He was munching when I talked to him--tops of trees you understand--he mentioned something about a shortened neck on my type but....

Of COURSE gazelles brush. what DO you think we live on?

Couldn't vacuum. This bag was full.

I will PM you.

That's what the spine guy said too. Guess I'm just a bit shy of PT as I was stuck there for 9 months after my car accident in '94. That did help, however no matter how painful it was. And I was pretty religious about doing the exercises at home and at the gym too.


Maybe? MAYBE?? Heal already (silly DM) and fairy dust yourself over to PT and do exercises! <gettin' out drill sergeant cap> I'd kinda like to see you feeling better, oh princess.

Spine guy mentioned something about using a ball at PT. Pretty sure it wasn't about having a ball at PT, but you never know. In any event, I figure I'll have more exercises and stretching to do at the gym--if I can get back there and not have another bout of really bad fatigue. There's also a place around me that does a type of exercise called Yamuna body rolling that was recommended to me by someone here. Sounds very interesting.
http://www.yamunabodyrolling.com/

gaz the small back muscle exercises will help a lot, as shelley said you just have to make them part of your everyday activity, curious this doc's visit and what ever you had done mri. cat? this rules out a pinched nerve? I had a test of course no idea what it was called eek ekg egg one of those E test for pinched nerves (emg?) Hoping and praying PT works and helps you out

I hear ya Gazzy, but I think the thought of driving to another town several times a week, just puts me off. You do know that I live in Toad Hollow, right? It's like freakin Hooterville.

I'm seriously thinking of thinking about PT.

How ya feeling today?? Better, I hope!

Good, DM. I'm glad you are considering it. And yes, I know where you live. LOL I've seen the pics your stalkers took.

Just lingering muscle spasms in several areas--not enough to make me go for medication. Which is good.

The physiatrist's office sent me the following pain scale to rate pain. I thought it was worth sharing because I found it easy to understand and to relate to others how I was feeling. When I got it, it made me chuckle because when I related the # of pain to the docs in the ER (before I'd seen this chart) I said 7-8 on a scale of 0-10. And reading it validated that I'd placed my pain level the night I went to the ER right where it needed to be placed. Which was cool and disturbing all at the same time.

Pain Scale

Scale is 0-10 with 0 being none and 10 being maximum pain.

0 = none at all --- pain free

1 = slight---------very minor annoyance; less frequent strong twinges

2 = very, very weak--Minor annoyance; occasional strong twinge

3 = very weak-----Annoying enough to be distracting

4 = Moderate------Can be ignored if you are really involved in your work, but it is still distracting

5 = somewhat strong--can't be ignored for more than 30 minutes

6 = Strong---------Can't be ignored for any length of time, but you can still go to work and participate in social functions

7 = Very strong-----Makes it difficult to concentrate. Interferes with sleep. You can still function with effort.

8 = Intense---------Physical activity severely limited. You can read and converse with effort. Nausea and dizziness sets in as a factor.

9 = Very intense----Unable to speak; crying out or moaning uncontrollably

10 = Maximal--------Unconscious; pain makes you pass out.

Thanks, Frank.

Yep--I have C and T spine MRIs and apparently (although I forgot about it) an older lumbar spine MRI too (from 2003). The C and T spine are from 2007, so they're fairly recent (done in Dec. 07).

Oh boy..... don't MENTION the EMG word with me. I hate those bloody things. If I don't have to go through another one I'll be terribly happy! Don't like them.

Hey hoovered one, I had a great PT session today and we worked mostly on my lower back. Some intersting stuff. Lets chat soon.

PT-lady tried to get the ball rolling with me...

I totally didn't have a ball.

and I wasn't on-the-ball either.

it was large, red, bouncy, and I fell off.

Gazelle,

I had back surgery in 1991 after several months of aggressive PT. The PT made my back worse and I had to give up and have the surgery.

The surgery didn't work and 17 years later I still have pain every day. The only PT that works for me are the stretching exercises, pain pills and my faithful heating pad.

My Neuro believes that my back problems are MS related but they weren't looking for MS when they did my MRI's and all the back tests in 1991. The Neuro Surgeon who did the surgery told me my spine was a mess in 1991.

My MS started big time 4 months after the surgery and my Neuro said that she does not recommend back surgery for her patients. I didn't ask her why because I'm not going to have another back surgery.

I don't even want to know what my back looks like now. I also haven't had a brain MRI since 1994 and can't have MRI's because of my pacemaker. I don't what to know what my brain looks like now either.

I just know I have MS and a bad back.

I hope you feel better soon. Back pain is just awful.

Gazelle - MHO, PT shouldn't hurt. You might be tired or a wee bit sore when you're done, but hurting is bad.

Also, do look into stretches and exercise that were mentioned before - I'm saying, I got more relief from yoga and a balance ball then PT. (The new mattress helps too though, I gotta say)

If all else fails, I have tequilla. I swear by it.

Becky - I think too many docs cut first and ask questions later.



The NS I saw didn't even suggest PT, just surgery. That was 4.5 yrs ago. Well he was wrong - I ain't paralyzed or dead yet.

If I ever run into him, I'm gonna tell him I cured my own self with a Teeter Hang Up.