Ouch!

What a week!
Last week my back had been hurting me. I just woke up one morning and there it was, pain in all its glory. I suspected I slept crooked on my neck or something like that, took some ibuprofen, slapped a heating pad on it, and assumed it would go away in a few days.

Nope.

It totally tricked me. It felt like it was going to be all better by the weekend; it was hurting less and less each day. But then I woke up Saturday morning and COULD NOT MOVE. It took me ten minutes (filled with crying) just to sit up out of bed, and it hurt SO BADLY. It's never hurt this badly before in my life. I have absolutely no clue why it did this. I got up (well, Scott got me up) and took some pain meds (well, Scott got me pain meds) and took a hot bath (well, Scott got me into a hot bath)...can you see the trend? I haven't been that helpless since I had my surgery last November.

Anyway, it hurt so badly that I decided to go to the doctor (well, Scott took me to the doctor). Scott and I are alike in that we always insist the other person go see the doctor when something is wrong, but we never go unless the other really pushes it, so you can imagine how much pain I was in when I was the one insisting on going to InstaCare.

We went in as soon as it opened, and the doctor gave me prescriptions for Flexeril (muscle relaxant) and Lorotab. I then spent all day Saturday and Sunday totally loopy, mostly sleeping it off. My back was starting to loosen up and I was thinking I would be ok to go in to work on Monday, but NO. LIFE ISN'T THAT NICE TO ME.

Once again, I woke up Monday morning to PAIN! and the PAIN! was worse. No good. So I had to call in sick, which I hated...but it turns out it was the perfect day to call in sick because there was such a tiny workload that day (only 3 samples; the usual load is 15 to 20) (but I still hate missing work). Scott (angel) found a chiropractor who could see me that morning, so I took my meds again and we went in. The doctor took x-rays, did some testing on my spine, manipulated my back, gave me some electrotherapy, and had me come in the next day for more.

I went in Tuesday, got adjusted and therapy again, and we took a look at my x-rays. The chiropractor says that four of my vertebrae are starting to degenerate and that I need to start corrective therapy immediately. This apparently involves like 30 visits, and thousands of dollars (my insurance doesn't cover chiropractic). I'm not sure I want to do this. I can see what he was pointing out on the x-rays, but I'm not entirely convinced it's as bad as he's saying it is.
Anyway, the pain at this point hadn't changed in intensity, but it had moved from the middle of my back, right between my shoulder blades, up to my neck. I continued to take meds as much as I could (can't go to work loopy...or drive, for that matter, so I had to go without sometimes), and Wednesday afternoon I scheduled an hour-long massage. It was heavenly. I had the masseuse concentrate on my neck, upper back, and shoulders. She used firm pressure, so it hurt a bit while she was working on me, but my muscles felt more relaxed afterward, so the little bit of discomfort was worth it. I went home, took more meds, and went to sleep early.

I woke up Thursday morning and still had a little bit of pain, that had migrated again, this time into my left shoulder, but overall it was getting better. After work I went to the chiropractor again, and he gave me some instructions for stretches, adjusted me again, and did more therapy.

Now here's my thing: I'm not sure how much of this "spinal degeneration" is real and how much is exaggeration on the chiropractor's part to drum up his business. Since my insurance doesn't cover this, the office charges a flat rate of $55 per visit if you pay that day, in cash. That's not awful by itself, but when you look at the amount of visits he recommended...yeah. I might as well just buy myself a new spine.

So, I asked for my x-rays, and they're going to digitize them and have them ready for me to take by next Tuesday. I'm going to take them in to another doctor and get a second opinion.

Personally, I think I just wrenched my back particularly badly, and my spine is probably totally normal. If, when I get a second opinion, it looks like this guy is telling the truth, then I will decide what I can afford to do. If he's not, I'll probably be turned off chiropractors forever. Either way it goes, I'm going to do the stretches and try to exercise more to keep all of me, not just my spine, healthy.

I'm falling apart. Bit by bit.

