"The Rest of The Story"

Ok, so apparently you don't mind being my therapist? Well you are back to see how the story plays out so I know you are at least curious.  I'll try not to bore you with too many details!

So when I left off I was improving......Great right?  I thought so too....then we had a set back.

All of a sudden, severe pain, I can't bend, I can't lift....something was wrong.  Back to Dr. Webb and and MRI was ordered.  The MRI showed that I have two bulging discs that were irritating the nerve....that was the pain.  So, a round of steroids, and more rest....more time not being able to do what I needed to do here on the farm or off the farm.

During this time, I started doing some research for natural ways to heal the discs and combat the pain. I learn about a wonderful herb, Comfrey.  Doing research and talking with some friends who also knew about Comfrey, I decided to give it a try.  I ordered some dried, cut Comfrey and set out to make my own poultice with some arnica gel.  Armed with my new medicine and a supply of large bandages I started putting the comfrey poultices on my lower back....and guess what?  They really did help....a lot!  I told Dr. Webb of my findings and she was intrigued.  She said to continue with them and keep her posted as we continued working on my issues.  After a couple of weeks of off and on again use she said if it works we'll take it.

My back continued to improve, but there was still something not right.  My right leg, hip and lower back wouldn't let up.  It wasn't the same pain as the lower back injury something different.  Dr. Webb did some tests and found that I had also injured my Sacroiliac Joint aka SI Joint.  Great!!

So we now tried an SI belt to help support this little joint that only moved 4 cm, but can hurt like heck if it is inflamed.  That helped some, but didn't really fix the issue. So the next recommendation was to see a pain management doctor and see about an injection into the joint. Really??   I wasn't thrilled about this idea at all, but went ahead because I wanted all of this to be done.

Well......I did not have a good experience at the pain management doctor AT ALL. Unfortunately, this doctor did not need to be practicing medicine any longer.  You see, he is now disabled and has a hard time actually doing injections!!! Beyond that they did not have the correct instruments to do the procedure, but went ahead anyway....it wasn't good.  The really bad part is the injection did NOTHING....NADA...NIL...except make the pain worse for several days.  We contacted Dr. Webb and told her of the visit and we decided it would be best not to return to the pain management doctor.  We even went as far as trying to talk with the doctor about the botched procedure, sent a letter with our concerns and problems with our visits, etc....we were contacted by his office manager and rudely told we would receive a zero balance bill and hung up on us. That is not what we were trying to accomplish by our letter, but ok.  I am sure in his day his was a great doctor, but unfortunately, his physical disabilities, poor planning by staff, and just poor staff have made it dangerous, in my opinion, to be practicing medicine. In fact, in doing my research....after the fact....I learned that this type of injection SHOULD be guided by either ultrasound or fluoroscope as recommended by the AMA to help the doctor in the placement of the medication....neither of which was used. Studies have shown that an unguided SI Joint inject is less than 40% effective...wish I had known all of this before the visit.  Folks, do your research!

Anyhow, I went back to using the comfrey and just moved my poultices over to where the SI joint issues were and it worked better than any medicines I had been taking prior.  I did some more research on SI Joint issues and found some stretches specific for the SI joint injury.  These helped tremendously and as long as I do these several times a day it is manageable.

I have been plugging away doing all I was supposed to be doing and and had even gotten to the point where I could mow the field some without much discomfort!  I LOVE to mow the grass so this is a huge step as far as I am concerned. Let alone I hate having my farmer man having to do extra work around here after he gets home from his "real" job....the farm is my job!

All was working fairly well, with a couple to good weeks and just a few bad days here and there...until last month.  Last month something started changing.  I started having more days where I had to be careful what I was doing or I would hurt...hmmm....ok more rest and applying ice when needed, doing the stretching exercises religously. I got this!  Then my right knee started hurting, muscle hurt pain, and tightness.  I mentioned it to Dr. Webb and she said my back may be out and pulling on that leg. Ok, makes sense. Massage therapy was in order as well as muscle stimulation therapy.

