Back Update

[catsittingstill]

This isn't a con report because I don't have anything like enough time this morning :-)

Readers may remember that I've been having trouble with my back. Those who attended GaFilk may realize that it got more serious last week. I went to the doctor yesterday and he thinks I've got a bulging disc (the cartilage between the vertebrae that make up the spine) that is pressing on the nerves that run to my leg. The good news is that it doesn't seem to be very serious (yet). He put me on sterioids and anti-inflamatories and such to bring down the swelling around the disc so that it can slip back into place. I am now armed with a battery of medicines that have to be taken at different times.



He says that I should work as much as I can stand (not if the pain gets too bad in other words) but I am strictly enjoined against bending or lifting. Furthermore if I notice muscle weakness in either leg I am to call him at once. He wants a back x-ray so that he can definitively rule out fracture (I haven't fallen or been struck or anything, but he seems to be a suspenders-and-belt man).

So far so good. I am okay to go to work (though I may hurt so much I have to cut things short--the naproxin (Aleive) may be better for swelling but I really think the ibuprofen did a better job on the pain, and I can't have both). I am not an immediate prospect for surgery. I'm not incapacitated. I can deal with this.

Comments

That sounds promising.

[gannet.livejournal.com]

I hope he's right! Good luck.

Re: That sounds promising.

[catsittingstill.livejournal.com]

Thanks. :-)

[autographedcat.livejournal.com]

*hug* I hope you feel better soon. It was wonderful to see you at Gafilk, but we were all quite worried for you.

This message brought to you by the Campaign to Promote a Happy and Healthy Cat in 2004! :)

[catsittingstill.livejournal.com]

It was great to see you too, and I had a good time. I just had most of it lying down. I'm feeling a bit better about everything now that I've seen the doctor.

[sdorn.livejournal.com]

I'm glad your doctor is reluctant to suggest anything like surgery. When I saw you bend to get a drink of water at your 2x10, I'll admit I winced. Can you add "twisting" and "bending to the side" to the Cat just doesn't do list? It's definitely time to get one of those grabber things.

[catsittingstill.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately I've found that the grabber things don't work well with smooth round heavy things like glasses of water. Pity.

[delennara.livejournal.com]

*careful hugs*
really hope this will be better soon...sounds like a hell of a backache.
Does he want to do a normal x-ray or a tomographic scan or maybe MRI?

[catsittingstill.livejournal.com]

A normal X-ray to check for fractures. Why he thought I might have a fracture when I haven't fallen or been struck I'm not sure.

[kitanzi.livejournal.com]

A belt and suspenders doctor sounds like a very good thing - I hope the meds work!

[catsittingstill.livejournal.com]

Thanks. Me too.

[filkerdave.livejournal.com]

*gentle hugs*

Sounds promising, all told!

[catsittingstill.livejournal.com]

*hug back* I'm hoping for the best.

[patoadam]

Hope you feel better soon!

[catsittingstill.livejournal.com]

Thanks :-)

[peteralway.livejournal.com]

Good luck, get well, and stop hurting!

[catsittingstill.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I'm going to try.

[braider.livejournal.com]

Yeay! Glad you really went, and glad that the news is relatively good. M & I were really concerned when you mentioned the foot going numb.

[catsittingstill.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I was concerned about that too. I'm very glad the doctor could see me right away.

[vixyish.livejournal.com]

Hugs and well-wishes.

I've been told (and Googled on it to confirm) that naproxen *is* ibuprofen, by the way-- the active ingredient in ibuprofen. So it's basically ibuprofen but more concentrated. I'm now wondering what other ingredients are put into ibuprofen to make a difference. You might ask your doctor about that, if there's a noticeable difference.

[figmo.livejournal.com]

They're similar but slightly different. I'm allergic to naproxen sodium (Aleve) but not to ibuprofen.

[catsittingstill.livejournal.com]

Dunno. It just doesn't seem to work as well for pain relief for me. I suppose I might ask the doctor why that is the next time I see him.

[(Anonymous)]

Good luck and best wishes.

Any chance of putting a cup holder on your music stand? I wasn't there to see it, but my mental image of you bending for water is not a good one.

I hope you are better soon.

Donald

[sdorn.livejournal.com]

You can get music-stand cupholders, yes. I have mine from Shar Music.

[catsittingstill.livejournal.com]

I suppose I could add a cup holder at that. Never thought about it before. Bending for water wasn't really that much of a problem--it's a slow careful process but it doesn't hurt any more than anything else.

