Deer Mountain Wood Art

Ya know, I'm such a huge skeptic on everything medical - grew up with a mom that was a total hypochondriac that left me feeling like I should just 'buck up' and get off of my pity pot.
I now know that she's suffered with so many health issues(one of which is fibromyalgia) through the years and wished I'd not ganged up with my sisters on her! :( - man, I can see this now and wished I'd known sooner!! Poor mama!
Anyway, irregardless, anytime anyone in my family has a health issue - especially my kids - I usually try to ignore their complaints and refocus their attention. I guess I am having a hard time with boys complaining so much about pain and such, I know my dad was not like that and that was my mentor, so to speak...
I bought a Teeter Inversion Table a few years ago and felt that as soon as the boys stopped obsessing about wanting to be on it I would pull it out and get to work on my back.
I've suffered since I was 15 years old with muscle spasms, sciatica, DDD, and bulging and herniated discs. Lately, I've not been able to even work here at home because of a sciatic flareup - it's been so bad I was forced to borrow a walker for Heaven's sake!!?! That was an eye-opening event! I've lost feeling in the top of my arch, left side of my left calf as well as completely lost the feeling and strength in my big toe? Not to mention it feels like I've been standing barefoot on a metal ladder for days! This has been going on since the 25th of January and doctors have been less than helpful!
Yesterday my husband(who, to me, is a really big whiner!lol) and I pulled out the inversion table and gingerly set it up.
Talk about being skeptical! But I've reached my breaking point with the hip and back pain and am determined to try everything, and especially do the LTBP program! I had heard a couple of years ago that orthos were downing the home Inversion tables as not being effective and being just a gimmick so I was more than doubtful that any of this would be beneficial. Thank God for breaking points though!lol
I have an appointment with a 'spine clinic' for tomorrow but am thinking about not wasting my time. I know they're going to recommend surgery, and I'm not going to do that again! They also offer what they refer to as "real" spinal decompression, which is something I've been very interested in as it just makes so much sense to decompress and hopefully allow the discs to un-herniate themselves.
But, to the point.
My husband was first on the table - he's 265 and 6'4"(well, now 6'3") and even though he doesn't have all of the back trouble I have, he's in such bad shape it really didn't seem it could hurt! I expected him to not get 'results' from the table, and whine that he was in greater discomfort. To my surprise, he got off the table totally thrilled and eager to do more! Actually said it was the best thing I'd ever bought! He hated it when I bought it...
Okay, so he's very impressionable and I attributed his enthusiasm to the power of suggestion.
I still was convinced it would do nothing for me, or that it might even cause things to become worse, so I put it off for awhile after he got done.
After reading again all of the instructions from Jesse and Steven, as well as watching the videos, I decided to try it out.
The first time it caused me to feel a little discomfort but not enough to not try again later. Before going to bed for the night, DH and I did another session - we felt a little better, but as I told Roger, I felt it was too soon to 'feel better' and remarked how the mind was a powerful influence on how one's body felt.
When I woke this morning though, I had to admit that I really did feel somewhat better! I'm actually eager to do more this morning!
I don't know if it's the power of suggestion, my own desperation to feel better, or that it's actually making a difference, but even though I still am in quite a bit of pain, I do feel different, and can't truly explain, or deny, it.
I hope for all of you that are having sciatica or problems with your SI joint(s) to give it a try though. I now truly think it is going to help and that makes this the very first thing that's ever helped in over 30 years!
I hope that I can keep reporting good results and that you might benefit from my experiences with the different modalities that I am going to be trying :)
Always the consummate skeptic, I still feel that the results may be only temporary, but am hoping that this truly will be part of the 'cure' for my chronic pain and that I can eventually return to a productive life that is free of pain pills and doctors! :)
{{{hugs}}} to all, Freida

