Note To My Back (if you are listening)

Above is my sister's birthday present. It is a perfect mug for coffee  in the morning with attitude.

Hello to my back. This is just an update for you. I have been doing the Pt. exercises now for months and my body is no stronger than when I started. I have now stop medical marijuana for over 2 months. i think the smoke fools my body that it is working at relaxing me. I want it to relax on its own. MJ does work will for the pain.  

My Yoga teacher has been doing zoom during the pandemic. I tried one class and it just was not the same as a real sesson. She started doing Outdoor Yoga at the Atkinson Common in Newburyport. A beautiful setting. Complete with a civil  war statue, fountain, ancient trees and open greens.  My back hurt the next day, but my body came alive again. The dormant muscles woke up, and gently stretched. Oh what a good feeling. 

I try to love this 70 plus old body filled with arthritis. But arthritis give no advance warning to the pain, and I try to be alone with the pain. So, I self isolate and this was going on way before this Pandemic. 

Then, I get depressed, then my pain get worse. Then I tend to curl up and sleep. This is my routine. I know this is not good. 

I used to enjoy biking to Newburyport and go to small streets and check out people's gardens and the fabulous architecture of first period homes. Two years ago, I was stopped drinking water near the Newbury Upper Green, and I fell over. How can you fall over when you are stopped on a bike. One year ago, I dusted the bike of and started to go to Newburyport. I go only to Green Street, ten minutes from my house. I was tired, I needed to rest, the hills had exhausted me. So I stood with my bike between my legs and  rested. Again, my body collapsed and I crashed to the street, lost my breathe, and had the bike on top of me. I was bleeding on my knee and elbows. I wiped off the blood and continued to ride for five minutes, when I stopped my bike and sat on a rock and rested. I must have looked very pathetic as, a few bikers stopped me to see if I need help. So, since that time I lost my love for racing through a beautiful city and enjoying its splendor.

Well, I have not been on my bike since. My back has been bad, my body has been screaming at me.

I wake up in the morning, and I walk slowly down stair with a body that creaks, pops,  and hursts.

So seeing my husband go out biking is hard. It reminds me of the wind in my face, and joys of biking.

I try to walk. My left foot is a mess and by the time I finish, my body is finished for the day. I started having shots in my back. This has really helped the arthritis in my back. Oh, it is a miracle. But,

it only lasts for a few months and then, yes, then the reality of my arthritis comes back.

So, today is a red letter day. I took the advice of  Chris, my yoga teacher. She showed me safe ways to do more yoga moves on my back. Came home sore, but, a good sore.  Today, I did not do my PT exercises, but, did some modified yoga. Damn, I feel alive now. My body , my mind, my back will all agree,,,,this worked.

Chris is a fine teacher, she is kind, gentle and so intelligent. I send her namastes  today for her kindness and for being in my life.