Friday Night Update!

So, the second part of my root canal filling treatment was done on Wednesday and I was an hour and a quarter in the chair, but nowhere near as painful as last time thank goodness, so that's all done with!

Note to self: DO NOT jump over creeks to see a rare bird, when you have a dodgy hip/back. I'm sure there are several people who have suffered with aches and sprains etc from last weekend's Eastern Rufous Bush Chat twitch?! There were several people older than myself I noted, that probably shouldn't have been leaping across muddy creeks either!

I have had a slight niggling pain in my right hip/lower back for a couple of years (ish), which I have had two X-Rays for and nothing major was found, but quote 'showed minor spondylotic changes in my lumbar spine'. I didn't feel any pain, as I was jumping over creeks on the marsh, but I presume this is what caused my pain later!

I returned to work on Monday and also went in on Tuesday. I'm guessing that the strain on my spine of jumping over creeks, combined with returning to work and doing our typical heavy duty therapy, resulted in pain on another level! I was finding it difficult to do my job on Tuesday. Ibuprofen and Paracetamol did nothing at all to relieve the intense pain in my right lower back/hip. I rang the GP and was sent an email message late on Tuesday evening from my doctor, to say he had prescribed me some Naproxen Tablets 500mg and Co-Codamol 30mg/500mg tablets and advised me to self refer to a Physiotherapist at QEH, which I have done.

On Wednesday morning it was extremely painful just trying to put my socks on!  I was pretty cross with the situation, as its not very good having time off work, when you have just had three weeks off! But I had no choice but to stay at home on Wednesday and Thursday, but stubbornly returned today. I picked up my medication on Wednesday (after the dentist), but the Naproxen (anti-inflammatory drug) didn't kick in enough for me to return on Thursday. Went for a short walk from my house on Thursday to keep things moving, but felt spaced out with the medication. Its a job to keep awake on these heavy duty medications.

I was determined to return to work today (Friday) and did, but probably shouldn't have done, as still in pain and spaced out, but was glad I made the effort. My 'normal' very fast walking speed at work (when I'm flying along the corridors), almost felt back to normal by late afternoon, so hopefully things are starting to improve. Being totally honest, my weight situation does not help at all and I now need to make a deadly serious effort to lose a significant amount of weight! No more cake baking or chocolate etc etc!

On a positive note, my five day full time post changes to three days starting 1st November, which is probably a good thing for my aches and pains! I will be having Monday's and Tuesday's off. Very exciting indeed, four days off every week!!! Sounds like a very good work/life balance to me!