Merry Xmas everyone...

Here's wishing you all a peaceful, healthy and Happy Christmas!

skiiiiiing

Hit the slopes yesterday. AWESOME! Would not have been possible 2 years ago - all thanks goes to Mr Shepperd and his experience with the Dynesys system.

The cold is creeping in...

Yep, it's getting blooming cold here in Canada and boy am I feeling it in my back. Really missing our hot tub... Not having one here is becoming a bit of a bore and Dr Vic has "cocked a deaf 'un" to my whingeing! Nevertheless, it's tops my Santa list. Ho-Ho-Ho! Dream on girl... Things ain't so bad though - the gym I've joined has a lovely sauna and we do have a rather large bathtub that I can skive off to now and again for a long soak, surrounded by candles and the sound of Enya!

The lead up to Crimble is always a challenging time for us 'spineys' and those dealing with disability or illness. Most of us feel about 100 years old by the time the actual day comes; too fagged out to really enjoy it! So please... don't be too hard on yourself, allow others to help AND remember to be 'healthily selfish' when you need to.

Good recommendation from a fellow 'spiney' living in Calgary (which was colder than Alaska last week, OUCH) - Thermacare HeatWraps http://www.thermacare.ca/EN/home.aspx The back one comes highly recommended especially when participating in winter sports. Will deffo try them out when we eventually get on the piste! Word to all you spineys walking around in snow and icy conditions (yep that means you guys back in England too) - be careful! Abs. terrified I will fall over.

Lastly and most importantly... my dad is now also suffering with a back condition - identified as scoliosis (which is obviously not new) and inflammed arthritis the full length of his spine which has put him in tremendous pain these last months and walking with a stick. He is going in for a procedure tomorrow that will hopefully give him some relief from pain. I'm hoping it's successful and that he gets well real soon so that we can get him over here and spoil him rotten. Dad, you're in my thoughts and prayers, as always. God bless.

Back in the pool...

Well... at long last I feel settled enough here in Canada and in our new house to join the local gym. David Lloyd it ain't! It's a bit dated; changing rooms and shower facilities are basic and there's no 'bistro' for a drink or lunch pit-stop (as you do!) BUT the pool is clean, has lanes for laps and has been fairly empty every time I've been, so that's a good thing. I guess I've been spoilt in the past with the lovely clubs that I have belonged to. They must have them here in Canada just not in Simcoe!

Other than that, purchased some FitFlop suede clogs for schlapping around the house, which are every bit as back-friendly and comfy as their flip-flops. Would recommend. And in the same week purchased some Uggs for the extreme weather, which are lovely and toasty but deffo NOT back friendly! Way way too flat - ended up with really bad leg pain yesterday after wearing them for just a couple of hours. Would not recommended for fellow spineys as a walking boot for the winter season. Suggest you try Merrell or Sorel boots for warmth and support - both of which I can highly recommend.

Happy Anniversary

... to me (2 years since my op).

Two years and counting...

Yep, coming up two years now since my op. Not pain-free but able to do soooo much more than before. Still under annual observation, for which I am thankful. God forbid anything goes wrong with my back mechanics or the hardware in the future, hopefully we'll be on top of it.

The Dynesys Group on FB now numbers 104 members from all over the world. It runs itself now. Dynesys is not for everyone and the group reflects just that. Comments, opinions and experiences have been posted, both good and bad. Very proud of that, and the fact that is has put a large number of 'spineys' in touch with others like themselves. I've met a whole bunch of kind, caring 'spineys' through it - some of whom have become good friends.

So... two years down the line, "any regrets?" NONE not one!

Settling in...

Nothing much to report this month - have overdone it, natch, whilst moving - pain to be as expected. It's funny though, that now I have got out of the habit of taking drugs when I do take Tramadol or a combi of pain relievers I am invariably 'sick as a dog'. I guess that's good news in that the drugs must be all out of my system now! Certainly shows in my hair and nails too - much healthier...

Tasking myself to join the local health club/pool this month and find a clinical pilates practitioner - the latter, easier said than done in potato country!!

Mad dogs and Englishmen (and spineys)...

