So, when the doctor only sees inside their own spectrum and wants to do only what they have in their itinerary, and then they say, "No, it's not pleasant" when you ask if the procedure hurts rather than, "Yes, it hurts," I think it is time to ask another doctor if your numbing feet is due to the herniated disc, the rotated hip or another source. Of course, if you then go home and check what other people have said after having this nerve test and find out their symptoms actually worsened and that it was like having air blowing on an exposed nerve in your tooth but magnified times twenty but also repeated for an unbearable amount of times, it doesn't lend to one's being willing to submit to more pain after having lived in chronic pain for going on four years.
It is one thing to experience the kind of pain it takes to bring forth new life out of your body, the kind of pain that yields real joyful relief. It is another kind of pain when someone sticks a bunch of needles in your muscles and then shocks you until you scream. Then they make you feel guilty because you are feeling too frail, too vulnerable, too shaken to want to submit to this procedure. I also don't like prideful doctors who make fun of chiropractors and mock you when you show a bit of trepidation about experiencing further pain, when you are already at the breaking point, because you have only one "nerve left."
On the upside, it was a lovely day, and there are no clouds in the sky. I went home, cried, and after researching said nerve test and cancelling it, went out and rode Huli the Bentley for as long as the strong south wind allowed.
Icing definitely helped upon getting home. Today, I did a full water workout with double stretches and have not yet had to ice!
Today was the first time I could tell a positive difference when swimming the breaststroke! It usually hurts quite a bit due to the hip rotation and in-turned right leg. But after doing the E-cises since Xmas, I finally can say swimming six lengths of breaststroke did not hurt! I also was able to do the elementary back stroke and did not grimace.
Doing the stretches, however, was another story. I have been saving them til the end, and I can't say it doesn't hurt to do those. But I was able to do two sets and was in the pool a full two hours.
I am so very thankful for the pool and pray God will see fit to keep it open until either we move or I die.
Now I want to make it part of my daily routine to walk on the mini trampoline at least thirty minutes (not all at once) and do the bongo board for as long as I can balance~
I am thankful, and waiting... while trying to stay upright and taking nourishment....
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
New E-cise Menu
Taken from Pete Egoscue's, "Pain Free," here are the new e-cises I am now doing every day.
For Hips and Lower Back
1. Counter Stretch (fig. 7-4) hold for one minute p. 112
2. Sitting Floor (fig. 6-11) hold for six minutes p. 95
3. Static Back (fig. 5-5) hold for ten minutes p. 70
4. Static Back Knee Pillow Squeezes ~ (fig. 8-2) three sets of fifteen p.120
5. Reverse Presses (fig. 8-8) ~ two sets of fifteen p. 131-2
6. Pullovers (fig. 8-9, a & b) ~ one set of fifteen p. 132-3
7. Supine Groin Stretch (fig. 5-7) hold until thigh muscle is pulling rather than knee muscles when leg muscle is squeezed ~ can take up to 30 min per side at first; p. 72
8. Modified Floor Block (fig. 8-3) hold for six minutes p. 121
9. Floor Block (fig. 8-10, a, b & c) hold each for one minute p. 133-135
10. Static Extension (fig. 4-7) hold for three minutes p. 56
11. Air Bench (fig. 4-8) hold for one to two minutes p. 57
12. Squat (fig. 8-11) hold for one to two minutes p. 136
Altogether it takes just over an hour and a half right now. As it proves to help with proper alignment, it will take less (or more, depending on how I change the menu when pain diminishes.) I will probably be able to do more e-cises as pain diminishes and get on a maintenance menu.
A note on the supine groin stretch: It takes pretty long at first, especially if you have been in chronic pain for a while. But the more you do it, the less time it will take sequentially. I have been known to fall asleep while disengaging this strong groin muscle.
At the end of each description of these e-cises is the explanation of what it does. In other words, why you do each one. Reading the material before the actual e-cises are prescribed is good to understand what is actually happening in the muscles; vis. what has gone amiss and why. It may take several perusals to grasp full knowledge of your improper muscular engagement if you are in pain as you read it. That's ok; just keep reading it until it sinks in!
I also have been trying to swim and stretch in the pool at least three times a week. This starts with 25 minutes of freestyle, 5 min. of breaststroke, 5 minutes of cool down (one backstroke, one length skull on back, one elementary backstroke, and one more skull on back for one length.) Bicycle one lap, running on the moon one lap, leap frog one lap.) Float five minutes.
Shallow end: Jump five minutes; skip five minutes; slalom jump five minutes
Stretches: swing each leg forward til toes break surface and back as far as possible ~ 10 X
swing each leg to side and back to cross other leg in front ~ 10 X then do same but cross other leg in back ~ 10 X
extend leg back as far as can ~ each leg 10 X
bicycle each leg around ~ 10 X forward and then backwards
rotate each leg around in big circles ~ 10 X and then the other way 10 X
swing each leg out to the side from front to back 10 X
Pull leg up to chest and hold for 2 min. do same with other leg
Pull right foot to opposite knee, press right leg down just above knee, and hold for 2 minutes; do same with other leg
Reach behind and grab big toe, pulling as far as possible, holding for 2 minutes.
If it isn't too windy, on days when not swimming, ride bike for 45 minutes.
Go home and ice!
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