Hi everyone
And a big thank you for all the wonderful comments you made on my last post. I found it quite reassuring to hear how many of you had suffered that awful nerve pain – and got over it. I was also interested to read of the many ways that helped to reduce this type of nerve pain. One in particular has been incredibly helpful. This was a link to a YouTube video where a physio, Will Harlow, explains the difference between younger people suffering from sciatica and sciatica in older people. His explanation was so carefully explained, in plain English, that I thought well, he knows his stuff so I will try the exercises. And oh my word, they have helped. Maybe have a look. (If an ad comes up before you hear from Will, apologies as I have no way of getting rid of these). I do Will’s exercises 3x times a day, plus upper shoulder rolls and other small carefully done exercises on the upper and lower limbs.
My MRI results show that it is indeed my spine and various compressions that is causing quite a bit of bother to my life. (From L2/S1 for those of you in the know, with L3/4 the worst. Just as I thought, along with 3 other people, but not the GP!) I’ve sent the results to the GP and the surgery physio, and have an appointment in 4 weeks time! Not saying another word. Thank goodness for my acupuncturist and my 2 times a week 1-2-1 Personal Trainer who is like a physio anyway. And fortunate that I know what to do with the help of these two sensible and dedicated people.
The pain is still there but has changed its quality to an annoying, dull and constant soreness and ache which goes from my lower back, down the front of my leg to my foot, which is better than the rat gnawing nerve pain that I had before, nevertheless this still disturbs my life and sleep. I am not walking normally either as despite the exercises, I am incredibly stiff. However, I’ve also, very thankfully, got a retired GP friend who is a wonderful sounding board on what to do next. Obviously continue doing the exercises and the acupuncture. Think it is a spinal injection with a neurosurgeon. Finding one is the next task.
That’s enough for the moment. Apart from saying, I’ve obviously experienced a big jump into an older age where things fall apart. There’s no denying it. My spine is very compromised. I shall write about this again, because I think it is good to look at the reality of life as we age. And also how we cope with it. So more of that anon.
And now, hey, what about the mini heatwave we experienced in the UK! It was actually very warm for around 5 days and just right as it wasn’t too hot. As a result I got out all my summer clothes and also made a huge pile to sell. I am not going into charity shops quite as much as before, and have consequently changed my fashion shopping habits and that includes dumping clothes into these shops, more about that as I will write about this too.
Look. Amazing! I actually wore a dress! Here it is so you can see the glorious colourful print.
This was a bought in a charity shop but was new with all its Zara labels attached. Here we are having cup of tea and a slice of cake.
Sadly this was a bit basic as the lovely cafe in this garden has closed. Thankfully the shop serves tea and cake, but without a nice teapot or any plates!
You can see I was sitting on my white shirt. Here I am wearing the shirt.
I never expose my arms to the sun. Not after having a melanoma removed! So here I am with the shirt on. Below is a nice pic of the man who was once Mr F but is now known as Bill. He has been absolutely marvellous as my balance outside is still an issue. Without a word of complaint he gives me his arm and off we go.
Thank you so much Bill! And finally we are back to normal UK weather, as once more, it’s quite cool.
So it’s the Fedora and my faux leather black jacket once more with a scarf tucked well into said jacket – as brrr! It’s almost winter again!
That’s all for now. Thank you once again for your lovely comments on the last post, and for reading this to the end.
With love, PennyX
P.S. I am going to resurrect My Other Blog and I will put a link to it (just done on the 7th May) on the side of this blog. That doesn’t mean I shall exclude politics and my views of things from this new blog. But I’ve written a blog that looks at the current situation in the States and elsewhere and I feel it is better to have it on My Other Blog, which catered entirely for political discourse. Watch that space as this more political post will be posted shortly.
Thanks for the update and I am grateful to hear you are getting some improvement/relief. Living in constant has to be wearing down on you. You look lovely in both of your outfits! Love the peek of yellow with the scarf under the jacket!
