A minor setback

October 30, 2002

You know I was feeling grotty last week? My BP is now 140/100 and my K

levels are 5.2 so are slightly raised. I have to go back next week for them

to check again.... there is a minor concern that the remaining adrenal gland

isn't working as well as it should as it has done nothing for so long!

Helen

March 22, 2004

Sorry to hear about all your back problems ! I know how

frustrating it can be not being able to get around. Here's sending

you some good energy your way to get you back on your feet again!

> Hi everyone!

>

> I am not sure if you remember my posts from a few weeks ago. I

was

> really depressed and down in the dumps about the way I looked and

> felt. I was all set to get back on my BFL program and ended up

> injuring my back in clinicals at school. (New lesson learned:

> never, ever try to move a patient by yourself, no matter how tiny

> they are!!). So I've been lying flat on my back for the past 1

1/2

> weeks, taking Soma, Vicodin, Robaxin, and whatever else my doctor

> has tried. I've been to the stupid chiropractor (which I don't

> believe in, but it's a family friend and free) and still, my lower

> back hurts. My doctor was happy to hear that I don't have pain

> shooting down my legs or any paresthesia occuring. Guess that

means

> no nerve damage in my spine. I'm praying and hoping that it's

> muscular because this means it will heal eventually.

>

> I went to work on Friday after not being up for over a week. My

job

> is labor intensive (12 hours of turning patients, scooting them up

> in bed, holding up various limbs, etc) and it was really

difficult.

> I made it 8 hours and then decided to cut my day short. I was

> supposed to work a 12 hour shift the following morning, but my

back

> was aching, so I opted to call in and preserve what back I had

left.

>

> Today is Monday and although I still have this nagging pain in my

> lower back area (around L3,L4, and L5), it's not so bad that I

can't

> walk around or sit. I stepped on the scale and about burst into

> tears. I'm up to 162 (I have NEVER been this weight) and my

bodyfat

> according to my wonderful friend, Mr. Tanita, is 37%!!!! Oh,

> sheesh...that did it. I put on my workout pants and tied up my

> laces with the determination that even if I can't follow the BFL

> program exactly right now due to my lower back hurting, I can at

> least go to the gym and get my big fat butt onto the treadmill.

>

> Well, I spent 35 minutes, walked 2 miles and burned up 250

> calories. I alternated between walking at 3.5 mph at a 10%

incline

> and 4.0 mph at a 5% incline. I didn't do anything that caused my

> back to hurt and made sure to hold in my tummy and keep my pelvis

> tucked under (which really helps ease the pressure off my lower

> back). I really felt great when I finished and hope that this is

a

> start to getting my old self back again, body and mind.

>

> Oh, I also saw a recommendation from Yogagirl's website for a

yoga

> video called Candlelight Yoga from Crunch. I just received it

last

> week in the mail and did it the other night. My back never hurt

> while doing the video and it really made me slow down and relax.

My

> biggest problem is that my mind is always racing and thinking

about

> what to do next. It stresses me out and I always feeled pulled in

a

> million different directions. This yoga stuff really makes you

STOP

> doing all that and just be calm. I was forced to slow my

breathing

> down, the stretches were all great and it's not a difficult tape

to

> follow if you aren't familiar with yoga positions. I did learn

that

> I have great balance and parts of me are much more flexible than

> others (my hips are much looser than my hamstrings).

>

> Oops..sorry to write a darn novel again. I get carried away with

> words sometimes. I just wanted to thank everyone again for the

> support and although I am not back in the saddle completely, it's

a

> start. I also have realized that it's so much easier for me to

eat

> healthy on the days when I workout so that's another goal of

mine.

> As long as my back is still not 100%, I will at least go to the

gym

> for a light workout or at least take a walk around the block.

This

> will encourage me to put healthier things in my mouth, which will

> lead to some weight loss in itself.

>

> I will post when I'm ready to actually begin a challenge and take

> new photos and stats.

>

> Thanks again for all the support!

>

> M.

March 22, 2004

You are on the right track !

I too have the lower back blues, it's a nursing thing. The only thing

I have found that helps is Yoga and regular exercise. Along with my

BFL I have been doing Yoga stretches together I have almost

erradicated my lower back pain!

I used to have to hold my pants in mid air and kick my legs into them

because I couldn't ben over in the mornings! Sad sad sad. But no more!

You will get through this and back on the BFL track and when you do

there will be no stopping you!

Remember you learned from this so it isn't all bad.

