The Glass is Half-Full, Or Maybe More...

Those of you who follow my Tweets and Facebook posts know that for the last few weeks (make that 6, but hey, really who's counting?) I have struggled with neck and back pain.  It started with a stiff neck in November, which was quickly alleviated with some muscle relaxers, anti-inflammatories, and yes, those crazy pain pills (that I have indicated may have, just may have impacted some of my rational decision making).  It continued on in December with a stiff neck and pain that radiated through my shoulder and into my arm.  (more and better anti-inflammatories and BIGGER more potent pain pills).

After a trip to the doctor over break, a set of x-rays and a lovely MRI (who wouldn't love laying perfectly still in a tube with a plastic cover over your neck while someone makes the machine sound like is is self destructing around you for 40 minutes?), the cause of all the pain has been determined.

When the doctor called and left me a message with the news,  he actually said- 'This is not what I expected to find' (I think that is interesting.. don't know that I've ever had a doctor share news in quite that way). 

So.... I have osteoarthritis in my neck and spine. (Yep, like what a typical 60 year old would have).

It's funny, if you read here, I talk about the other typically age related disease that I suffer from... so I've started teasing Joe that he has a 37 year old wife in a 67 year old's body.....

Of course, Joe and I's questions started right away... how do I get rid of the pain that I'm having right now (WITHOUT the darn pain pills preferably since they make me loopy and make me feel really tired and I can't take them during the day and the pain is so bad by about 6 pm that I literally am incapable of making decisions), how do I keep the disease from progressing, what do I need to do on the preventative end, what does the future likely hold?

I talked with my doctor on Friday and got some answers- will see him again on Wednesday for more.  Here's the down and dirty...  I will be going to a Spine Center/ Pain Management Clinic later this month to try to get this current 'flare up' under control.  Other than that I need to:  eat healthy, exercise regularly, introduce yoga to my exercise routine, avoid stress, and take more vitamins (gee, that sounds like what I need to be doing anyway folks... sounds like what we ALL need to be doing).

I think the initial diagnosis really threw me for a loop, but after thinking about it for a few days... this is a piece of cake.  Gives me even more reason to take care of myself and my body.  So.. that glass isn't half-empty as I felt right after the first message from the doctor.  It is half full, well really, it's even more than that, I think it's like three-quarters full.

And as the Hunter S. Thompson says....

Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in one pretty and well preserved piece, but to skid across the line broadside, thoroughly used up, worn out, shouting GERONIMO!

Have a great day folks...

C