Back Atcha!

My back has been really fouled up for nearly three weeks.  It's getting old.  I had more deeply terrifying moments with cancer, but mostly unrelenting physical pain takes me to much longer lasting dark moods that are more difficult to pull myself out of.  My family finds me ever so charming as well.  I did make it to a very gentle yoga workshop on Friday night and that was really lovely.  It was good to be back, even if not fully.



I've decided to try acupuncture for the back issues.  If I understand it correctly it works on the qi, or energy flow, of the body to make sure it's all unimpeded or something.  So if there is pain you go ask someone to put 65 needles in your body, leave them there, and tell you to relax because functioning as your own full-sized voodoo doll makes you think, "Bloody hell, there's a handful of pins in me.  If I need to scratch my nose or sneeze or something I could have a real problem....wow, I haven't even noticed that my back hurts.  This shit is amazing!"  Joking aside, when it was over and I had to put my shoes on it was the first time in weeks it didn't hurt to tie my shoes.



Back pain (and realizing I felt better after sleeping on a friend's couch than in my own bed, for crying out loud) has also provided the impetus for purchasing a new mattress. I am hoping that sleeping on a mattress which is flat as opposed to concave will have a positive effect on the state of my lumbar spine and supporting musculature.  It's maybe a little weird how excited I am about a new mattress.  I'd say it's the little things in life that make me happy but given that the mattress is king-sized I don't think it quite qualifies as little. We'll see how tomorrow morning goes.




In other news I go back to Fox Chase tomorrow for my three month check up.  It's going to be 4 hours in the car, which is the worst thing for my back but I am trusting it will be a good report and I am hoping for some nice weather so I can make some pit stops to get out of the car and stretch and enjoy a little walking around.