March 12

What's been going on over the last few weeks?

Me

the neck saga continues and although I'm still experiencing some pain and lots of pins & needles [paraesthesia] the general trend is improving. A couple of weeks ago I had a CT scan done of my neck. Based on that scan the following week I had a steroid and nerve block CT-guided injection into the neck at around C5/6. Not the most comfortable of feelings - lying still when my neck was aching badly was the worst bit - but the after-effects have been good. An immediate reduction in neck & shoulder pain. And I mean immediate. Got up from the CT scanner bed and hey! No neck pain! The following day the pain-free effects continued - so much so that I managed to cut the grass and do some pruning as well as the normal stuff like washing. Mind you, on the following day the shoulder was as stiff as a tree branch.
Now about three weeks following the injection and the pain level is no where as high as it was. Still having regular physio with dry-needling but Laura the Physio is now talking about a maintenance physio program rather than weekly visits. She's recommending I wear a shoulder brace during the day to assist in preventing slouching and slumping - a bad posture habit that doesn't do anything positive for my neck. Looks a bit bondage-orientated but if it works...

Others

The Little Worker turned 50 last week despite her best efforts to postpone the inevitable. Took a while for the denial to stop. This weekend there is a family gathering at a Civic club and the party has a '70s theme. The Little Worker has a "costume" organised - typical. I spent the '70s wearing Levis and T-shirts so my costume is easy although I have bought a T-shirt specifically and not only that completed the authentic-'70s-look by tie-bleaching parts of it. There will be some surprises in store for The Little Worker but I'll not reveal those here. Organising the party has not been stress-free but it seems now to be set-up and I hope it all goes off OK tonight.

I must remember to pick up The Cake and candle[s] later...