Neck Update #2

I’m sure you’ve seen the cartoon with the cat standing there minding his own business. Then the dog sneaks up behind the cat and barks. Next thing you know the cat has its claws sunk into the ceiling, hanging upside down, holding on for dear life!

I had another appointment with the chiropractor Monday. Ice and electro-therapy first to loosen up the muscles. Ahh… Felt great. Adjustments to my spine went fairly well. Time to turn over for the neck adjustment. It went fairly well until he started feeling up the right side of my neck. It all happened so fast! He pressed on THAT spot and I about flew off the table and hit the ceiling… just like the cat! I must’ve scared the doc cuz he jumped back with his hands in the air. Breathing heavily and tears filling my eyes, I apologized. He said there’s still a knot of muscles on the side of my neck, but everything moved much better than on Sat. I have another appointment tonight.

I can almost turn my head all the way to the right, but I still can’t tip my head very far to the right. Try as I might, I can’t get it there. Continued heat/cold therapy at home and I’m suppose to rest as much as possible. I had a hard time doing my hair this morning before work.

Mutterings, Movies & Madness 11/20/06

Unconscious Mutterings

I say ... and you think ... ?

Teacher :: School
Fifty :: Dollars
Crossword :: Puzzle
Stuffed :: Turkey
Family :: Friends
Purr :: Kitty
Toad :: Warts
Cocktail :: Fruit
Insecurity :: Bad
Magical :: Happy

More Mutterings



Movies Watched

The Grapes of Wrath with Henry Fonda -- Young, young Henry Fonda. I remember him as being OLD. Needless to say this movie is very old, and it's black & white. It's nowhere near as good as the book. If I hadn't read the book first, I'd have had a hard time following the movie.

Hotel Rwanda with Don Cheadle & Nick Nolte -- So, so movie. It's based on a true story and was nominated for a Golden Globe in 2005.

Undertow with Josh Lucas and Dermot Mulroeny -- Kinda of a strange movie. It's suppose to be a thriller, but I didn't think it was all that thrilling. Rage, envy, greed, and secrets of a lower class family in Georgia weave the plot.

The Edge with Anthony Hopkins and Alec Baldwin -- Great movie! Human fear, survival, treachery, betrayal and murder rear up throughout the movie as the characters are forced to survive in the wilderness.



Monday Madness

1. In order to protect my computer from viruses, I use AVG.
2. I also use SPYWARE BLASTER for protection from spyware.
3. I don't spend nearly enough time CLEANING.
4. The first person I usually talk to in the morning is BEN.
5. It takes me about AN HOUR to get ready in the morning.
6. I keep all my appointments in/on DAY PLANNER.
7. It takes me about 15 MINUTES to fall asleep at night.

More Madness

Neck Update

My sister is such a dear. When I told her what had happened, she said: "Why didn't you call me?" I just LOL'd and asked her what she thought she'd do for me at 6am. (Moral support?) Besides, I wasn't bleeding and nothing was broken and I didn't think she'd appreciate a phone call at 6am. But it's the thought that counts, right?

Yesterday, my visit to the chiropracter proved to be very painful!! He tried to do an adjustment but it was so painful that he had me do ice and electro-therapy first. Do you think my foot flinging up into the air when he tried to do an adjustment had something to do with his wanting the therapy first? We tried it a second time and it was so painful it brought tears to my eyes! Breathing heavy, tears rolling out of my eyes, it was all I could do to keep from outright sobbing.

I managed to do something to the muscles in my neck. The combination of the two falls has caused the muscles to spasm so much that they are "gripping" my neck and upper back vertebrae and not allowing them to move. I can't tip my head to the right, and yesterday I couldn't turn to the right very far. I go back to the chiro again on Monday afternoon. Meantime, I am to put ice on it, alternated with hot shower focused on my neck. I did that twice yesterday.

The chiropracter told me to take it easy over the weekend. What?! I had a ton of things I wanted to get done: ebay packages need to be mailed, shopping for Freedom framing materials, house cleaning, notes for class need to be typed up, and have to go into work.

I did go shopping, but my neck was killing me by the time I got home. The rest of the day was shot as far as doing anything.

Today, I can turn a bit better but still can't tip my head to the right. I have to go into work for a few hours, so I hope that goes OK.

Pain In The Neck

Three days ago I fell UP the stairs and slammed my hand/wrist into the landing. My wrist hurt a little and I didn't give it much thought. After all my name is "Grace".. LOL

Yesterday, I woke up and the side of my neck hurt, like I'd slept on it wrong. As the day went on, it didn't get better. Not even after taking an Aleve. By evening, the base of my neck was all tensed up. I put some ice on it and went to bed.

I woke up this morning, feeling better. Only a little pain on the side of my neck. As I was walking down the stairs at 6am, my foot slipped and I fell down the last three, landing on my rear end!

I felt my spine jam up to my skull and the pain on the side of my neck was excrutiating! I fell forward and just stayed there for about 5 minutes, all bunched up, breathing heavily, waiting for the pain to subside. My head felt like 20 lbs on top of my shoulders! I managed to get up, and was a bit lightheaded! Since it was 6am, I couldn't call the chiro office. So, I took some ibuprofen and got an ice pack.

I can't even tip my head toward my right side. I do have a chiro appt... Hopefully, it will help.

Crockpot Vegetable Beef Soup

Yum! This is what I made Friday night.


CROCKPOT VEGETABLE BEEF SOUP

2 med. potatoes, peeled and diced
2 med. carrots, peeled and diced
1 1/2 lb. beef shank or neck bones
1 med. onion, peeled and chopped
1 can whole tomatoes (16 oz), quartered
1 can corn (17 oz), undrained
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp. dried parsley flakes
1 tsp. worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. ground savory
2 tsp. instant beef bouillon
3 c. boiling water

Place the first 7 ingredients in a 3 1/2-quart slow cooker in the order listed. Sprinkle parsley and the next 5 ingredients over the vegetables. Dissolve bouillon in boiling water and pour over spices. Cover and cook on low setting for 8-10 hours. Remove beef shank and bay leaf; recover. Remove meat from bones; cut into bite-size pieces. Return meat to soup; mix. Serves 8 to 10.

Notes:
1. I cooked the neck bones (2) first, discarded the fat and liquid. It was too fatty for my taste. There wasn't much beef, but it didn't deter from the taste.
2. I increased the amount of vegetables and used a 5qt crockpot.
3. I used diced tomatoes, and frozen corn. I added frozen peas.
4. I added extra water to make more broth.
5. At the end of the cooking time, I added a few handfuls of barley and allowed it to cook 1/2 hour more.