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I am getting some improvement but it’s still very much there. It’ll be quite the roller coaster I think before it gets better, but it is a bit better!
I absolutely have to dress up even if I see no-one else. And that dress was a great find!
Thanks Mireille 😊
Dear Penny
So, an enforced slow-down. How maddening that must be. But in typical Penny-fashion you’ve marshalled the troops and started fighting back so good for you! I was especially pleased that you’re having acupuncture as my late mother’s lovely man managed to beat the trigeminal neuralgia she suffered in her jaw. Eventually. It did take time as it’s one of the worst pains known to man I believe – and you would know about that – but he, and she, persevered and she recovered. (Just as an aside: I rang him before she started treatment, to check him out and he sent me literature to read – and his CV! – and he turned out to be a star, but what I remember most is that for her first visit he asked not to have washed that day, and not used either deodorant or perfume as he wanted to check her body odour. Knowing my Mum’s sense of humour they’d have had a few laughs over that, but presumably he wanted to learn something about her body’s workings.)
That striking dress must have had your name on it, it’s so you and you look very nice in it. And it’s good to see you’re not sticking indoors but are getting out and around with the aid of your Bill’s steadying arm. You’ve got a good ‘un there!
Have as good a week as possible, Penny. Hang on in there, we’re all rooting for you!
Zepherine x
Oh my word, acupuncture is a miracle really. And what’s more the acupuncturist is interested in the whole person rather than the more narrow approach of Western medicine. So he’s treating every bit of me. It is so fascinating.
That’s interesting re: the not wearing perfume. I once did an aromatherapy course and one time we had to close our eyes and sniff each person to get their body odour. it was fascinating as I found the people who wore perfume or other stuff like strong smelling deoderant smelt odd in comparison to those who put nothing much on their body. For several years I gave up wearing perfume – but have gone back to it now.
I am hanging in there Zepherine! It is quite a challenge though but I am not satisfied with the GP surgery – so sad though. I totally know they are over worked but nevertheless the appointment system is so broken and the ‘pathways’ so not suited to individuals and their particular issues. We are late to see people and then boxed in to inappropriate services. Enough. But I will battle on!
Thanks so much Zepherine I do appreciate your kind words and comments 😊
Hi Zepherine
Very interested to hear about the acupuncture treatment for trigeminal neuralgia as I suffer from this condition and, yes, it is a dreadful pain. Could all acupuncturists help, do you think, or is it important to find a practitioner who specialises in this?
Thanks Sue
Hi Sue, Penny here. It is difficult to know how to get the right acupuncturist. But they are all good with pain. It’s just luck that I found this current acupuncturist who I have found to do just the right thing. But remember a few months back I did go to an acupuncturist, admittedly for my balance and not pain, and he didn’t actually change anything. The one I go to now follows the Japanese form of acupuncture And also uses kinesiology. I think a therapist who is very well trained in other forms of treatment in addition to acupuncture is one to look for. Also someone with a lot of experience. This acupuncturist is 72 and has practiced for decades.
I’d say look at various acupuncturists’ websites and try and get a recommendation. This current one was recommended. Hope this helps.
Hello, Sue,
I’ve managed to track down the actual acupuncturist who treated my Mum all those years ago, and asked his advice for you. He says you need a practitioner offering TCM treatment(Traditional Chinese Medicine) as this method concentrates on the body’s organ systems, while those offering dry needling are more skeletal orientated and there is a difference.
I do hope this helps as I know how debilitating trigeminal neuralgia can be. If you live anywhere in Middle England – yes, a remote possibility, I know! – I’ll gladly put you in touch with the man who really did work wonders for my Mum.
But, like I said earlier, it did take time, so if you do go down this road, you might need to be patient.
Good Luck!
Zepherine x
Hi Penny,
Thank you for the update. I love the colors of the dress you displayed – bright and vibrant.
