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Sunday, December 29, 2019

a few late Christmas day pics...





Here are a few Christmas pics taken late Christmas Day:




 

 


Now we await New Year's Eve and our wonderful home-made eggnog!  


We have gone out to celebrate New Years Eve in the past... but no longer. It's usually bad weather and extremely crowded. So now we choose to sit by the fireside and toast the New Year in with home-made eggnog (spiked with a little bourbon)! We also like to watch the Waterford Ball drop... but don't always make it up that late.

New Year's Day Menu:

Pork Roast
Cabbage
Black-eyed peas




Wishing Everyone
Safe 
Healthy
Happy 
2020!


Oh... and an update on my Spinal Specialist appointment:

First of all, I really liked this man. He is a big man, but soft spoken and the first thing he said to me is "I'm going to sit here and listen to what's going on with you... so tell me what's happening."

After we talked a while, he said that from looking at my x-ray and MRI, I didn't need any surgery. To paraphrase what he said - it was that everything looked fine for my age. The few abnormalities that he saw were nothing to worry about and he didn't believe were the source of any problem. What he did see was arthritis in my spine and that could be dealt with.  And since I reported that the steroid injection I had received did help a bit, he prescribed a few days of steroids, then Tylenol once or possibly twice a day if needed for everyday pain... and a daily exercise program. If this didn't work, he would order some physical therapy.

I told him that this was what I hoped he would say... but told him that I was worried about my back seizing up again. He said he couldn't guarantee that wouldn't happen... but the exercises should help... and to keep the muscle relaxant and pain pills handy in case it did.

So far, so good. 


Hugs,
Rian









33 comments:

  1. Happy news... you can start off the new year with new hope. Cheers to a healthy New Year, friend.

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    1. Thanks, Latane. I too hope for a safe healthy 2020 for all of us.

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  2. I read your book 'Time After Time'. It was soooo good. Just wanted it to go on and on.

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    1. Again... thanks for the kind words. It means so much to me that my book could give someone a little joy.

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  3. i am glad it is exercise that is needed. YOu go girl!!

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    1. I will "go"... but much more carefully than I used to. And I am doing the exercises the doctor gave me. They are very similar to what we used to do in Yoga.

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  4. Sounds like you had a great Christmas and are planning a comfortable New Years. So happy that you found a doctor who would listen and give you a plan. Aim for a pain free 2020.

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    1. Thanks, Patti. I did really like the Spinal Specialist. He seemed a very caring person - who actually listened and was willing to spend time with you. I do like most of my doctors, but some don't seem to listen well.

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  5. My husband has arthritis of the spine, also. Back surgery was ruled out because it could result in worse pain and land him in a wheelchair. So he takes advil and aleve for pain.

    Happy New Year! Aloha from Hawaii.

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    1. I'm so sorry for your husband. Back pain can be debilitating. But if Advil or Aleve take the edge off, that is good. I use Tylenol x-strength.
      And I read somewhere that you use Tylenol with codeine. I used Tylenol 4 with codeine when I was younger for my migraines. It did work well. Luckily I only have ocular migraines now... and no longer need the stronger stuff.

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  6. Happy holidays and happy new year to you and your family. I'm glad all went well with the specialist, that's a good outcome (not needing surgery). I do hope the exercises, steroids and Tylenol do the trick for you. My best to you for a wonderful 2020!

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    1. Thanks, Kim. I am happy with the outcome and will keep you posted as to how it all works. Wishing you a wonderful safe happy 2020 also!

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  7. It's amazing how all consuming back pain can be. I am right now dealing with my own, a familiar pain of a pinched nerve in the IT joint, which also is home to two screws that exacerbate the pain. But I'm not getting any worse, and this morning I went to the gym and walked a mile on the treadmill. I was going to try the stationary bike, but they were all being used. At any rate, I have followed your progress and am glad to see how well you're doing. I'll see a chiropractor tomorrow if I can get in, and then acupuncture on Tuesday. If I'm not better, I at least know where to go next (the doctor). :-)

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    1. DJan, my daughter recommended that I go to a chiropractor when my back first seized up, but I was afraid to do so without knowing what was causing it. You seem to have a handle on your injury and know what to do. I hope it mends itself quickly and all will be well again soon.

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  8. Wonderful news re your back problems. Isn't it good when the first scenario in fixing a back problem is not surgery or excessive pain medication but something much less drastic and likely to work.

    Your New Years Eve celebration sounds just right. No crowds, noise, or difficult driving, just nice and cozy by the fire.

