Monday, January 7, 2013

It's been almost a month.

I could hardly believe it when I looked at my last posting.  In six more days it would have been a month.  I still don't feel like doing this but I am getting ashamed of myself.  I had good reason not to do it last month when I was so terribly busy baking and getting ready for Christmas.  Unfortunately the reason I haven't done it since we got home is that I really hurt myself and I don't even know how it happened.  I was sitting in my chair perfectly comfortable when all of a sudden I got the most horrific pain in the right side of the small of my back.  It was the worst pain I have ever had, childbirth and kidney stones included.  I was literally screaming and I can stand an awful lot of pain.  Dick came running and rubbed and massaged it until I could stop crying.  Unfortunately, it is still there.  I haven't left my chair for quite some time.  When I have to go to the bathroom, Dick helps me get to my walker, and sometimes he has to go with me all the way anyway.  I truly am having trouble walking.  I just decided that I am going to go back to the pain clinic and see if shooting more cortisone into the right lower back will help.  I got tremendous relief when I was having great difficulty on the left side and those shots would last me for six weeks.  Too bad it didn't last.  After a year or so, they stopped helping at all.  I haven't ever had it on the right side though, so maybe it will help.  I am going to make an appointment tomorrow.  But no more complaining here.

We did have a wonderful Christmas though.  We drove to Sue's early on the 24th and were so happy to be able to see and be with her WHOLE family.  It was so neat to be able to be with the great grandkids as there is nothing like Christmas when kids are there.  We truly enjoyed our short visit.  Short, because we left of the 27th and drove down the 101 to Nikki's and had our own Christmas with them.  Again, I got to see ALL of her family too, which meant two more great grandchildren.  It was great to be able to be with both families.  We left there on the on the 28th because we had to get home to set up for our New York New Years Eve party. 

The party itself was a great success as it always is.  Dick didn't take any pictures at all.  I was disappointed because I wanted pictures of all my friends.  They are dying off too fast, but many are in their eighties so what can you expect?  We had two die last year of our 24 total, so we were able to invite two more.  We invited the Pikes, Jim and Sue.  I am really surprised, to tell you the truth, because they had three other things they could have gone to, and also, once you are invited, it is for life, so you are expected back, year after year.  They have pretty well set down roots here and plan to be here for the rest of their lives.  One of the couple has to be in their 70's or 80's.  Jim is the same age as Dick, 76.  I am nine years older than Dick and Sue is nine years younger than Jim, so that makes her the youngest one of our group.  No, we didn't get any pictures taken, but all you have to do is look back to my last post and you will see some that we took last year.  The surroundings don't change from year to year.  The set up is just the same.  It's the only way we can get 24 people in here.  Even the Christmas tree is the same every year.  The food is still the same too, as we don't change our menu, everyone brings the same thing.  We did have one new dish this year.  Sue made a delicious corn cassarole, and everyone raved about it.  The only thing that changed was the circle time question.  This year it was "What time in your life did you consider yourself an adult, and why?   It was a fun question and we did get a lot of good answers, most of them funny enough to laugh at, so the tone was really light and fun, unlike it was last year when we were all in tears at the end.  As it was  last year, by 9:35 every last person was gone and all the furniture was in place (a lot had to be moved from the garage back in the house).  So all in all, it was a wonderful party and everyone is looking forward to next years.

I am really ready for my chair.  Sorry, no pictures.  I keep telling myself, and you, that at least I am going to learn how to take them.  I'll never learn how to transfer them.  I have a weird computer. 

Love to all...................................Darlene

10 comments:

  1. Hi Darlend, wow, it has been a long time since I heard how you were. I feel so sorry for you being in pain. I hope that the pain clinic can do something for you to help ease your pain.

    I'm glad that your Christmas was so nice and that your New Year's Eve party was a success as usual. What a great tradition. My husband and I just stayed home and had some wine and potato chips and went to bed early as we have to get up early every morning for him to milk the cows and me to feed and care for the calves.

    Don't worry about no pictures, you always describe everything to a T and I can imagine being there almost.

    Our temperature is so cold here, - 15 Celsius which is 5 Fahrenheit.

    I'll keep you in my prayers
    Sending you love and hugs.

