Words from a Reader

The “Writing Life Stories” e-mails I receive are such treasures. As soon as I see there is one in my inbox, I read it immediately. I look forward to them and never know how they will touch me. They can be interesting, informative, humorous, and/or touching.

Friday, May 16, 2014

Resting, Icing and Heating -- Not too much fun.

All week I have been "resting" and using ice and heat on my back. Thankfully, it is helping. 

I have not abandoned this blog, but I have forced myself to stay away from my keyboard for awhile.

Monday evening as I started to climb the stairs from my studio, I felt a sharp pain in my thigh, and then my leg crumpled and I dropped to the floor. I crawled up the stairs because my left leg was too weak to support me. So, that  is why I am resting, icing, heating and taking anti-inflammatories. I've been told to rest, but not to sit for long periods. No sitting means staying away from my computer. The inflamed muscles in my back and leg need to be stretched, gently. I lie in my recliner for awhile, then get up and walk around the house, then sit for awhile and sleep or watch  TV. I read and water my flowers, piddle around doing this and that, but I am impatient for the pain to be gone.

Do you know you have a piriformis muscle?
Piriformis syndrome is an uncommon neuromuscular disorder that is caused when the piriformis muscle compresses the sciatic nerve. The piriformis muscle is a flat, band-like muscle located in the buttocks near the top of the hip joint. This muscle is important in lower body movement because it stabilizes the hip joint and lifts and rotates the thigh away from the body. This enables us to walk, shift our weight from one foot to another, and maintain balance.  ---from WebMD

I know I push myself and try to do too much. I  hear it from all who know me. I am motivated by my own desires, my own enthusiasm to do that which I enjoy. But right  now, I realize that I can only do so much. I  am being told, "Slow down and take care of your body. It is the only one you will ever have."

So I am limiting my time at the computer. I am going to set my timer, get up and walk, stretch and rest, and I will soon be back to doing all the things I enjoy--writing posts for three blogs, writing poetry and prose and teaching. In fact, I just agreed to teach a four week course at Tri-County Community College in August. Hope to see some of my readers there.



4 comments:

  1. I am well aware of that muscle, because I tend to hold tension there and when I get a massage, they both get special treatment from the therapist. I never heard of this malady, though. Hope it clears up quickly! :-)

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  2. I hope you are feeling better soon Glenda. Pain is no fun, I know. I push myself too much too, but don't seem to learn from it :)
    Sam

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  3. Just the thought of giving up the things I enjoy depresses me. My loving family and friends have no idea how much. DJan, I know you understand because you feel it is time to give up skydiving which you love. What am I supposed to do with my waking hours? Maybe I'll find a way to stand and write.
    Maybe I'll just get over this thing the way I got over a torn meniscus without surgery and got over a rotator cuff injury without having surgery.
    Is this a life changing event or not? Stay tuned. We'll see.

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  4. Hi Sam,
    Thanks for stopping in. You understand, I know. It is hard to stop doing what we love to do and want to do, even when we overdo and pay for it with pain.
    Your food blog is fabulous.

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I really appreciate your comments, and I love reading what you say.