We’ve had warmer than usual temperatures in central Canada, where I live. My mantra is sunscreen – I apply it every time I go out.
Take care, and I look forward to your next post.
Oh yes, it’s 50+ Sunscreen now, every single day, even in the winter. That’s on my face. During the hotter weather last week I began to put the sun screen elsewhere.
That is one lovely vibrant dress – I am so glad I found it. And it really cheers one up to wear bright colours!
Thanks Cindy 😊
Hi Penny, sorry I must have missed your last post, but I had a look at it and yes, dark glasses! They cover a multitude of ills and can look at least a bit mysterious which I count as a plus at my age! I love the colourful Zara dress and it strongly reminds me of something else but I can’t remember quite what. Maybe from the 50s? Anyway it’s charming. I laughed to see that your Mr F/ Bill is wearing the same colour Fitbit as my Mr S. Re your sciatica. I shall definitely try out your exercises. My weird leg pains are back and nearly crippling me as my upper leg and hip cramp constantly when I try to walk. I have previously done some physio and had even taken up going to gym classes for the over 50s but I’m aware that at 71 my time for that may be limited, especially with recurring aches and pains. The weight exercises are definitely a bit of a stretch for me. A good daily routine to relax the spine and hips would be helpful. Hope the pain is on its way out for you. All the best, Trish S
Do you think the dress might be a bit Matisse and his cut-outs? It was good to find it.
So sorry to hear about your leg and walking issues. The exercises suggested by Will Harlow are very gentle but they began to ease out some of my stiffness – do try them. As he suggests go slow and always stop if in pain. I found I could hardly move my R leg into position but now I do these with no problem although the morning exercises are always more difficult.
Hopefully my pain seems to be easing a bit, but it’s still there, just a bit different. Onwards and upwards though – we have to keep at it!!!
All the very best to you too Trish 😊
Dear Penny,
I am so pleased the Will Harlow exercises have helped your sciatica pain, along with the acupuncture, they certainly helped me. I also had problems walking as I was getting over the sciatica, I could not walk so far and had a limp, so like you I use a walking stick or walking poles. Thankfully after leg strengthening exercises I am much better. It’s no fun getting old
is it, I have recently had my 79th birthday.
I do like your dress, the colours are really striking.
Very best wishes,
Margaret
Oh gosh we are just about the same age and we are/have gone through a very similar experience. Yes, not only do I have a balance issue but the sciatica now makes me walk stiffly often with a limp.
I totally am working on the exercises and am going to stop answering comments to do some right now!!
The dress was a great find, wasn’t it!
Thanks so much Margaret – I’m very grateful that you shared these exercises – it was so helpful 😊
Hello Penny. I am glad that the sciatica is showing improvement and that there are continuing options. Meanwhile you always look so stylish in spite of the pain. And this time the blog went directly to my email. Yea! right now we are getting weather which might be more like yours. Cool and rainy, although we did have a few glorious days of sun and comfortable temperatures last week. It has been a beautiful Spring, the flowers and trees seem to have been at their best this year. I really like that dress. I am happy that sneakers or trainers with dresses are now a thing, regarded as stylish these days and not seen as dowdy. I am going to see the musical “Ragtime’ tomorrow and will wear a dress with my white sneakers as it will be a long day. I am trying to get used to my new hearing aids. Most people say that is is a journey to get used to them and I am finding this true. Some days I wear them for long periods of time but yesterday I was home for the day except for a walk and did not even bother. I am going out to see friends later and will use them. Honestly when I first tried putting them on I felt like I was all thumbs. I wonder if anyone else has had experience with them. My mother had dementia and also quite severe hearing loss I I wonder if the hearing loss contributed to her condition. We all are doing what we can to make aging more positive.
love, Darby
There is a little improvement, not a lot as the pain is still there but it has changed. And I have to believe onwards and upwards! And I am so very glad you got the Blog email – that is so good!
