Hi Cuties, I've got some news. I've been in constant pain for about 2 months relating to the problem in my back and Sciatic nerve and to that end have been told I'm not to Sew, Garden and no lifting of children or heavy objects.

Sorry to read about the problems you are having with your back it must be quite depressing hope you start feeling less pain soon
keep smiling

Saw the Physiotherapist late yesterday afternoon and he has suggested me doing some exercises to strengthen the back and surrounding muscles. To that end I'm off to see a lass on Wednesday to learn about exercises to do in a Hydrotherapy pool (which is heated). I'm not much into heated pools, but will give it a go and then just go to the beach which is only 5 minutes from my place. I prefer the cold especially as Summer officially starts here in 11 days. I'm willing to give anything a try and leave surgery as a last resort. Thanks to everyone for your thoughts and prayers I really appreciate it. Love Chris

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by toogie 22 Nov 2016

Oh Chris, I do hope you find the right solution for you. I feel bad for your pain, as I watched my husband go through severe pain, when his back was at its worse.It's easy to get depressed, it has been so l-o-n-g. I also know you're a woman of faith and everything happens in His own time. Take care my friend and hopefully this will work for you.

Oh, Chris - I just now read this - I have been wondering how you were feeling - You must do what he says - there are plenty of wonderful family around you that can take care of things - I hope he helps you soon!! In my prayers, Laura

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by pennifold 18 Nov 2016

Thanks Laura, I'm to go see a lass next Wednesday to learn some exercises for the hydrotherapy pool, but I'm sure I can do them just as well at the beach. So I'm giving it a go. Love Chris

So sorry to hear this, Chris...I was hoping that after your surgery, all would be well...hoping your physio can offer some help...

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by pennifold 18 Nov 2016

Thanks Kim, you and me both! Love Chris

Boy oh Boy I bet you are having some serious withdrawal problems about now. Especially with the progress of your Quilt squares.
I also have issues with my back ( no where near what you have) and I have place my overlocker up on a kitchen bench height cupboard and use it standing up. Ask if you can do something similar with your embroidery machine.
I have learnt a few tricks for when my back goes out on me. One is sitting on a kitchen chair to get food out of the fridge crisper. The thing that helps the most is do not sit for long stretches at a time and walk the pain out at a steady pace. I see you are going to do hydrotherapy that is so good for any aches and pains as no stress is put on the body.
And the best part is you get a very good snooze when you get home as you are so pain free and relaxed for a while so make sure you make time for it.

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by pennifold 18 Nov 2016

Thanks Barbara for those tips. I've got some good responses from this post and I'm willing to try anything. I've actually had a little snooze this afternoon for an hour - I've shut the house up to try and keep it cool. Was going to bake my Christmas cake today, but as I said to Irene it's too hot!!! I will be seeing the Physio in an hour's time and hope he can suggest a few other alternatives for me. Prayers for you too Barbara. Love Chris

Hi Chris
Sorry to hear you are still having problems with your back, you have to take it easy & maybe this is your time to have people doing for you instead of the other way round. You could get yourself a good book & catch up on your reading ?? Best wishes to you
Irene

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by pennifold 18 Nov 2016

Ha ha ha! Mum said the same thing. She is an avid reader and what with our summer beginning reading a few good books might do the trick. I'll check up on that. Love Chris

PS At the moment I'm wanting to get my Christmas cake baked, but it's too bl..dy hot today!

by irenewayne 18 Nov 2016

Chris, it's been hot in Warren also. Had trouble with house & car A/C the past few months. The car was a drama to get him to look at it again, had a new system fitted & it never worked from day 1. 4 trips back to him later & getting every excuse under the sun it looks like it's finally fixed so I feel for you re the heat. Trips to Dubbo were unbearable in the heat, but on a better note the house A/C we think is o.k now. Make your cake n a few days time when you really feel up to it & hopefully in cooler weather.
Irene

Chris you have all my sympathy as I too have had problems similar if not the same as well as other complications. I don't know how to contact you privately but I have one or two suggestions if you know how to do this.
I will pray for the Lords healing hands for you.
Hugs, Lynne

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by pacmp 17 Nov 2016

Lynne to contact Chris privately you just click Inbox then to the upper right will be a blue tab that says Private message- click that link then put Chris's info into the "TO" box and you will want to use the name exactly as it shows, so Chris's is pennifold, post the message and hit send. When she responds back you will then have a number 1 in a red circle next to your Inbox.

by pennifold 18 Nov 2016

Hi Lynne, yes as Pam has said just Private Mail me at the above INBOX heading and just use my avatar which is pennifold.