Boy, two and a half weeks and I'm still hurting - and my cold seems to be hanging on despite all efforts to get better!?
Roger has decided, actually made it his 'mission' to get me into his neurology doc and I am worried. The guy has the 'bedside manner' of a turnip; would be more palatable if it didn't taste like a burned boiled potato! I don't know what to do though as I don't want to go back to the e.r., they have such limited capacity to really help this type of thing, and my own doctor, who's also my friend, doesn't seem to want to help. He finally had his receptionist call and tell me that I should go back to e.r. so I could get a MRI or other tests. I think he's upset with the fact I don't have his mural done yet - it's only been 2 1/2 years!? What the heck does he expect from a great artist such as myself!!?! LOL Aren't we supposed to be temperamental and eccentric? I have to 'be in the mood' to create this masterpiece and it only happens now and then :( But he's right, he's an orthopod, I think, and his capacity is limited too. He doesn't charge me to see him, and I can't expect much.... Maybe I should get to work on that mural though, before I lose his friendship entirely!!
Anyway, Roger went to his office yesterday and asked to have my records transferred - she said it would take a couple of weeks to complete? hummm, well, the fact that I'm losing more and more sensation in my left foot and I wish someone could painlessly amputate my left leg from the hip socket down must not be the crisis it feels like it is. I've been getting around better as I get 'used to' the constant pain and have been able to sit for longer periods of time so I thought I'd try working at my tele job Sunday. I only had an hour scheduled and thought it would be a piece of cake. I didn't think that the fact I had almost completely lost my voice due to this stupid cold a problem I guess? lol It was bad though. I had three calls, but my Internet was so bad and their system was oh so slow. The last customer's order took so long that his wife was able to get online and order the same offer(for less she stated) and he ended up canceling just as I finally got to the last screen! :( The system was behaving so badly that even after he canceled it took 13 minutes to cancel his order and get the call logged - thank God he was extremely patient!!! I ended up calling my super and explain what was happening and she finally told me to just log off and call it a day.
I had the ISP tech out the next day and he, naturally, couldn't find anything wrong. It worked perfectly for him! argh! and of course, after he left, it went down again :( This has been going on forever so I finally called them again the other day, as I've not been able to trust logging in to work, and explained to him that there was no way it was on 'our end'. He was nearly rude, but it turned out he was right I guess; even after replacing our router last year, it still is not working right. I don't know if it's that we have too much on it - three desktops and my laptop and occasionally Tyler's Xbox360 and Austin's NDS(the router is wireless and hardwire capable) - but I do know that if I plug into the antenna directly I don't have any trouble staying connected. So I guess I'll have to get another router - if anyone knows a 'good one' let me know! :) Hopefully that will be resolved soon! I am scheduled to work tomorrow, but still not sure my voice, or congested nose is going to let me, let alone my leg/back and hip!?!
I started a new project last night; a nice tropical scene. My sister, Sandi, has always associated me with flamingos for some reason that I can't remember now, so it has a flamingo in it as well. I really find myself thinking of her while I am working on it :) I am thinking that doing what I love will help me get better, and it seems to help, so I'm plugging away trying to get some new pieces out there - I love working with the wood, it just feels so good!
I sent off for the business license yesterday for Deer Mountain Creations. That felt good too, to know that my business will finally be a real business! Everything else will fall under this general dba, as I have a few other ventures that I'm working on and needed something a little less restrictive as Deer Mountain 'Wood Art' is; one of the major outlets is getting my community together in one 'store front' that we all can sell our wares on. The folks still don't believe I'm going to do this for free, but there are so many talented people here that I hate to not see them share with 'the World'! I can't wait to get it in full production :) It will be on Etsy as well under "Deer Mountain Creations" and will have tons of different things (Such as these wonderful Peanut Butter Dog Biscuit Treats!), from crochet to metalwork... getting excited just thinking about it! lol
Well, guess I better get out there and start making some sawdust - it's very cold and snow covered here, but my shop heater works well and I'm sure my enthusiasm will help warm me as well! :)
I hope ya'll have a great Thursday!


As always, thanks for "stopping by the shop!" Freida