I've been told again that the only way to fix my numbing legs and painful back (when I stand) is to fuse L3 in with the already fused group L4, L5 and S1. L2 is OK right now... but is suspect.
On October 13th I received my second-ever cortisone injection - to ...hmmm, I didn't ever fully understand why? (come to think of it) ... was it to see if I get any relief from the injection? or the doc had to suggest it to make sure he had "offered" alternatives to surgery? Was it in order to consider just living with the injections? Another hmm. Well, anyway, I am again amazed at how much pain I am in normally - now that the shot is helping and my back doesn't hurt I can feel the difference. I thought I only had pain when I was standing for about 15 min. Now I see that there is excruciating pain and regular pain. Regular pain I have all the time. Excruciating pain I have after standing for a few minutes.
So with this new feeling of not feeling my regular pain, I ventured about for a walk. My hope was to be able to complete a 20 min. walk in the neighborhood without having to stop or bend over, without the excruciating pain kicking in.
Today the sky is rich blue. Brown leaves swirl on the sidewalk and across the street. Moms are walking with children, dogs on leashes. The sun is warm, the air is crisp. I'm optimistic. What a great day to be outside. "Hmmm. I can tell that my left foot is numb on the bottom. Down the back of my leg... yeah, numb too. Check the time.... What? This can't be right... It's only been 4 min." Think back... I guess I was on my feet for some time before actually walking out the door... regardless... even though I don't have the excruciating pain (which from here on will be called the "X" pain), I have a left leg numb. So I sit for a few minutes - watch the ducks. There are two jets passing overhead. A woman is using a plastic glove to clean up after her dog.
Back up - and home. Results of the experiment. - I still can't walk for 20 min. - with or without the injection. But I enjoyed my attempt, every 15 min. of it. I finish up my exercise time by doing 30 min on the stationery bike.
Still don't know if I should do the surgery or not. But I enjoyed being able to walk without the X pain. I wonder how I'll know either way.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Fall leaves
Yesterday Carter and I headed out for a motorcycle ride to Echo Lake - altitude at about 10,000 ft I suppose - the base of Mt Evans. We were a bit delayed in our start since she was dealing with Comcast repair people in her house. As I waited for her at the Walgreens - the agreed upon meeting spot - I made it a point to be present in the moment.
I laid on the ground under an Aspen tree whose leaves are still green down in the Mile High City. I focused on watching the leaves move in the breeze, then focused on the space in between the leaves where blue sky was shining through. At that moment, there was no stress, no worry, no anxiety about Wall Street and the future - just the blue space bordered by green leaves. That is peace.
When she arrived we agreed on the next stopping place (figuring I'd need a potty break) and headed off. We made our way up I-25 through traffic, over 6th Ave. towards the mountains and finally on Morrison Rd. After my potty break and glove switching (from light gloves to heavy winter gloves) we made our way through Morrison, Idledale, Kitteredge and Evergreen. As we passed the Evergreen lake on the right it began to sprinkle. "OK, a little rain is OK." we thought. Carter wondered if I was going to bail on the trip - calling me a wusze. (How do you spell "wuze" whuze? whoos?) Anyway - we made the turn off the Evergreen parkway on the road to Mt. Evans.
Immediately we felt the temperature drop. Ominous clouds loomed overhead, but we trusted in the weather report that predicted a front moving through on Saturday night - not Friday afternoon. As we turned corner after corner, the Aspens showed off their splender - bright yellow leaves made a glowing contrast to the green mountain background. The road was dark with recent rain, golden leaves scattered by our tires, and the radient leaves caught our attention. We stopped to take in the view - observing the blue spruce, the scrub pines and the glorious patches of bright yellow, some with faint red tips. No, it's not the fall colors we find on the east coast with all their reds and oranges and yellows mixed in. Perhaps it is the stark contrast between the dark green of what we usually see with the patches of bright yellow that make the Rocky Mountain fall leaves so spectacular. It's not the variety, but the contrast that impresses me.
We headed into the lodge for a cup of coffee and to warm up before heading back down to Beau Jo's in Evergreen for their famous Mile High Pizza. As we drank in the warm brew - our eyes widened to see that something was happening outside. "Is that rain? sleet? OMG It's snowing!!" Our next question - What should we do? Riding motorcycles in the rain is dangerous enough, but in snow? No way. We reassured ourselves that it would stop as we witnessed the dark road turn white. Sure enough, it quit - but not before we abolished the Evergreen eating plan and decided to eat there. Buffalo chili and quesadillas sounded great - so while the snow started and stopped, and started and stopped again several times, we ate.
