Some Stress, Some Pain

The past week has been a bit stressful.  Monday, the 19th was the sixth anniversary of my father's death, and the 23rd was the anniversary of his burial.  There have been so many things during the past six years that I've wished he were here to witness, and Andrew's graduation is just another one of those things.

Jeffersonville High School had 378 graduates this year.  The construction on the high school made parking a bit hectic, but there were plenty of parking attendants and local police officers directing things.  The ceremony itself only took about 90 minutes.  Afterwards Andrew went to C's graduation party, Thomas and Eler Beth went fishing, and I came home and took a nap!

Adding to the mental and emotional stress last week was physical stress as well -- a bout of sciatica that has not really improved in a week's time.  I didn't do any exercising last week as a result of the pain. The pain got a little better and then worse again, so I guess I'll go get it checked out.

I have scoliosis and had to wear a Milwaukee brace for four years as a child (which is a story I should probably write about someday).  As a young adult I had some back pain, but nothing too terrible until after Andrew was born, which is when I began gaining weight.  Now I have sporadic bouts of pain in the left lumbar (which is where the curvature is worst), but usually massage, rest, or anti-inflammatory drugs ease that pain.  The pain I've had this week is in my right lumbar (practically unheard of for me), right pelvic area, and right buttocks, so I'm sure it's either a pinched nerve or maybe even a bad disc.  I can't bend over, and sometimes can't even turn over in bed without excruciating pain.  I started to get up from the sofa a few minutes ago and felt like something grabbed me and threw me back down!   Another possibility is that because I have been losing some weight and strengthening muscles, some muscles may have shifted in my lower back, and that may be causing strain or pressure on a nerve or two.  Yes, a trip to my doctor is in my immediate future.

I have not sat at the computer much lately, so am behind on J-land news.  Even sitting up in bed, using the laptop is painful.  And taking pain killers or muscle relaxants has not been an option for most days this week because of having so much going on.  It doesn't take much to knock me out (Extra-strength Tylenol has been known to do the trick), so I have to make sure I'm able to sleep off what I take.  So basically I've been moving stiffly so as not to make any sudden wrong moves, leaning on whoever's arm is closest, gently stretching my lower back, taking very hot showers and Motrin, and, once finding just the right position in bed or in a chair, holding that position for as long as possible.  Lying on my left side and pulling my knees up to my chest helps too.

So that is most of my news for the past 10 days or so.  I hope that I feel up to catching up with everyone soon, and that my plans for the upcoming few weeks won't be affected by my back pain.  The awards ceremony for Prosser is this Wednesday, so once we get through with that I can relax (mentally at least) for a few weeks.

I hope everyone reading this is doing well and that their summer is getting off to a good start.