Weeks After CHA

CHA has been over for several weeks now, and I had all these things I wanted to accomplish with the rest of my summer. As luck would have it, I sprained my back which has put me in ultra slow mode, when not immobile.
A week ago it was awful - I am pretty sure the pain was worse than when I had had ruptured discs. Monday morning I stood up, got dizzy, nauseous and was not so sure I wasn't going to pass out. I had not felt that bad in all my life. Thank the Lord for Dr. Joe Teff, my chiropractor. He came in on weekends and even saw me more than once a day. I know he is "all natural" and probably cringed when I asked if he could provide a prescription.
My MD was out for the week. She had always said we should keep Rx on hand in case I ever had my back go out when she was gone. We never followed through on the idea and I was desperate. Fortunately her nurse had another doctor prescribe pain meds, but I was disappointed to get no noticeable relief.
On Tuesday Dr. Teff used "light therapy" on me, which is supposed to help alleviate the pain. He treated me late in the day, but it really did not seem to help. (often requires multiple treatments)
By Weds. morning my leg muscles were so tight I could barely walk. For lack of knowing what to call the thing, he used a "jack hammer" on my tight muscles - pressing it against my thighs, pounding hard- surely thought I was going to be black and blue. The thing sure hurt, but it did wonders for going deep into the muscle to relieve the tension. Thursday I felt better, and went to work - but I didn't last an hour sitting at the computer and I just had to lie down. Friday I just behaved and laid around all day, and by Saturday I felt pretty good. My legs are almost pain free (the stairs can still be a problem), and the only pained area is the lower part of my back where the sprained ligaments are.

Thanks to Dr. Joe I managed to get some layouts done for some call deadlines that I really wanted to scrap for. I worked on them Saturday with my husband reminding me to stretch and take breaks. I did push it a bit, but that is how I am when I have deadlines.

August is full of deadlins for me. With two deadlines met my next is working with Tinkering Ink's Noir Blanc collection for Scrapfriends Review in mid-August. I know Wendi at the Scrapbook Playground has a box enroute to me as well for uploads on the 20th, and there a couple of DT calls that I am considering, if I can manage to find time to scrap for them.

It is amazing how one week out of commission can really make me feel behind. On the up side, I discovered just how compassionate my 9 yr old boy is. All of last week he played mom, dad, and nurse while Jesse worked. He took care of me and Abby - made us lunch (sandwiches all week - but they were good!), cleaned the living room, organized kitchen cupboards (a bit of that "OCD" showing up), used the massager on my legs, and was the best boy a mom could have. Jesse had a hard week, too. By the time he got home the kids were tired of sitting around all day watching television and video gaming - so he would get them in the pool as soon as we were done eating the supper he had made.

It is times like these where God reminds me just how wonderfully blessed I am. I have the best family, and even little Abby could think about someone besides herself for a bit. Although Kyle declares he is never going to get married (he is at the "girls have cooties" stage), I dare say I think he has the makings for a wonderful husband some day. I see how he has learned to be caring and compassionate, just like his dad. I would love to scrap this, but I guess I will have to stage some photos as I couldn't possibly do it last week while he made lunch and cleaned the house for me. He is one very special boy.

So that is a summary of our family's past two weeks - and now, back to the last baby layout for the Memory Makers book call. I have started this layout topic no less than three times since I began scrapping, and this time I am going to get it done!