    Happy upcoming 2020! How did we get through this decade so fast?

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    1. I know, Vic, 2020 WOW! It sounds so... so... futuristic (at least for someone born in 1945). Remember that movie, "2001: A Space Odyssey" - saw this in 1968 and thought it so far away. Hope you have a wonderful 2020!!

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  9. Hi Rian, I just found your blog through Djan's blog. On your older cat blog, I loved your story about Julie-the counter cat. My experience is the same, you cannot tell a cat where too sleep or hangout. My little Zoe cat had about 6 favorite spots, including the bathroom counter. So I moved my stuff and folded up some soft towels to make her a bed.

    People are similar. I heard a story about an architect who designed a new building for a university. But there were no designated walkways to or from the building. When asked why no walkways? The architect said he was waiting to see where people chose to naturally walk, once those "natural pathways" were discovered, he would make those paths the designated paved walkways.

    Hope your back gets better soon. Luv your cats, racoons and possums.

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    1. Mary, thanks for coming by. Yes, Julie is a very determined little cat. She is almost impossible to side track once she gets her mind to do something. Right now we are having a very strange problem with her that not only has us, but the Vet perplexed. I will address it on my blog later this week. Right now it only brings me to tears...

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  10. The perfect menu to start the new year.

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    1. We think so too, Joanne. (Our kids are not fond of it though... ) Hope you have a wonderful safe and definitely healthy (pain-free) happy 2020!

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  11. Good news on your back issues! I hope, too, that it won't seize up on you any time soon.

    The Christmas photos are sweet. I'm guessing you didn't try the scooter.

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    1. No, I definitely didn't try the scooter, Mae. I was lucky to get down there (and up) from the floor when we took that pic...

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  12. I had forgotten about your homemade eggnog. Bet it is delicious! So glad the doctor didn't see any serious problems with your back...well any more serious than what showed up. An aching back is always serious. I like your Christmas pictures. Wishing you a very Happy New Year!

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    1. Oh Henny, it is so-oo good... so much better than that stuff you buy at the grocery store. (IMO of course) I will post the recipe one day this week. Wishing you also a wonderful safe healthy happy 2020!

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  13. We always spend New Years Eve at home, trying to stay awake to watch the ball drop.

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    1. Sounds perfect to me! Wishing you and yours a wonderful safe healthy happy 2020!

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  14. sounds like a great doctor with even greater advice, I just might get some black eyed peas this year

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    1. Linda, we always had cabbage and black eyed peas for New Years... supposedly a symbol of good luck and prosperity. Sure hope so. Can't hurt (and I think both are delicious).

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  15. That is WONDERFUL news that there is nothing that requires surgery. And, I do know that exercising can help with the pain. As you say, so far so good.

    That first Christmas image is a treasure!

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    1. Thanks, Anni. I am doing my exercises each morning... so yes, so far, so good.
      And that first pic was taken late in the evening Christmas day... we were all tired and acting silly. That was the one that looked OK... the others were us rolling our eyes or holding the mother goose in front of our faces.

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  16. First of all thank you for visiting my blog and for the lovely comment you left. It's nice to find bloggers with common interests. I have just become your newest follower, number 70 (that's almost my age, LOL give or take 4 years). I was having knee problems around 10 years ago and was seeing a doctor that was contemplating surgery and giving me shots. Then I got a second opinion and was told that I had arthritis and that the best thing that I could do was exercise. That's the one I decided to listen to and I'm glad that I did, because adding more exercise was the answer. After about 6 weeks my knee pain was gone and I haven't had it back. So, do your best to keep up with the exercises he gives you :)
    Again, I'm happy to meet you and hope that you will visit be again and maybe even decide to follow me back.
    Happy New Year!
    Connie :)

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    1. Hi Connie! I appreciate the info about arthritis and exercise... and I agree. I've known for a while that I had arthritis in my spine (due to a bone density where the tech told me I had 'degeneration of the spine' (sounds really bad, huh?) I asked her if she meant "arthritis" and she said yes... which really sounded a lot better than degeneration. It's still painful at times, but I can deal with it (could always be worse). Wishing you and yours a safe, healthy, happy 2020! And yes, I did sign up to follow you this morning... (thought I had already, but maybe not).

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    2. I have sympathy for your back pain, Rian, having had surgery myself some twenty odd years ago :(
      Hopefully exercise will help alleviate your discomfort.
      I'm loving your New year's Eve menu.
      Hugs
      Jo

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