I'd love to 'talk' to you. Much love to you too. Love Chris

Ask your Physiotherapist about sitting on an exercise ball. Mine suggested one of these over a chair because it forces the user into proper posture. He recommended the proper size and inflation for me. After six years, I still pull it out on occasion. Sending you a healing prayer.

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by pennifold 18 Nov 2016

I thought of that too Annie, my daughter has one and I asked if I could have it, but she and her husband use it every day themselves. I've got one of those kneeling stools where you put your knees onto it and it makes your back really straight, I'll have to use that I think for the time being until I can get other things to help me. Love Chris

Total bummer. I am praying for your good health to return.

oh my dear, I'm so sorry to read you are in so much pain. I'll pray with you the Physiotherapist can help you. Prayers and hugs for you .

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by pennifold 18 Nov 2016

Thanks Gerry, he comes highly recommended and is Physio to our local Knights Rugby team! Those men get some serious issues! Love Chris

Sending hugs your way. I am sure you will probably find ways you could still sew without stirring things up but in the meantime take it easy on yourself while you recover

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by pennifold 18 Nov 2016

Thanks so much, at the moment I'm being a lady of leisure! He he he! I'm watering the garden, but not pulling all of the Jonquil and Daffodil greens that are turning brown slowly. I've got to wait till they are brown and then get rid of them, so Trevor will have to do that for me! Love Chris

poor you!! My hubby has bad back problems too and I know how it can stop you sold in your tracks. Hopefully the do tor can help you .. Prayers are coming your way.! Suzanne

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by pennifold 18 Nov 2016

Thanks Suzanne, as I've said before I'm willing to try anything at the moment. Prayers going out to your hubby too. Love Chris

Chris- I am so grateful that your Christmas goodies have all been finished for your ladies luncheon. I hope that maybe finding a medical cushion that will give you relief so that you will have more options opened back up to you. Many of the medical supply places offer a money back guarantee, if the item does not help your situation. I looked at the link that parkersmom recommended and there are so many various cushions that I too was looking for a better one than I currently am using when I am able to be up in my electric chair. I firmly believe that there is a cushion or kind of chair that would help ease that sciatic nerve for you. Finding the right combination is the challenge, as the shipping of items that did not work out can get expensive. You may want to even call up one of the medical supply places shown on the Amazon listings and give them your height, weight and the medical issue along with what cushions or chairs that you have tried that did not work so that hopefully they can find you a good solution, you may even want to send them an email with pictures of what did not work in case you used cushions from other suppliers but they would see if you had already tried ones similar to some of their models.