Oh enjoy Ragtime. Dresses and trainers/sneakers are definitely good to wear and very current. I really haven’t had any cultural activities for I guess months now, but I do have a visit to an art gallery in the diary which is a three cheers moment. And it’s quite soon – yay!
Gosh the things we have to put up with as we age. I see another Penny has said what I’d like to say that there is a strong correlation between deafness and dementia so it is excellent you are getting used to the hearing aids – good for you! And absolutely, sharing how we do things as we age really helps.
Thanks so much Darby – it’s lovely to hear from you 😊
I’m very glad you have managed to identify your back problem & found some exercises that help . I thought I was doomed to suffer with sacroiliac pain forever but the physio exercises I was given have made such a difference. It was about a year before they made a real difference but 3 years on I’m so much better & still do them twice a day . They still bore me but thank goodness for podcasts . Your GP wait is not good . My last GP was awful , really not interested. I checked out the ratings of other local GPs & switched to a better one . It felt strange after 50 years with the old one but I’m so glad I did . There are more efficient ones around , perhaps you could find one . That cake looked nice .
The current situation re: GPs is truly sad. I know they are overworked but the system is structurally wrong. Somehow, there needs to be a change. Btw, I can’t change the actual surgery as Lewes GPs combined into one surgery sometime before Covid and everyone tells me it deteriorated from that day on. I could change seeing the GP but if you request one particular one that adds to the wait quite a lot. I think i) a misdiagnosis and ii) a long wait to discuss my MRI results is not good enough. Plus the lack of empathy re: the pain. So sadly I will write a letter – not exactly a complaint but setting out how I see their service and how it treated me.
I know I need to do the exercises for a very long time, possible forever. But I am OK with that. The cake was nice!!!
Thanks Wendy, I really appreciate hearing how people have got over back pain. 😊
Hi Darby
There is a well researched and established link between unresolved hearing loss and dementia. Its very important that as we age we have hearing tests and use aids if prescribed.
I echo what everyone else is saying! I’m so glad you’re beginning to get some relief and answers. It’s good you have all these people to consult, too. My best friend has a pain in her upper abdomen (she has no gall bladder so it isn’t that). Her doctor told her it was a mystery pain and dismissed it as that. I was shocked a doctor would be so cavalier. I love your new dress…those colors are brilliant with a bit of the signature Penny yellow! Bill is quite a good fellow and definitely handsome. You are a good egg for using him to help with balance. My husband refuses to do that…I think he think it emasculates him. I told Mike the other day I just want to spend a month in the English countryside and bask in the not knowing what’s going on in this country. He asked if I would drive on the “wrong” side of the road. I said, “Yes, for a month in the English countryside, I would learn how to do it!”
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Hi Marsha and I am improving but it is a long road I am taking and I know that the exercises will have to be done for a very long time before I am totally without pain, which I’m not. But it has improved. But the balance issue is still there and I do need that arm. So sorry to hear that Mike won’t. Now I am in this situation I take note of all the people who are obviously walking arm in arm because of their lack of balance, and you know what, it’s about half women and half men. I expect I see this as we are a nation of people walking into town and walking around the shops.
Hey I’ve got a story about driving on the left – which might be true and might not!!! Think about roads centuries ago with men using chariots to get around. The reason chariots favoured the left of the road is that if a chariot approaching was driven by an enemy, the man holding the reins could with his right hand unclip his sword from the left side – and swing his sword out to the right to drive off or fight the chariot approaching. Most likely this is nonsense 😁 but picture it in your mind!!!
Thanks so much Marsha – lovely to hear from you 😊
Hello Penny , so pleased you reported back with your MRI results and also that your pain is easing slightly. My sister had spinal surgery a few years ago with spacers placed in the collapsing vertebrae . I do hope your GP will be more responsive after this.
Good to see you and Bill out and about and enjoying that early Summer weather.
