Friday, June 1, 2012

Getting by...

Well, hello.  It's been a while, I know.  Life has been a whirlwind of busy-ness lately, all of the craziness that the approaching end of the school year brings to a teacher's life.  Trying to teach those last few piles of stuff that haven't been taught, assess children who would rather be outside playing because it's so beautiful--and let's face it, I'd rather be outside playing too!

Amidst the busy-ness, I'm almost finished my last Special Education course.  Yeehaw!  I will be a Spec Ed Specialist in a couple of weeks.  A nice feeling to be sure.  I am taking a course in the summer, but more on that once school is over.

My nemesis Hashimoto has been working very hard to be debilitating, but I will not give in.  I get out of bed every morning, put on my best face, and plod on.  I will not be beaten by this little old autoimmune disease.  Not happening.

I am seeing a chiropractor/kinesiologist/sports specialist today so I can find out exactly what's up with this darned injury, and hopefully get some help.  Because I need to exercise.  And that's not happening.  And my "friend" Hashi needs me to exercise, or I'm going to weigh 400 pounds.  That may be a bit of an exaggeration, but really.  At least when I'm able to run my arse off, I don't gain weight.  And I feel better.  A real kick in the butt for Hashi.  But as I said above, I will not be beaten by this.  Slightly trampled and worn maybe.  But not beaten.

I am saddened that my family is concerned by my lack of energy for anything outside of work and getting by.  I have planted 2 pots of flowers.  That's it.  And it's possible that's all there will be.  I just don't have the steam.  But my wonderful daughter weeded my flowerbed in the back and offered to help me plant more flowers and pots.  Very sweet surprise to come home to one day this week, especially since her summer job is building cars, very physical and she's exhausted at the end of the day.

I had wanted to plant some veggies, and some more beds, and a butterfly garden.  Maybe a couple of tomato plants, a zuchinni and peppers.  That will be enough.

And I have some very exciting news that I can't share for another week or so.  Actually a couple of things.  I can't wait.

**update after appointment**

Um, so it's not a hip injury at all, it's actually a back injury in which the pain is not in my back, but showing up further along the nerve, and ending up in my hip/inside of my leg area.  Created by a disc pinching the nerves.  Accupuncture, exercises and an adjustment were the order of the day.  Along with strict instructions of how to sit, sleep, and move.  And absolutely, emphatically NO running, NO yoga, NO walking long distances and NO sitting for extended periods of time.  Prognosis guarded, future of running and yoga in question.  I almost cried when he said that yoga is not the right thing for me, that it risks the integrity of my back too much.  I can swim for exercise.  That's about it.  Well, that and I can try recumbent bike, but I have to be very careful. 

A lecture about listening to my back and seeking help right away and not after an extended period of time, as well as repeated comments about my "high threshold for pain."  Which I think is code for "no sense, no feeling" perhaps.  I'm supposed to email or text him if I have any sharp pains, and he kind of intimated that given that I just keep going through pain, I could be really injuring myself.

So there you have it.  I am getting old, and my body although apparently fairly immune to pain, is falling apart at the seams.  Good times let me tell you, good times.  Oh yeah, did I mention I'm supposed to stand at the counter for computer work?  Yep, and during an online course, and report cards.  I'm going to go have an ibuprofen and a Mike's Hard lemonade.  And then lay down and ponder my good news that I'll be sharing next week.