The most important thing is to keep your spirits up and if sewing is the thing that brings you the most pleasure in your daily life, then first find a chair or cushion that does work for you and then address how you can adapt your sewing so you can do it in that particular chair. I'm not sure if your HUS machine has the hand start/ stop but that is a feature that is immensely helpful for me. If you can try to have a few kinds of projects you can be working on whether you are having to lay in your bed, or while sitting in your recliner or other location you may have. Being able to work on things you enjoy will help keep your spirits up along with uplifting music or even uplifting messages you can listen to on line. I would also say there are still lots of "sewing" or even "gardening" type skills that are still within your bodies limitations. I would hate for you to remove ALL of those activities when they bring such immense pleasure to your life. The key is to figure out ways to do things that are still in your range of activities. For instance I would think you could still sprout seedlings and do transplants to the larger pots, though I fully understand that your body should not be out kneeling on the ground reaching forward into deep holes or digging holes, but there are many things that should still be OK as long as you know your limits and did not allow yourself to cross the line into doing those things that hurt your body. If your husband is willing to help set up or move the things that are outside of your limitations my hope is that this new limitation by the physiotherapist will not clip your wings so to speak. It is about finding ways to still do the things you can. Handwork, knitting, crochet or needlework in the smaller sized projects so you are not fighting the weight of a large quilt for instance. You may even find you could have a rolling table like in the hospitals and use it over your recliner and you may be able to still cut small sizes of material or even may be able to sew with your machine as long as the machine was a model with the hand start and stop function or have a foot pedal adapted for you to use. If you are at 15 degrees elevated then likely that would take some creativity to manage but as I am usually laying in bed with just the head and shoulders at the 30 degrees or less and I have found cooling mats for the laptop that raise it's angle so you can easily work on a laptop while even totally flat. I think I could even figure out a way to put my feather weight machine onto that incline with the shelf lining gripper mat so the machine would not slip around, so I could still sew while flat in bed. That or I would have my husband create an incline with a edge built up to hold the machine on the incline. I would likely have to have my husband mount the foot pedal on a board and then have the board placed under my leg in bed so my foot could still push the pedal as I tend to use both my hands when sewing. Depending on how long you are willing to go without sewing will determine on how creative you will need to be to adapt your activities. The easiest solution is to be spending time on the laptop doing things like organizing your design files, or using your software to create designs for future sewing. You may even want to try digitizing to challenge yourself and give you satisfaction.





In one of your responses you said the physiotherapist- which I believe is our physical therapist from your definition you posted, has said to have you at 15 degrees- to clarify is this 15 degrees, so barely above flat or 15 degrees reclined so, barely reclined from sitting upright? That 15 degree reclined position is one of the most painful positions for my body but the 15 degrees elevated, is so low that my recliner does not recline that flat.





You have been on my list of people needing ongoing prayers since you started having these issues and I remain hopeful that you will continue to search out ways to help your body to not only get well but to also find solutions and ways to adapt the ways you do things so that you can continue to enjoy your hobbies as well as the time you spend with family, friends, and your church activities. Huge (((Hugs))), Pam

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by pennifold 18 Nov 2016

Wow! Pam thanks so much for your kind words and suggestions. I'm trying everything at the moment and hope that something will work. Love Chris

As a cronic back pain sufferer, I "feel your pain". I'm not sure if I've shared this with you or not, but in Yoga there is a pose called "Dead Pigeon" or reclining pigeon. It stretches your sciatic nerve that runs along side your glutes and thighs and give me great relief. You can do this lying on your back (floor is best but bed works) or sitting in a chair. I'm attaching an article from Yoga journal that explains it in great detail.
This was taught to me by a Physiotherapist. You might ask yours about it before trying it. It has saved me more times than I want to tell.
Praying for you to heal and get relief. Love, Jerrilyn

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by pennifold 18 Nov 2016

Thanks my dear Jerrilyn, yes, I've been trying that, but can't get my right leg to come up into that position without me crying out in pain! I'm sorry to that you too have chronic back pain, it's not nice is it? I'm hoping that with the massaging of my L5 that it will give me some relief. I'm off to see the Physio in an hour (it's Friday arvo 4.00pm as I write my reply here.) Love Chris

by jrob 18 Nov 2016

L5 is not my friend either. I hope he can help you. Love, prayers, and hugs to you dear friend.

Chris,believe me, I have the utter most sympathy since I have been living with it for over two years now. At no time am I ever completely free of pain so I know what it's like. I've learned to deal with it and just keep going but only with God's help. I pray for you and hope soon you will be free of the constant pain. Much, much love/Lillian

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by pennifold 17 Nov 2016

Oh! I'm so sorry to read this and I empathise with you. It's not good and at 64 I'm thinking I don't want this for the rest of my life. Living on pain killers is not good for the kidneys and liver! Prayers going out to you too. Love Chris