Ha and ha again re: GPs and long waits. So sad really, as I treasure the NHS and all it does. And it really is such a wonderful service – when it works! But long waits to see the GPs, who then act as gatekeepers delaying before they offer even investigations, is the norm.
Interesting that your sister had surgery on her spine .My retired GP friend thinks I need to find a neurosurgeon rather than go down the orthopaedic pathway – the last word is the jargon word used a lot which segregates you into one solution. That’s the trouble with Western medicine. Acupuncture meanwhile treats the whole person – I’m so glad I found the person I am using now.
The weather today is better and less cool.
Thanks Jill – it’s always good to talk to you 😊
Morning Penny
I’m so pleased to hear you’re feeling a little better, that the various exercises, treatments and activities are helping so you can enjoy a jaunt with Bill. BTW: nice pic of the handsome fella!
Yes, it’s a disappointment when venues switch from china crockery to disposable cups and boxes: somehow the contents never taste the same. I think there’s also something about it not suiting us ‘ladies who lunch’ 😉
I’m glad you have the energy to sort your wardrobe and bring out your colourful summer stuff. Your dress is very striking and, coupled with the red hat is spirit-lifting. It’s sunny here in Oxfordshire but there’s an icy under-tow: perfect weather for your biker/hat ensemble – you look great in that outfit.
Keep on trucking, Mary x
I definitely have to wear something ‘nice’ when I go out and always for instance wear a jaunty hat even to go to the supermarket! Just bought a superb dress which I shall wear for my first outing to an art gallery for months! Three cheers that this is in the diary!!!
But still I do want to get even better than I am now as the pain is still there as is the balance issue. Sadly I shall be writing to the GP surgery as really they haven’t responded all that well. I think from a learning point of view they need to know what their patients think. It’s mainly the mis-diagnosis and the delays… poor old battered NHS. I know it’s not its fault, but still.
Anyway onwards and upwards and it’s a nice day now – and not the icy wind like yesterday. Spring is lovely in the UK. And here’s to having a nice china teapot when we go out for tea!!!
Thanks Mary, I will keep trucking on. Very best to you and Derek 😄
So glad to catch up with you. Glad you have someone who’s identified the problems in your spine. Now to get some more relief from the pain. Sounds like the exercises are helping. I will have a look at them. My PC has lower back problems like you. I have neck and upper spine issues. Those exercises would probably be good for both of us.
I appreciate Mr. F’s/Bill’s devotion to helping you. Do you think the sciatica is part of the reason your balance has been compromised? Or are they still thinking there’s something more going on with that?
The Zara dress is so vibrant and fun. Perfectly accessorized with that darling red hat. Your tea and cake looks like it was enjoyed at a at the equivalent to a fast food tea shop. No plates! While we had summer weather several weeks ago, we returned to Winter for a short time and are now enjoying cool spring temperatures. It’s delightful.
My retired GP friend think that the condition of my spine will be compromising my balance. But also still waiting (that’s an NHS thing) to have my 2nd cataract done. Once that is done I will be able to assess how much my eyesight has affected my balance. At the moment I have one perfect sighted eye and one (the R eye) that is totally a blur. That can’t help!
Do try the exercises as they are very gentle but they definitely are working on me!
That dress was a great find! And yes, that no plate, no teapot place. It is sad as once there was a lovely cafe there. But hey actually yesterday I had the best tea and cake out for months and we had the loveliest teapot you could imagine. I shall show everyone on the next blog!
Good to hear your weather is nice and cool – thanks so much Leslie. It’s lovely hearing from you 😊
I am so glad you have found some relief, Penny. I know how miserable it is. I hope you figure out the next steps soon! I love your summer dress. Very festive! And I’m glad to meet Bill.
I’ve actually improved since I wrote this blog. Think it might be the increased dosage of Amitriptyline which apparently is meant to rewire your brain re: pain. That and the exercises and the acupuncture are all helping. Phew.
That dress was a great find!
Thanks Michelle 😊