Things I Have Inherited

We have this ongoing joke that anything that goes wrong in my life is my mom and dad's fault. Good example is the other day we where talking about how some of the people in my office have a hard time getting up in the morning... I chimed in "I have a built in alarm clock... it has no snooze so I can't sleep in even if I want to." I inherited this from my dad. The sad part of all this is I got a combination of my dad's alarm clock and my mom's restlessness, so I have a hard time falling asleep. Also my alarm clock dosen't care if it is the weekend or not, I still wake up a 6:30 on the dot even on the weekends, so unfair. This is getting better, but what a combo. My dad can also fall alseep anywhere he could probably sleep on an airplane... and I am not talking about in first class ... or second class for that matter I am talking out on the wing. LOL

I do have some stuff I can't blame on my parents (as a joke of cource) is my back pain. I have been waking up with this very annoying stabbing pain that slowly settles during the day... but then when I sleep ... it comes right back. Well enough whining for the day.

I am super excited for my birthday party. It is really late this year, but it was the first weekend that was the best for all the people I could have come at once. I had a friend out of town so I had to wait for him and it seems the further out in the future I set plans the more people come.

Milkin' It

So... it was my birthday yesterday, and I didn't do anything out of the ordinary. I mean I sat on the couch all night and didn't do much, other than some laundry and a little shopping. Anna cleaned the kitchen for me but we really didn't do anything special. I think I should have milked it more ... like should have gone to a nice dinner and a movie and laser tag or paintball... dang, now it is too late.

Ex-Stuffed Animal

Once upon a time there was a small stuffed animal that I gave to Buster. We don't give him stuffed animals because he just destroys them and it is a waste of money. We got this one for free so I chopped the head off (I didn't want him to eat the eyes) and handed it to him ... he didn't take much interest in it for a while. Then I asked him if he wanted to go outside (this is his favorite pastime, just look here). He ran up to the door and waited for me to open it, I opened it and gave him the okay to go... he stood up and started out, but stopped, turned around, and ran over to get the stuffed animal. This was HIGHLY unusual but he took the toy outside with him. About 10 minuets later I opened the door back and called for him ... he came back in with the toy in his mouth again. He was being very gentle with it. This was odd, but he slowly started to rip the guts out of it... after a few days it had turned in to a husk of a stuffed animal and I thought he was done with it but Anna let him out again and he lightly carried it out with him. This time he left it outside. I was just curious... I let him out and told him to go get his toy and pointed at it. He went out and grabbed it and I told him to then go inside and he carried it in.


Long story short, my dog is smart, cute, and funny.

Funny Quotes!

"I'm not giving Ammon date rape drugs"
-Scott Walker

"At lease I'm wearing pants"
-Bagle

"Ammon is not here... "Really" and Ammon is not here... "'Really'" are totally different meanings."
-Scott Walker

"Did I just miss critical details involving your baby form"
-Bagle

"Sometimes I remix what you say to sound like things I like to hear"
-Bagle

"Rude: licking someones sandwich before they get to eat it. Creepy: licking someones sandwich WHILE they are eating it."
-Amy Smith

"I'm almost a high class idiot"
-Bagle

"Meat induced coma"
-Scott Walker

"I have to tell Anna, 'your husband isn't that smart"'
-Allene Marcum

"Think of it as a Thanksgiving dinner in a sandwich"
-Scott Walker

"Rude: hitting your sister. Creepy: hitting ON your sister"
-Amy Smith

"I is gunna be smart"

-Allene Marcum

The Dogs In My Life

I love dogs. Our first dog was Fritz ... I loved that dog, he was as dumb as a dust bunny. He was a very cuddly dog and loved to snuggle. When I was little I curled my hair and pulled it out... it was impulsive and I did it to that poor dog too and he put up with it. Once he ran down the stairs and slipped. This caused us to hear a Thud Thud Thud Thud as he hit each step... he then got up and while still reeling from the fall attempted to go down the next flight of stairs. As you would guess ... he fell again (Thud Thud Thud Thud). As he got older he started to lose his sight, hearing, and bladder control. Poor dog. He was not a very smart dog but calm and loving. Sadly we had to put him down.

