Pain...and such

I posted a little status on Facebook about how I was looking forward to my chiropractor consult today and hoped that he would be able to help with my pain issues... Boy, did a storm of comments come out of that one! Here is the skinny:

I've had neck issues for years, and actually went to a chiropractor in the 90s to help alleviate the literally blinding headaches I would get occasionally. I continued to have occasional pain and headaches over the years, but when I became pregnant with Eleanor the situation got a lot worse. By the time she was born I had severe pain and daily muscle spasms in my back. I hoped that after delivery things would go back to "normal", but they did not. I have pretty bad pain, fairly consistent in nature, in my lower back as well as some pain in my neck. I don't get the spasms as regularly, but lately with Ella getting bigger I've had some problems getting her in and out of her carseat. It has gotten to the point where I wake up several times in the night with discomfort and pain, and sometimes can't stand straight in the morning until I've had a chance to do some light stretching because the pain and stiffness are so bad.

Today, I saw Dr. M and we did an initial assessment. He could tell I was significantly out of alignment just by looking at me as my right shoulder was nearly an inch lower than my left! After reviewing some older xrays I'd taken in for him and doing a comprehensive exam, he thinks that I have scoliosis as well as some potential disc and probably fused vertebrae issues. We took more x-rays today, and I'll meet with him in the morning to go over them and get a really accurate read on what's going on so he can customize a treatment plan. He is a holistic care provider, in that he believes in not just adjusting your back and sending you on your way. He incorporates nutrition counseling, physical therapy, exercise, and some inferential therapies as well. He gave me some tips on how to lift Ella and how to put her into her carseat to alleviate the strain on my back, which I also hope will be a big help!

Because he said my shoulders and lower back were "as hard as a rock", he hooked me up to the machine for some inferential work today. It felt very strange, but did the job of loosening up the muscles a little bit! My insurance does not cover this kind of treatment, but Dr. M is working out payment plans and giving me some "deals" on treatments. I was referred to him by a good friend who sees him regularly and he also gave us both a discount for the referral.

I'm excited in that I think it will be a big help in my daily life to get some of the pain out of here...We'll see!

A hodge podge

I can hardly remember the days when a summer meant sleeping in, relaxing by a pool, eating potato chips and hot dogs, and reading copious amounts of books from the library. This summer has been a haze of heat and work and illness in the Boyd household. We seem to be recycling the germs, Ella will get sick, just as she gets well I will come down with it, and a few days later Hubband will be down for the count. What with all of the house projects (including the broken AC which at least is limping along these days) and my full time job and my sideline job (which will be ending soon), we've barely been able to take a deep breath before plunging into the next big thing.

Ella is just as busy as we are, learning learning learning! Her words and phrases expand practically by the hour, though her pronunciation is not really clear yet. My current favorite is "breakpoot" which is actually "breakfast". Yesterday she patted my arm as I changed her diaper and said "breakpoot, mama. Atta dooce!" She did indeed receive breakfast with apple juice.....after Mama stopped laughing!

This weekend, we're going to be driving across the state to spend the 4th with DangerElf and her family. An actual vacation! Complete with swimming pools and cousins!

I'm off now, leaving this hodge podge entry to fend for itself while I go prancy dance with my daughter to Barenaked Ladies "7-8-9". Bye!

Tired and Sickish Sabbath

She's not feeling very well, but will be better soon....

Ice Cream during the Blackout of '09

The lack of AC in 100 degree heat was making us all a little cranky, so Mama ran down to Sonic and got us an ice cream to share. Its yummy!

Today's New Words/Phrases

"WOW!"

and our favorite to date...upon tripping on the tile she said--

"Whoa. I TIPPED. Uh Ohhhhhh"

Similarly, yesterday morning when Miss Stacy brought her to Mama for after-nap snuggles, I noticed that one of her socks was missing. I said "Ella! Did you lose a sock?" and she looked down at her bare toes, wiggled them, and said very solemnly "Uh Oh". She then proceeded to look around the office to see if that wayward sock would magically appear. She and Miss Stacy had to go on an expedition to rescue it from the wild world of Crib After Nap.

Shockingly, with all the words she DOES know, more than half of what comes out of her mouth is still gibberish. Even to us.

Like her Mama

Reading in the bathroom starts at a very young age, apparently. She likes nothing better than to have a book or her Sabbath School paper to read while you change her diaper... Couldn't resist this pose. She carefully examined every page and then turned to the next.

Round and Round We Go!

Krissa was kind enough to have a birthday a few days back, and her request for "party" was to hit the zoo on Sabbath afternoon and then gather at Amerigos for cheese fritters... and dinner. El had a blast at the zoo, and had her first ever ride on a carousel! You can tell how much she enjoyed it...