Oh my aching back...and my effort in using Eastern and Western medicine:)

I'm not sure how many people actually read this little blog, I know there are a few who keep tabs on us this way, Thank you:) You've probably realized that it has been 16 days since my last post...I usually set a goal to post twice a week, normally exceeding it...happily:)

So the day after my last post, I woke up like normal, got ready and after breakfast in my usual 'rushing to get ready' routine, I reached for my toothbrush (which requires an inch of movement forward) and felt my back say "whoaaaa" or perhaps as Bonita said it was God tapping me on the shoulder, telling me to slow down;) So I went on to work (not slowing down a bit;) and just kept my hand on the small of my back ever so often, complaining..."Oh my aching back", this lasted from Tuesday the 2ND to Monday the 8Th, I complained a lot, but in comparison to the pain I later felt, it was a teeny tiny baby pain! So Thursday I had a massage in the Bijou relaxing room, from Marie, one of our two massage therapists on call (she's wonderful, I will vouch for that!) She felt exactly where I was having the issue, and I did get some relief, plus she was really helpful with helping me narrow down where the pain was...we both felt that it was a vertebrae issue (you know, cause we read Dr. Google or webMD;) I gave myself until Monday, if it did not pass, I would seek a Chiropractor for help.

This next week would start the week from Hell for me, with muscle spasms in my butt cheeks and legs, sciatica nerve pain and at that point...I didn't think I still had a vertebrae pain, but couldn't tell, I couldn't walk, sit, stand, lay down (except on position, on my side with one leg on a pillow) the pain was so terrible, I could hardly speak! So from Monday to Saturday that week, I tried everything possible to make it stop, I had regular massage, I kept going to Dr. Petters which was helping when I was there..he hooked me up to the muscle stimulator, and that felt wonderful and soothing, but when I left, I was right back to the same problems. I did 2 days of acupuncture (which I loved), but ultimately My good friends Dr. Vounas and Dr. Marc Cohen helped me. Basically my pain was causing major muscle spasms, which was causing me pain, which was causing my muscles to spasm, which was then causing more pain....get it? A vicious cycle was occurring and I needed to break it, I started taking pain medication on Sunday, along with a nerve medication and good ol' Ibuprofen for inflammation. After one dose of pain medication, my muscles relaxed and by the middle of the day, I could get myself up from bed without help. It still hurt, but I had some relief!

Monday was a hard day, but filled with love, just to get me better, Jackie brought me cookies, books and flowers, Laura brought me the best homemade applesauce, fresh picked strawberries my favorite Wegman's sub and salsa and chips...plenty of emails and plenty of calls, with support and love like that, I was sure to get better soon!

Later that afternoon I was still feeling bad and that is when my good friend Bonita came over to do a raindrop therapy and reflexology on me, this is when she told me (what I had been telling myself all week;) that God was trying to give me a message, I had not been listening..so he poked a little harder..I said..."I'm listening now"!!

I was trying before....it's just I was taking baby steps, delegating a tiny bit more, letting go of a little more, leaving work on time..only doing 2 days of working 9am to 9pm...but was I really being consistent...nahhh!? So okay now, I will be more consistent, I know in order to continue to run a success full business, I need to stay sane.

I have learned in this past week, that Bijou, along with the Bijou girls and my great salon coordinators can run without me being there 24/7. Jackie and Asher took care of everything for me and I didn't have to worry a bit. The Bijou girls all have been checking up on me, sending me wonderful caring texts...one said after I had said how much I missed being at work with them...'I know your having withdrawals, but we are working good together to keep it going good for you, so don't worry, just get better'.......I can't tell you how much that meant. These girls are the best team ever, of course we all have our days, and nothing is ever perfect, (that wouldn't be much fun, now would it) But the Bijou team is the best team I have ever worked with, we all look out for each other and that could not make me any more proud!

So today is Wednesday and it is my last day of resting...I'm itching to get back and I simply cannot wait! I love my job, I love Bijou and I love the people that I encounter everyday with Bijou. Thank you to everyone who has wished me to get better and those that gave me advice and care!

Thank you to Dr. Petters, Jessie my new acupuncturist, Maria Demitchell and Pam Schoener for giving me the best massages ever (both at the last minute without delay), Bonita for reflexology and raindrop therapy, Dee my best Doctor friend (you are always my lifesaver) and Dr. Mark for being home from Africa to make a house call and help me feel better! Thank you Jackie for taking care of Bijou and calling me everyday to keep me informed, Thank you to Dylan and Chase for being such self sufficient little boys and helping me with everything and checking on me every time I made an ouch noise, thank you to my Thomas for sitting next to me, even when I was the crankiest and just wanted to be alone in my misery, thank you for giving me your back to support me, for schlepping the massage table home every day so I'd have a firm mattress to sleep on next to you and every bit of wonderful loving care you give me, you've passed the 'in sickness and health' part over and over, this time you should have just ran away for the pain in the butt i was...but you are always there, right by my side..unwavering, and thank you, the three of you, for putting in my garden while I slept my pain away...It's perfect for my new zen lifestyle that I will be partaking in now!

So you wonder, what I will be doing now?? Yoga, gardening, still working, relaxing, playing, cooking, walking and taking long hikes with the family...enjoying and finding my joie de vivre