I am blessed to have my son's girlfriend, who is a licensed massage therapist!  We scheduled a massage and it did improve! Yea!  In fact the next morning, while being attacked by a certain kitten, I sat straight up in bed only to have my lower back give out a loud CLUNK!  I was afraid to move at first...then the burning pain started. Oh My Goodness!  It was intense!  I took it easy that day and the next morning it seemed as if maybe, just maybe, that hug clunk was my back finally settling back to where it was supposed to be as things calmed down and it actually felt much better.  There was a little soreness like I had overworked muscles, but much improvement.

That was Sunday...by Tuesday evening....my pain levels were increasing and my right foot was going numb.  These are not good signs.  By Wednesday morning the pain levels were high.  I could not get comfortable and we made an appointment with Dr. Webb for that afternoon.  By the time we got in there it was all I could do to walk.  Some tests were performed and it was determined that I have major inflammation around the spinal cord once again.  Once again, steroids, rest and ice were the prescription with a revisit scheduled to see if there are any improvements.  They even prescribed pain meds this time because the pain was so severe. There is some question that I may have torn a few more fibers in the discs...not good news.  We won't know for sure unless we do an MRI.

That was last Tuesday, and I am still confined to either the couch or the bed.  Unfortunately, I do not tolerate pain meds well.  We tried the prescribed pain meds and the side effects were almost worse than the pain.  Severe stomach cramps, nausea, and passing out.....not a positive experience with pain meds once again. Even a quarter of a tablet produced the same effect. The good news is I am improving and the pain is lessening.  I can be upright for 15 minutes or so before the pain becomes severe enough I have to lie back down.

So, why all of this info?

Mainly, I think some times we all put our best out there and we don't keep it real.  Well folks, this is my real for right now. BUT there is still a lot of GOOD to find even with all of this mess going on.

My farmer man....I can't express how much this man means to me.  He is my helpmate, my support, my friend, my love, and my rock.  He has been so awesome through all of this.  He takes care of all the animals and me in the mornings, then works 9 hours a day off the farm at his "real" job, then comes home to take care off everyone here once again...including our "Rudy" who is battling another case of bumblefoot. This requires injections twice a day and soaking and flushing out the foot daily too.  He has been so supportive, so understanding and so patient through all of this.....especially when I have a melt down because I can't do anything. THIS man prepared a whole Thanksgiving Dinner for my family....that's love folks. He knew how important family is to me and he asked if I wanted to cancel and when I said no, he said ok, no problem, I got this. He did an awesome job. <3

I have some awesome family and friends that have been here ready and willing to pitch in and help out whenever and whatever we need. Anything from picking up something for us while they were in town, to coming over and helping out with chores.  I am blessed to have family and friends close by.

I have had plenty of time to just relax and think.  I know I had to refocus my thinking from what I CAN'T do to what I CAN do.  Now that the pain has subsided some and I can think clearly, I am taking this time to work on some projects for our Etsy store.  I had been saying that I couldn't find the time to try out some new items...well, guess what?  I have nothing but time now! lol

 I have this crazy, 8 week old kitten to keep me entertained! We bottle fed this little orphan and now he is helping me pass the day.  (My next post will be ALL about Max)

Even though I cannot tend to the animals, I can hear them through the opened doors and windows.  Our rescued ducks and geese swim up to the back porch and quack and honk back when I call to them.  I can at least see them from the house.  I managed an assisted trip to the Chicken Inn II yesterday evening and I cannot believe how much I miss seeing our big turkey girls, all our guineas and chickens too and this morning I could hear one of our Wood Ducks had returned to the pond.  That made me smile.

 You know, it is ironic.  My last post was about being overwhelmed with so much to do and still finding the blessings in it all....and I would give anything to have my back healed and be able to do ALL of those things now.  Maybe that is what this is all about...maybe I just needed a kick in the butt (or back!) to remind me of what a blessing it is to be able TO DO.  Lord knows, I am a doer and I have a hard time when I cannot do. I am learning to be content in just being...... Being happy, being content, being humble, being vulnerable, being....just being no matter what is or isn't going on around us.

I know healing will come, and I must be patient.  Please keep us all in your prayers as we move forward.  I am asking for answers and direction on how to proceed with this injury...it's been a year and I am sure ready for a cure!  I really would love to get back to being able to take care of everyone and everything here on the farm.  I miss it! But until then, I will just be....

Doctor visit soon so I will keep you posted.  Thanks for your notes of encouragement and prayers!

