.
WE go to court on Feb 14th. So far the amount jeff is offering me is a joke, i wouldn't last more than one month in this location. I most probably will need to find a rental quickly that will take my pets (2 dogs and a cat) and 4 kids and only charge me around $1800. I know it sounds impossible, i feel the same way. Jeff is really screwing us.

My spine surgeon said once again last time i saw him that the stress is causing extra inflammation . He said i am the most stressed that i have ever been in my whole life (since i have known him) and i thought about it and he is absolutely correct. Between my not wanting to go to school daughter, jeff, and my dad being so sick, life is tough.

so i would love to meet, i need some good people in my life.
judy

[Maria]

Judy,
The hammertoe surgery really wasn't that bad to recover from and all he did was reduce the bone in each toe on the left foot to cut it down or make my toes shorter. Some toes still twist sort of but not as bad as before. I really need this on my right foot but am not sure I can have it done due to the lymphedema in that leg. I am seeing a podiatrist on 2/15 first time for hammertoes and whatever else one might diagnose w/my feet.

re your hub man what an arse to screw you out of your current lifestyle! It's difficult to find places that take 2 dogs so you might as well not mention the cat because the dogs would be seen re walking or whatever but if you have an in house cat you could probably not mention the cat. You'll likely need to pay a pet deposit for them as well and/or extra per month and going rate on pets is usually and extra $30-$40/mo for each pet listed. The deposit can be as high as the security deposit (so you can have this figured into whatever your hub will have to pay since they're part of the family too).

You might be able to get a big 2 BR apt. for that price tho I'm not sure about that. 2 BRs around here go for about $1600 plus and I'm not in the best part of town even tho I'm in a decent part down by the beach but older apts.

We can talk foot surgery stuff when we meet.. we'll probably both have to rest our tootsies anyway!!! Take good care and hope you're having a decent weekend~ Maria

[jsewell]

Hi Maria,
Thanks for the housing info. I have to look everywhere, but with my daughter commuting to UCIrvine if i could get closer to her it would be great. I might just have to go to some other state eventually.
Regarding the husband, I am not asking for anything much. I just need to be able to pay the bills. The money i calculate does not include any clothes for anyone and no birthday presents, things like that , just plain bills. I go to so many appointments every month and some of my doctors that took BC to not take Aetna so my out of pocket is so much higher.

Glad to hear the hammertoe surgery is not that difficult to recover from. We will talk about it. The funny thing is my toes on the right foot are hammering more and they just started hurting. The left ones are the pain generators, but not usually when i am out and walking, when i get home usually. which is good.

I can't wait to meet next week or this week. I should catch up on things today (if i don't get too tired after my hike.) . Then monday it is bone density and nutritionist, Tuesday gastroenterologist and my volunteer night, then i am actually done for my appointments for this week.

Time to hike,
bye,
judy

[Maria]

Hi Judy,
The tips of my fingers and fingers and thumbs are killing me. I've been avoiding the keyboard now as much as I can. It hurts just to type at all..let alone to use my hands doing everything I have to do. Not sure why I'm having what seems like an arthritic flareup in my hands at this time of year or when the weather is supposed to be good today. I could understand yesterday re the dampness/weather even tho we got little rain.

I'd like to be able to meet this week (maybe Friday if possible) or after taking Winston to the Vet tomorrow for fluids. He's better tho I feel like I'm an animal nurse here lately and then with my dh getting a diagnosis of Diabetes type 2 and given a script for med and glucometer tho no dietary instruction so he's calling me 5x/day at least re what to eat, what to have for snack, what to bring to work, what to make for dinner, what to buy and on and on.

I finally went to Barnes and Nobles yesterday and got him 2 very good books that I think will help him to understand as he didn't like the 2 books I got him last week.

He also had a dramatic change in vision and could hardly see so had to go to LensCrafters and get new glasses yesterday immediately and paid $600 for them compared to several pairs (like 3 or 4) at CostCo for that amount tho wait 2 weeks to get them.

I've been very worried about him ...anyway, I can't type much because it's hurting to do this so think I have to stop. Not sure if you'll see this or not tho if we don't get together this week maybe next. take care~ Maria

[jsewell]

Hi Maria,
I'm sorry about your fingers. That is really a problem with your hands hurting so much. Do you think it is something besides arthritis?
About your husband, is he loosing vision do to diabetes? I had many students at Braille Institute that had lost their vision to diabetic retinopathy. I would hate to see that happen to him. He needs to be very careful with his diet as i am sure you know. I hope he likes the books you bought him this time. I also hope he has a good endocrinologist.

Friday sounds good to me. Tomorrow morning i have a dentist appointment at 9:30 so i could also head that way after if that sounds better to you. Although with you taking your cat to the vet and me at the dentist we probably don't know what time we will be done.
You can just type a little to just reply or even call me instead. I did put your number in my phone. I was smart for once so now i do not have to search for it.
I will send you mine again if i never gave it to you, let me know.
judy