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...

:(