The next dog in my life was Jack. Jack was pure muscle ... no fat at all the most toned dog ever. He wasn't my dog but I was living with Wayne and it was his dog. Jack was on the other end of the spectrum. He was very smart but had more energy than a nuclear reactor. One night I was watching the news coverage of the election 2004 and I decided to thow his ball until he got tired of it. I threw it for three hours and he was panting and had drenched the ball in spit when he finally stooped for about 30 seconds so he wouldn't pass out... He also shed like no other. This caused him to not be allowed on the couch or beds but he was not very well behaved. He thought that if he got off before you saw him on the couch he wouldn't get in trouble. If he was mad at you he would let you know by peeing in the house. He was also a digger... aaaahhh drove me nuts. He was overall a good dog. When Wayne moved to China Jack was given away to a nice family with other dogs.

Now to the dog I have now: Buster. Anna and I rescued him from the shelter. This shelter didn't put any animals down, so he had been there a LONG time (I think almost a year). People didn't get him because they said that he looked too mean... there is no way that dog looks mean. He is the perfect dog for Anna and me. When we first got him I was worried that he was too big at 40 lbs ... He was way underweight too. So Anna and I started to feed him and he gained about 5 more pounds. He is also VERY smart: he learns new tricks all the time and remembers them. He does get distracted easily but I can get him to refocus easily. He also has tons of energy, but only uses it when appropriate, like when we go for walks or when we go out side in the back yard to play. He does have a little energy inside to play tug and wrestle with me... but he doesn't overdo it inside. Sometimes outside I have to calm him down ... but he is very good. The shelter told us that he is not good with men, kids, other dogs, and has bitten before. They were right that he hates men ... but it is conditional. He only hates unknown men... and he has a sixth sense and can tell if they are good people or not. He will growl at bad people... like my ex-father-in-law. He is still concerned about men in my house but if Anna and I are at ease about it he will warm up to them quickly. The other things like other dogs and kids ... total bunk yeah he is not a super social animal but he is not bad around them. He never bites to bite ... he only play bites... which is not even biting, it is mouthing.

He is also a very good burglar alarm. He has a very mean bark and makes sales men nervous. He is extremely well behaved in that he has only peed in the house twice... once was the first day we brought him home and he marked once... and the other was just a while ago and I have no idea why. He is also very well trained in knowing what is his... like food ... I could put a raw steak on the floor and leave it and he wouldn't touch it until I told him it was okay. The only negative thing I can think of is that if he gets the chance he will bolt out the door and go for a run ... and you can't chase him that just makes him run harder. I have learned that I just need to call him nicely and he will come back. Overall he is the best dog ever.

Dr. Seuss "Pain Killers"

Oh painkillers, everyone loves you, even the grinch.
I love that you take away the pinch.

Some people use you too much, like Mitch.
I will never abuse you, only enough to take away the twitch.

You slow down the world and make it better,
Like when go down a hill and hit a tree when I'm a sledder.

Or when that texting teen drives in to the ditches,
You help when she gets the stitches.

When I forget to lift with my legs and get that pain,
You stop it before it gets to my brain.

You help with the most unpleasant of unpleasantness.
Like when we had to eat green eggs and ham.
You made me think is was chicken legs and spam.

-Scott

Brown Thumb

When we moved into our house there was a little bed in the corner of the back yard where a rose bush was planted. It was a very ugly rose bush, so eventually we got around to taking it out. We were left with a bare corner, and we hadn't decided what to do with it, so we just left it there. It became overgrown by weeds. Then, one day I was at Home Depot and I saw a bag of wildflower seeds, and I thought "What a great idea!", so I bought them and came home and planted them in the corner and then waited.

This is what I got:

Do you see any flowers there? Yeah, me neither. Just weeds.

So Scott and I weeded the corner and decided to try something else.

We went to Home Depot and bought several potted plants that were suited for our climate:

And then we came home and planted them. They looked pretty good!

We watered them and said nice things to them and took very good care of them, but apparently I'm terrible at growing plants because this is what we have now:

At least one kind of plant is still alive...