    JB

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  2. I'm sad to hear about your pain. I've had back pain that appeared just that mysteriously. All it takes, it seems, is a minute movement, or sometimes just sitting in the wrong position (even if it doesn't seem uncomfortable!) I hope you've been able to get some help and relief. Your Christmas and New Years gatherings sound wonderful and I know everyone had a great time. How lucky to be able to have full family gatherings - that was something LaMar and I greatly missed this year, but it left us more able to concentrate on our parents, which was probably a good thing. Next year I hope to be able to be with at least one set of our kids.
    Well, stay warm and keep the heat and ice alternating on your back. I do hope you're feeing better very soon! Love, Karen

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  3. Hope one of those shots can give you some relief, Mom. I hope you can get it done before your Four Freshmen events!

    =)

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  4. Happy New Year Darlene..but I'm so sorry you have back pain. (Usually back pain makes me happy since it's hubby's work..just kidding!) I do hope the Doc visit will find a solution. My Mom had a similar thing happen to her and it finally got better. Just a fluke thing that sent her into back spasms. Very painful. Sounds like you had a very busy holiday with lots of travel and family. New Years party was a hit too! You don't need pics to make your posts fun, I enjoy your sense of determination to get through life with a good attitude. Hang in there keep us informed on your health! Love you!

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  5. Wow if that pain beat childbirth and kidney stones (I've experienced both) it must be alarming and excruciating. Please get well soon Darlene. Looking forward to hearing that you are walking around comfortably soon.

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  6. I have missed your posts; so I was happy to see you had one. I feel so sad that you are having back problems. The Thanksgiving in 2011 was a bad one for me. I had lower back pain radiating down my Rt. Leg. It was the worst pain I have had. We were out of state so I couldn't do much about it until I got home. The Doctor sent me to a Physical Therapist and it helped a lot. I do pray that you will get some relief.
    I am so glad that you were able to spend Christmas with your family. Your New Years Eve party sounded like a good one. I loved the question. It would be awesome to start something like this up.
    Just know that you are in my prayers and I hope you get feeling better soon.
    Sending love and hugs!

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  7. I must admit to wondering a bit about "the silence" and have dropped by from time to time, so I'm glad you are back. Sorry to hear about the persistent pain, though. I hope some more cortisone will help, although I'm personally not very fond of that kind of medication (I have to take 7.5mg of a compound called prednisolone every day ...)

    I'm glad you had a nice Christmas, and pictures are not everything - memories are worth more. Take care of yourself!

    PS My 8 degrees were Celsius - Fahrenheit is almost US Only ;-)

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  8. Oh no. That is just terrible about that sudden pain. How scary too when you don't know what caused it or why. You are blessed to have such a caring husband. But then you know that.

    As you explained about your Christmas adventure, I feel like I know all of who you mentioned, even the great grandchildren.

    Take care Darlene, and please do report back on how you are doing.
    Great question this year. I'm going to do the circle time at my next party...I love that idea! I wonder if it might even work with my Activity Girls even though they are ages 8-11...I think it would but just on a simpler level.

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  9. Darlene I am so terribly sorry that you went through this horrific experience with your back. The pain must of been off the scale for you to be crying and screaming. Makes me sad to think of that happening to you.
    I do know back pain but yours is a lot worse than mine.
    Thank goodness Dick was home and there with you. It must of scared you to death.
    Please don't feel like you have to blog. Like me I too feel like is to short. My post have dwindled down to once a week if that. Like you I feel my life is not exciting enough to write about.
    Your post though have always been interesting to me and I instantly liked you the minute I read your blog. I would miss you and others if I quit all together so I guess that is why I try to keep up as much as I can.
    I thought of you on New Years Eve wondering how your day and party was going. If I had a mate I would love to do this every year. I do miss entertaining couples. After my hubby left it seems couples did not have time for me. In a way I understand.
    Your Christmas with everyone sounded perfect. I am so glad.
    As you know everyone was too sick to really celebrate but I at least got to be with them for a little while.
    Take care dear friend.
    Know this ole Texas grandma thinks of you often.
    Love
    Maggie

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  10. Poor you! I've been thinking about you from the other side of the Atlantic and hoping you're feeling a bit recovered. January is a long month to get through but spring will be here eventually. Sending you lots of love.

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