Sorry to hear you are having Sciatica troubles again Chris. You must have sent some of it down here to Tassie as I am having problems again as well. Packing and travelling back and forth to our new house does not help. It is painful to sit and also to lie. I know I should be having some Physio but I just cannot fit it in with having to sort out the new kitchen and other stuff involved with moving. We have set the date to move, it being the 28th of this month. The new kitchen goes in tomorrow. That will be the main thing out of the way. I am looking forward to having my sewing room set up but don't want to push hubby too much as he is still having health problems too. You have been in my thoughts and prayers so please add mine to yours. Big Hugs from Down Under. Shirley

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by pennifold 17 Nov 2016

Hi Shirley, thanks for replying and I'm sorry to hear you are in the same boat. I hope your kitchen is in by now and that you can get your sewing room set up asap. Hope your husband can get better too. Thanks for thinking of and praying for me I'll do the same for you. Love Chris

by shirley124 18 Nov 2016

Thanks Chris. The kitchen is half in. Should be finished on Monday. Hope to have the new power points put in the sewing room on Monday as well. Hugs

by greysewist 18 Nov 2016

Happy to hear that your move is happening, Shirley. You sound really organised with getting a new kitchen in and power points for the sewing room before you need to move around all of your installed gear -well done!

Dear Chris I am so very sorry to hear this. Will you be able to sew or do light jobs if you rest your back for a year? Please take it easy. Much love ❤️ to you.
Sarah

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by pennifold 17 Nov 2016

Hi Sarah, I hope so. I'm not to do any sewing, gardening or lifting till Christmas! He said you need a good year to get over a surgery!!!! I think I'll take it much easier next year. Amy's getting married in Bali in April, so I need to be better for that and I need to have Cataract surgery sometime before then too! Love Chris

by airyfairy 17 Nov 2016

As I said Chris - take it easy. Difficult I know.......

Oh, Chris I am sorry to hear this news. I do pray that you will soon be back doing what you love, with all the hard work you have put into your ladies luncheon and gifts, you now need to rest for a while. I do hope your recovery is quick and that you are able to enjoy your time with the ladies for the festive season. Thinking of you. Sandra.

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by pennifold 17 Nov 2016

Thanks so much Sandra, yes, I hope to as well. I think of Carolyn and Toogie with all they do with their sewing and I should heed their warnings with regards to back, nerve damage etc. I need to take it a bit slower! Love Chris

I am not sure what a physiotherapist is, but it evolves the nerve , see a neurologist. I saw an orthopedic Dr and it was a mistake. this was many years ago when I hurt my back. Kay

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by pennifold 17 Nov 2016

Hi Kay, I looked up for you what a Physiotherapist is and here is what is says:
"Physiotherapists help people affected by injury, illness or disability through movement and exercise, manual therapy, education and advice. They maintain health for people of all ages, helping patients to manage pain and prevent disease." Love Chris

I am so sorry you are still in pain. I was under the impression you had gotten better. I can feel with you. Battling with back pain as well. Prayers for you,

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by pennifold 17 Nov 2016

Thanks Angie, yes, for a while it was good, then wham, back again! Prayers for you too. Love Chris

No fun when you're in pain, hope all is well soon.

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by pennifold 17 Nov 2016

Thanks so much loosie, yes, me too! Love Chris

Sorry to hear that you are again battling with the pain. If not sewing for a while would help it is fine. I pray you are pain free soon.

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by pennifold 17 Nov 2016

Me too Eleen, can't wait to not have this pain in the butt!!! He he he. Love Chris

Such devastating news at least in the short term. That's a lot of enjoyment to have to give up. Praying that the doctors will have you back to your old tricks in the long term. I don't always comment, but I've enjoyed your project posts.

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by pennifold 17 Nov 2016

Thanks so much and I appreciate the fact that you have replied here. Thanks so much for enjoying my projects. Love Chris

So sorry you are in pain. Be good and follow the docs orders. You are in my thoughts. mk

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by pennifold 17 Nov 2016

Thanks so much mk, I'll certainly do my best. Love Chris

Oh Chris, I am so sorry that you are having to go through all this. If I had the power, you would not suffer a moment more. Since I do not, I shall continue praying for you. Sending you a heart-full of love. Please take care of "you" for us.