You guessed it, the glorious hot weather is working wonders on my back - always does. Just as well really as we have a hectic week ahead moving home which I just know will have a knock-on with my back. Hey, it's to be expected and I'm as prepared as I can be i.e. am enlisting the help of my sis-in-laws!!! ;)

Hearing good things about a product here called Robax - specifically for back pain and from what I'm hearing it works!

The Dynesys group now has 93 members - can you believe it? Just 2 years ago when I started it, I did not know another soul who had undergone the op - now there is a full-blown spiney support network that seems to be doing what it says on the tin!!! Big thanks to all you spineys / bloggers that have joined and participated in the group.

After the Lord Mayor's show...

Home and knackered. Doing Orlando with 3 kids under 8 is not for the faint-hearted... my back held up with a bit of help from my trusty 'friend', Tramadol!! It was like going back in time... Dr Vic waking me at some unearthly hour to pop pills so that I could be up and out of the bed around 9ish. Mind you, I think the sheer amount of walking I did weighed off some of the "damage" done nightly by the bed in the villa. Blimey, was I stiff and in pain when I woke.

Carrying a bit of extra weight now which doesn't help either. On a Slimming World binge - bought loads of fruit, salad and veg yesterday and pasta - bring on the Green!!

Tasking myself to get back into Pilates and the pool next week - definitely going to continue doing lots more walking too with the dog.

Hola

Quickie update... back has been behaving these past couple of weeks. Doing lots of walking with the dog which is good but haven't been doing too much pool or pilates activity I'm afraid. Becoming a Canuck couch potato!!!! Off this week on holiday - looking forward to 20 days of Mexican / Floridian sun and loads of time in the pool. Love love love heat on my back... Hope everyone out there is doing OK, relatively pain-free, mobile and enjoying the lovely weather we're getting both sides of the pond.

Loving my FitFlops which are working wonders on my butt and feel great on my back too (superb shock-absorbers)!

A blow...

Whoa, where does the time go? Sorry for the radio-silence but I have been so bogged down getting settled in this new country that 'working' on the laptop has taken a back seat - besides the network in this rented place is down so often, it kind of de-incentivises you (if there's such a word)!!! You know what I mean.

Well, Dr Vic and I are missing the UK pretty bad - no more so than my weekly Pilates class with the lovely Bearsted laydees ;) and David Lloyd's beautiful pool... Where we're living currently they don't seem to go in for private gym clubs much - not wanting to sound snobbish (well I suppose I am) but swimming with the masses just doesn't do it for me. I'm used to my own lane then a private sauna or steam followed by a wonderful lunch and a large glass of vino! Doesn't seem to be a Caledon thing. The good news though, is that we've found a private club up where our house is being built, so I hold out hope for when we finally get up there, which is looking increasingly like 1st week July.

Back remains crappy still - so I've made a concerted effort these last weeks to get a lot of walking in AND on the incline. That and delivery (finally) of our container, our own bed and the 'Borg Barrier' seems to be helping. Mind you, been popping the Tramadol intermittently to get through the worst. Got a wedding on Saturday, so am hoping to kick up my heels to some live Flamenco music (the groom's family own a dance school that specialises in Flamenco, Tango, Cuban etal), you should have seen the women dance at the bridal shower - ab-fab. Gawd, I just know the day is going to be so much fun and that I won't be able to resist AND... you guessed it, I'll suffer real bad for it over the coming days.

What the hell. You only live once, right!!!!

Last week though, I suffered an emotional setback. Those of you that have been reading this blog from the start will remember Angela. Angela was my 2nd and most avid follower (after Dr Vic) and she underwent her Dynesys surgery about 3 months after me. We set email and Facebook lines alight before and after our surgeries asking each other all sorts of questions and offering support. Her surgery early 2009 went fantastically well and she was up and about well before me and returned to work to boot! Throughout these past 2 years we have remained in touch through the Facebook group and she has been, without doubt, one of my staunchest supporters through good times and bad. So when I heard last week that Angela is now experiencing quite bad pain again and was due back to see her surgeon, it was a real blow. For her, for me and all the spineys that have had this relatively new surgery. She is now scheduled for CT and MRI scans to determine what the problem is. I worry for her and I pray that she is OK and that her current pain is 'just' an episode - a blip - and not something more sinister. If you read this Angela, I'm thinking of you hun.

It's certainly made me think though... nothing is certain for anyone, we all know that - but when you have an afflication, disability or disease it puts everything into sharp focus when "one of your own" takes a backward step...