Back to regular, fun, photo filled farm stuff next post...."Introducing The Old Five Notch Farm's You Have Just Exceeded Your Maximum"

Has It Really Been THREE Months Since My Last Post???

Wow!  I have been meaning to post a blog update for some time....I just didn't realize it has been this long since I posted. I had to read through the last post from September 1st.....that's exactly what I needed right now. 

You see, I am flat on my back with a aggravating back injury and I am having a hard time mentally. I am not a person to sit (or lie) around while everyone else, mainly my farmer man, takes care of everything...including me.  Honestly, I decided to post to the blog today because writing is such therapy for me.....and I could use some therapy right now, so if you are game and don't mind me sharing....here goes....


Here's a little history on how I got here...this will probably be several posts as it is a year's worth of info!

Last November...November 7th to be exact...I was down in the barn working when my sweet farmer man calls me as he does every evening when he gets out of his "real" job.  We were chatting while I was working on a few things in the barn...nothing too exciting. Well....I attempted to step over some PVC pipe that was lying on the concrete floor of the barn....and I failed...miserably!  I managed to step ON the pipe, which rolled out from under my feet. I did my very best Charlie Brown kicking the football impression as his dear friend, Lucy, pulled the football away.  Landing flat on my back on the concrete and pipe, my cell phone flew out of my hand and across the barn hitting the barn floor.

Once I realized I was not dead, I could indeed breathe, I started moving body parts to see what was broken.  Head and neck...ok, arms ok, feet...they moved, legs...oh my gravy.....my back!  The pain was awful, but I also knew that I had to somehow get to my phone and get back in touch with my sweet husband to let him know I was indeed alive, injured, but alive so he wouldn't kill himself trying to get home to me.

I managed, some how, to get upright and get to my phone....it was dead.  I had to make my way to the charger...thank goodness we keep one in the barn, sit down and plug the thing in.  That was no easy feat since every step felt like my back would break in two. I made it though and slowly, and  carefully got myself into the rocking chair. Once a little charged I managed to call my farmer man back and tell him I was ok, I would be sitting in the rocking chair at the barn when he got home though.

When my farmer man got to the barn, and he saw I was ok, and I saw him I felt so bad for him not me!  He attempted to help me get into the truck and that was when I realized how painful the injury was. He was determined I needed to go to the hospital, but I was just as determined that I didn't need to go.  Everything worked, it just hurt like crap!  I convinced him to just get me to the house where I could get in a warm bath and soak as I was sure it was just bruised.

Well, he agreed to let me do my own thing for a week, but if at that time I wasn't feeling much better then I would have no choice but to go to the doctor. 

Fast forward a week later, November 14th.....I was at the doctors having x-rays. The x-rays showed no breaks or fractures so they just said it was bruised and rest and anti-inflammatories were the prescription.

I seemed to heal up pretty well and was able to assume my duties here on the farm as well as off the farm in just a few weeks after the fall. I thought ok, I got this, lesson learned, and very thankful for the healing.....until January.

January found me in terrible pain and having a hard time doing my regular chores here on the farm as well as off the farm. So with some convincing once again from my farmer man, I went to our chiropractor, Dr. Kathryn Webb taking my x-rays from November with me.  Just as soon as she popped the x-rays up on the lighted box you could clearly see where two different vertebrae were sitting funny, kinda tilted to the right...there wasn't much space between them...hmmm.

Dr. Webb showed me that these vertebrae were indeed misaligned and we started working on a plan to help my body realign them....

Throughout the next several months we worked with massage, spinal manipulation, electro shock muscle therapy, physical therapy, natural supplements of fish oil and tumeric, etc. and my back did improve!  I was so excited to see the improvement and was thrilled to be able to go back to work off the farm although I was limited on what I could and couldn't due....no lifting, no mowing of the grass, limited bending, but I was getting better. Yea!!!

Well...There is much more to the story and I'm afraid if I continue I will be liable for your falling asleep at your computer so I'll save "the rest of the story" for another post...or two.

For now, I am resting somewhat comfortably, and trying to be patient while this latest back flare up does it's thing. I am looking forward to getting back up and at 'em and sharing the daily happenings of our farm soon!

Thanks for listening and being my therapist....I'll be looking for your bill in the mail ;-)