Hi Paul.... Hey Wings...... I am saddened Wings to read you were injured anew in 2011.... that has GOT to be hard hard hard......

Chronic pain pretty consistent here as well... I will not go into the meds, because, goodness, I read your posts; HOWEVER, how about talking on cost of aquatic therapy a bit.

I have had a LOT of therapy and the aquatic side as well. The stuff is almost... almost like magic. After all, being dipped in 92 degree F water for a couple hours or more [ yes, you did read that correctly ] has a therapeutic effect no matter what. If you have had enough sessions to get down a routine of the exercises to perform, then ditch the therapy part since it can be done on your own. My own therapist after a while, and recognizing I would just go into the therapy pool and exercise withdrew over time to allowing me to work unmonitored.... this worked for me because I work HARD and used the pool to the max.

This is where the cost of aquatic therapy becomes less intrusive. Deduct the therapist from the solution if they concur, then the therapy cost drops precipitously to the mere cost of use of the pool. In my case, since the therapist concurred, the cost went from $150 per hour to a dollar fifty to access the pool. I used the pool for the same two plus hours and paid minimal fees for the privilege.

Then there was the convenience factor. Therapy at the center was across town. Therapy pools are abundant around the area in rec centers, fitness centers, the Red Cross center which primarily serves handicapped folks... hey wait, I am one of those too....

Everywhere a pool exists, I have found folks willing to allow me to use the facility. Cost is usually very minimal. The exercises, as I alluded, are already burned into my mental hard drive, so, there I go. and you can too, I reckon.

Kinesio tape? Yeah that stuff is neat, and if its support helps by lightly binding so your tissues are not harmed, your doc may not disagree with its use.

The mumbo jumbo of using infrared, and ultra sound have both been part of my gig, so it is possible you may find help as well. One does not know without giving it a try.

Most I can offer since I am a car wreck victim and not an injection victim, is chronic pain CAN be endured, conquered, and life may occur in spite of its hindrance. Mostly, I have found helping others, even here in this special place, by reaching out to give encouragement lifts me with even the minimal naturally occurring endorphims of the brain squeezing that miracle of joy into our lives. I will pray for you as well, OK? That is part of my gig as well.

Get in the pool. Talk to someone about being able to use it without the trimmings.... you need not build one at home. Those are too expensive anyway, and if you do sell the home, they do not generally appreciate the home value anyway.

Yeah, I am kind of a "run off at the mouth typist as well" sorry if this was too long.

Prayin for ya, Paul,
Mark56