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by pennifold 17 Nov 2016

Thanks so much Marjorie, I appreciate you praying for me and I know with all of your help I'll get better. Love Chris

I'm sorry to hear about your continued issues with your back and sciatic nerve. I wanted to share with you. that Acupuncture was highly recommended to me for my sciatic nerve. This gentleman that recommended it to me said he was suppose to have back surgery the very next week, He decided to try acupuncture. He said " 3 years later he still had not had the back surgery". so I gave it a try, I probably had 8 sessions, My sciatic nerve had been a lot better. I will definitely have acupuncture again as needed.Prayers for you as you are healing.

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by pennifold 17 Nov 2016

Hi abl789, yes I've had Acupunture but the needles don't go deep enough to alleviate the problem area. I'm going to be doing a lot of stretching exercises and hydrotherapy. Thanks for your prayers, love Chris

oh Chris i thought you were all better sorry to read this i will lift you up to the high places hugs

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by pennifold 17 Nov 2016

Thanks I certainly need all of your prayers! Love Chris

Did your doctor say anything about your recliner? I was told many years ago that a recliner is the worst thing to can sit in for back, neck and spine. I have not had one for years. Hope you get better, so hard to be in pain.

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by pennifold 17 Nov 2016

Hi Lily, he told me to sit at a 15 degree angle. I can't sit bolt upright like I prefer, but have to relax the back a bit! Weird hey? Thanks for your input, love Chris

At least you can still be in touch with all your friends here on Cute. Prayers going your way, as a bad back is nothing the sneeze about
( couldn't resist that one) Please take care and keep us posted on your progress. Hugs and Love Lynn

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by pennifold 17 Nov 2016

Thanks Lynn, you know it's funny you said that because when I sneeze or cough it goes right to the bl..dy spot!!!! Thanks for your prayers I appreciate that. Love Chris

My daughter has terrible spine issues, and she has found that she can sit relatively comfortably using a gel cushion that we got from Amazon. Here's the direct link to the product.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product...

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by pennifold 17 Nov 2016

Thanks so much for this information. I appreciate anything I can get to relieve it. Love Chris

Hope you continue to heal. Prayers for you dee

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by pennifold 17 Nov 2016

Thanks so much Dee, much appreciated. Love Chris

Lucky us - a mouse and laptop are not heavy. I use one of those back support cushions and have continued to use it even after the back issue resolved. Next year, someone else's turn on the luncheon or you have to cut way back on gifts! You're on my first names prayer list!

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by pennifold 17 Nov 2016

Thanks Betsey, I was only saying that to Mum this morning. I think next year only 2 things! Love Chris

Oh Chris I will think positive thoughs for a rapid improvement.

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by pennifold 17 Nov 2016

Thanks Caroline, I appreciate you thinking of me. Love Chris

What a pity to hear you are suffering. I know the problem well - had it for
4 months this year and it took a lot of patience to overcome. One of the doctors I consulted prescribed me medical muscle training using devices
similar to those in a gym but it is controlled by a physiotherapist. I am exercising once a week (4 x already) and I am relieved of pain. It helps to strengthen the muscles which keep you upright.and the pain is gone.. maybe you will be able to do it later on too if your doctor agrees and under control of a physiotherapist? I hope your trouble will be over soon. Wishing you that for Christmas - Hugs and Get well soon - Maria

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by pennifold 17 Nov 2016

Thanks Maria, this is encouraging news too. I hope to get some relief soon too. Love Chris

Oh, Chris, am so sorry to hear you are having this issue flare up.....it took about a year for my back to settle down from my sciatic attack without surgery....I was so hoping that the surgery would do it for you......wishing you quick recovery once again.......

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by pennifold 16 Nov 2016

Thanks Vicki reading your post had given me hope! Love ❤️ Chris

Praying for you and so glad you are going to feel better!

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by pennifold 16 Nov 2016

Thanks so much I hope it will improve. Love ❤️ Chris