We made the decision during a lull in the snow to head back. I donned my electric gloves and gave Carter my thick Harley gloves, since her's were thinner. She bought a hat to cover her ears (she doesn't wear a helmet) and obtained a plastic trash bag to cover her denim jacket. Poking out the head hole and arm holes and tying it in the back to keep it from flapping in the wind, and after clearing our seats of the snow and ice, we were ready to go.
We took it slow on the curves, knowing the road was wet and could be slick. Again we became the audience to witness the splenders of nature. Absolutely gorgeous.
Back through Evergreen, Kitteredge, Idledale and Morrison. Back to the heat of the city. Back on the interstate, cars, short sleeve bikers, shorts and T-shirts in the 80 degree Denver weather. Back to being normal again. Nobody else knew that we had just seen nature change before our eyes, that we were witnesses of the Splender of God on the road to Mt Evans.
I laid on the ground under an Aspen tree whose leaves are still green down in the Mile High City. I focused on watching the leaves move in the breeze, then focused on the space in between the leaves where blue sky was shining through. At that moment, there was no stress, no worry, no anxiety about Wall Street and the future - just the blue space bordered by green leaves. That is peace.
When she arrived we agreed on the next stopping place (figuring I'd need a potty break) and headed off. We made our way up I-25 through traffic, over 6th Ave. towards the mountains and finally on Morrison Rd. After my potty break and glove switching (from light gloves to heavy winter gloves) we made our way through Morrison, Idledale, Kitteredge and Evergreen. As we passed the Evergreen lake on the right it began to sprinkle. "OK, a little rain is OK." we thought. Carter wondered if I was going to bail on the trip - calling me a wusze. (How do you spell "wuze" whuze? whoos?) Anyway - we made the turn off the Evergreen parkway on the road to Mt. Evans.
Immediately we felt the temperature drop. Ominous clouds loomed overhead, but we trusted in the weather report that predicted a front moving through on Saturday night - not Friday afternoon. As we turned corner after corner, the Aspens showed off their splender - bright yellow leaves made a glowing contrast to the green mountain background. The road was dark with recent rain, golden leaves scattered by our tires, and the radient leaves caught our attention. We stopped to take in the view - observing the blue spruce, the scrub pines and the glorious patches of bright yellow, some with faint red tips. No, it's not the fall colors we find on the east coast with all their reds and oranges and yellows mixed in. Perhaps it is the stark contrast between the dark green of what we usually see with the patches of bright yellow that make the Rocky Mountain fall leaves so spectacular. It's not the variety, but the contrast that impresses me.
We headed into the lodge for a cup of coffee and to warm up before heading back down to Beau Jo's in Evergreen for their famous Mile High Pizza. As we drank in the warm brew - our eyes widened to see that something was happening outside. "Is that rain? sleet? OMG It's snowing!!" Our next question - What should we do? Riding motorcycles in the rain is dangerous enough, but in snow? No way. We reassured ourselves that it would stop as we witnessed the dark road turn white. Sure enough, it quit - but not before we abolished the Evergreen eating plan and decided to eat there. Buffalo chili and quesadillas sounded great - so while the snow started and stopped, and started and stopped again several times, we ate.
We made the decision during a lull in the snow to head back. I donned my electric gloves and gave Carter my thick Harley gloves, since her's were thinner. She bought a hat to cover her ears (she doesn't wear a helmet) and obtained a plastic trash bag to cover her denim jacket. Poking out the head hole and arm holes and tying it in the back to keep it from flapping in the wind, and after clearing our seats of the snow and ice, we were ready to go.
We took it slow on the curves, knowing the road was wet and could be slick. Again we became the audience to witness the splenders of nature. Absolutely gorgeous.
Back through Evergreen, Kitteredge, Idledale and Morrison. Back to the heat of the city. Back on the interstate, cars, short sleeve bikers, shorts and T-shirts in the 80 degree Denver weather. Back to being normal again. Nobody else knew that we had just seen nature change before our eyes, that we were witnesses of the Splender of God on the road to Mt Evans.
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