[bardling.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you came, very glad I got to meet you, but yes, we were all quite concerned about/for you. Glad to hear you seem to have a sensible doctor who's investigating everything properly first before prescribing any invasive treatment.

*gentlehugs* and hopes for the rest of 2004 for to be a happy & much more painfree year for you.

[catsittingstill.livejournal.com]

It was great to meet you too, and I wish I could have heard you sing more :-) Thanks for your kind wishes.

[unclechristo.livejournal.com]

healing hugs.
Well met ! Wont gush here coz I gushed enough already. :-)
Glad ya got to the doc and that news is good.
Cosmic Christo Healing Vibrations enclosed in this message,,,

CCx

[catsittingstill.livejournal.com]

It was great to meet you too. You charmed my socks off. I actually contemplated giving you and Howie each a sock but I didn't have any clean onces left :-)

Thanks for the good wishes and Healing Vibrations.

[unclechristo.livejournal.com]

only your socks? :-)

Ha! like I would share your socks with anyone else!!! :-)

Been enjoying the 3rd EC CD - 2 spins so far -great !!! Will report more when I have listened more... By the way - I think you would love a medieval music band from Norway called Kalenda Maya - EC kinda reminds me of them - i can do you a CDr if ya like...

- more healing vibes for your back enclosed - and, for balance, your front.

hugs galore...
Christo xx

[catsittingstill.livejournal.com]

:-) Alas, only my socks. I'm a happily married woman.

Glad that you're enjoying _A Dancing World_. I would love to hear Kalenda Maya--it sounds like they named themselves after a pretty well known piece of medieval music. Callie and I were both active (though at different times and places) in the SCA (medieval recreation group) before we got into filk. So we're probably somewhat influenced by medieval and renaissance music.

Thanks for the healing vibes. It's only my back that's hurt, though--but I suppose there's no point in risking making my front jealous.

[unclechristo.livejournal.com]

Jodi is happily married too and i still have a pair of her socks... - not as interesting story as it sounds (she left them behind). I am now keeper of these sacred relics.
So... married women never remove more than socks... - oh your strange Earthling customs - i find it so hard to learn them all... :-)

Kalenda Maya - actually you can hear some online at amazon (they have a 2ndhand one there for 7bucks or so.)
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000004543/ref%3Dnosim/medievalmusicart/002-8173592-1580066

This was the 1st one I got by them and is great. They have a fresh band sound I like (rather than classical sounding) - plus they use heaps of authentic instruments as one of them is an instrument maker.
They also have one of Norse Ballads which reminded me more of EC. They also made a CD of Pilgrim songs which isa bit more sombre but still good. I'll copy ya some...

earthling-style hugs

Christo x

[quadrivium.livejournal.com]

As I said on another thread with you, I'm glad you got a doctor so quickly. *gentle hugs again*

[catsittingstill.livejournal.com]

Thanks. Me too :-) *hug back*

[mrpsyklops.livejournal.com]

Healing thoughts and prayers coming your way.

[catsittingstill.livejournal.com]

Thanks very much for your good wishes!

[catalana.livejournal.com]

*gentle hugs* Oh, I sympathize - I have a herniated disc at L5-S1 and have been doing everything I can to avoid surgery. (I've got a whole battery of drugs, physical therapy...I had steroid injections last summer.)

I hope you find something that helps you; my thoughts are with you. (And, gee, if I'd known about this at GAfilk we could have exchanged medical stories...oh, wait, maybe it's just as well this way. *grin*)

[catsittingstill.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the sympathy and the hugs. I had a herniated disc a couple of years ago and had to have surgery. Hopefully that won't be necessary this time!

I hope you feel better soon too.

[andpuff.livejournal.com]

Zen hugs and warm wishes for a full recovery and a future free of back pain!

[catsittingstill.livejournal.com]

Zen hugs back and thanks for the good wishes. :-)

[it-aint-easy.livejournal.com]

Hugs and well wishes, Cat. I have only had the smallest amount of back trouble, but I know it can be awful.

[catsittingstill.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the kind wishes. Here's hoping I get over it soon.

[figmo.livejournal.com]

Glad to hear the doc may be able to avoid surgery. You looked like you were in horrendous pain at GAFilk; oh how I wished I could have done something to help! (Actually, I wish you could make your way to Consonance; Dr. Jane might be able to help!)

[catsittingstill.livejournal.com]

Most of the time it wasn't that bad. Being able to lie down so much helped a lot, and people were very nice about helping out when they could. I wish I could see Dr. Jane too--she did great work on my back the last time I saw her, and she's lots of fun.