:(

A blip...

Still in shocking pain each morning following a night in the bed from hell! Hopefully, our container (all 40 foot of it) will be arriving any day now - can't bloody wait, don't think my back can stand too many more nights of this. Even the dog won't lay on it and that's saying something!!! LOL.

Had a go at 5 pin bowling (small bowls) the other night. Not a good move... right butt-cheek pain and numbness of inner thigh followed for 2 days. Got a bit of a panic on as I really thought I'd undone my back. Silly moo, serves me right. But you know what, you have to keep challenging yourself in order to find out what your limitations are. Otherwise you'd stand still, and for me that was not the point of having Dynesys in the first place.

The Dynesys group on Facebook continues to grow (now standing at 87 members)... with many of our members recovering, undergoing or waiting for their ops. The group has a life of it's own now, which is great - I just dip in from time to time to make sure that it's running OK. I don't know what it is about spineys - they're generally a great bunch of people. I've made many friends through the group (and my clinical pilates group) for which I'm thankful. If you haven't already, check it out!

Canada OUCH !!!

Well folks, settled in Canada and in lots of pain... Wouldn't you know it. Done way way too much of all the wrong things which has resulted in me writing this while laid up in bed following a 'Linda Blair' projectile vom. moment after taking Tramadol for a couple of days to settle my pain!!! Sleeping in a strange bed without the 'Borg Barrier' isn't helping nor is all the running around trying to sort out all the things we naturally take for granted in our lives like cars, mobiles, etc.

Mustn't grumble... it was bound to happen. Off for a drug induced sleep now ;)

Au-revoir England, helloooo Canada

A last blog from Blighty as the next one I write will be from Canada, our new home.

To say the past few weeks have been stressful (and pretty 'back' painful) would be an understatement. BUT to be expected given the amount of packing and organising that has had to be done in such a short space of time. Looking forward to doing not too much at all when we arrive - just settling in and finding our feet. And learning to drive on the other side of the road!

Big HUGE thank you to all our wonderful family and friends who have given us a magnificent send-off. TTFN (tata for now) x

Onwards & upwards on the downhill !!!

Just back from Quebec City and I can report that I finally returned to the hills after 6 pre-op years of sitting on-my-lonesome glugging gluhwein and jagermeister! Yah!!!!

For those of you that have followed this blog you will know that skiing was a passion and one of the things that was a HUGE miss during those horrendous pre-op years. When I decided to go forward with the op I made Dr Vic (hubs) promise that he would get me back on skis the following season, no matter what! Many people thought I was mad to take the risk and told me so, but you know what, I had the op to get my life back and skiing is part of the life I want back!

As always, the gorgeous Dr Vic kept his promise! I purchased some Forcefield Body Armour (women's lumbar support)... it's v. comfortable, non-restrictive and offered unbelievable support. I believe it's being worn by Team GB at the Winter Olympics, Whistler - check it out http://www.forcefieldbodyarmour.com/product_selector.asp. Now I must clarify... I wasn't doing double-blacks, off-piste or moguls but as a once fast and confident skiier I wore the support whilst doing what I would consider some 'decent' runs on the downhill no less (can't believe it myself, thought I'd just about manage x-country)! It may well be psychological, but the 'armour' gave me the confidence boost and support I needed.

I skiied maximum 2 hours x 3 non-consecutive days - it was my threshold without going into Tramadol-popping pain. Back at the ranch I 'jumped' straight in the hot tub and sauna and then spent an hour or so resting. Good enough for me folks. RESULT!

So for those of you out there in pain, please please don't give up hope that your quality of life can improve. It's entirely possible, believe me.

PRICELESS...

... not long back from annual rendez-vous with my surgeon. Couple of x-rays showed that 15 months on, my Dynesys remains stable and doing what it says on the tin! On a long-term monitoring programme so thankfully it's carry on as before for another 12 months! Just cannot put a price on the change in my life since the op.

ps. Ruth from Stroud - just read your comment on my previous post. Unfortunately I am unable to reply via the Blog but if you become a member of the Facebook Group called Dynesis: stabilising back surgery - a support community (Dynesys) you can talk to me and another 70+ spineys who have undergone Dynesys surgery. Facebook is free, as is the group. I look forward to catching up with you.