March 23, 2004

Ooh, I love the Candlelight Yoga. I have a high-stress job and I'm not very

patient or very good at relaxing. That workout really calms me down... if I can

hold still long enough to do it. :-)

I also have a lower back injury that feels like an ice pick in my spine. I've

gotten really good at not hurting it. I can do just about anything if I avoid

hyper-extensions and running on concrete. About once every year or two I manage

to accidentally cripple myself. I usually fully recover in a week or two. I find

that I can still walk and do things like bicep curls and tricep kickbacks even

when I can't stand up all the way. Congratulations on getting on the treadmill.

Hang in there!

A minor setback

Hi everyone!

I am not sure if you remember my posts from a few weeks ago. I was

really depressed and down in the dumps about the way I looked and

felt. I was all set to get back on my BFL program and ended up

injuring my back in clinicals at school. (New lesson learned:

never, ever try to move a patient by yourself, no matter how tiny

they are!!). So I've been lying flat on my back for the past 1 1/2

weeks, taking Soma, Vicodin, Robaxin, and whatever else my doctor

has tried. I've been to the stupid chiropractor (which I don't

believe in, but it's a family friend and free) and still, my lower

back hurts. My doctor was happy to hear that I don't have pain

shooting down my legs or any paresthesia occuring. Guess that means

no nerve damage in my spine. I'm praying and hoping that it's

muscular because this means it will heal eventually.

I went to work on Friday after not being up for over a week. My job

is labor intensive (12 hours of turning patients, scooting them up

in bed, holding up various limbs, etc) and it was really difficult.

I made it 8 hours and then decided to cut my day short. I was

supposed to work a 12 hour shift the following morning, but my back

was aching, so I opted to call in and preserve what back I had left.

Today is Monday and although I still have this nagging pain in my

lower back area (around L3,L4, and L5), it's not so bad that I can't

walk around or sit. I stepped on the scale and about burst into

tears. I'm up to 162 (I have NEVER been this weight) and my bodyfat

according to my wonderful friend, Mr. Tanita, is 37%!!!! Oh,

sheesh...that did it. I put on my workout pants and tied up my

laces with the determination that even if I can't follow the BFL

program exactly right now due to my lower back hurting, I can at

least go to the gym and get my big fat butt onto the treadmill.

Well, I spent 35 minutes, walked 2 miles and burned up 250

calories. I alternated between walking at 3.5 mph at a 10% incline

and 4.0 mph at a 5% incline. I didn't do anything that caused my

back to hurt and made sure to hold in my tummy and keep my pelvis

tucked under (which really helps ease the pressure off my lower

back). I really felt great when I finished and hope that this is a

start to getting my old self back again, body and mind.

Oh, I also saw a recommendation from Yogagirl's website for a yoga

video called Candlelight Yoga from Crunch. I just received it last

week in the mail and did it the other night. My back never hurt

while doing the video and it really made me slow down and relax. My

biggest problem is that my mind is always racing and thinking about

what to do next. It stresses me out and I always feeled pulled in a

million different directions. This yoga stuff really makes you STOP

doing all that and just be calm. I was forced to slow my breathing

down, the stretches were all great and it's not a difficult tape to

follow if you aren't familiar with yoga positions. I did learn that

I have great balance and parts of me are much more flexible than

others (my hips are much looser than my hamstrings).

Oops..sorry to write a darn novel again. I get carried away with

words sometimes. I just wanted to thank everyone again for the

support and although I am not back in the saddle completely, it's a

start. I also have realized that it's so much easier for me to eat

healthy on the days when I workout so that's another goal of mine.

As long as my back is still not 100%, I will at least go to the gym

for a light workout or at least take a walk around the block. This

will encourage me to put healthier things in my mouth, which will

lead to some weight loss in itself.

I will post when I'm ready to actually begin a challenge and take

new photos and stats.

Thanks again for all the support!

M.

March 23, 2004

,

Are you in nursing school? I'm a CNA and your description of all the

lifting and turning at your job reminds me of what my job consists

of...

I'm not working right now after resigning my last position. I just

got tired of all the crap that's going on in the healthcare field

right now. I'm sure you know what I mean. What really made me rethink

my " career choice " was when one of the residents fell into one of the

girls at work. She hit her head off of the wall on the way down (the

CNA). I was there 10 months and when I left she was still in a

wheelchair and not back to work.

Lorraine

> Hi everyone!

>

> I am not sure if you remember my posts from a few weeks ago. I was

> really depressed and down in the dumps about the way I looked and

> felt. I was all set to get back on my BFL program and ended up

> injuring my back in clinicals at school. (New lesson learned:

> never, ever try to move a patient by yourself, no matter how tiny

> they are!!). So I've been lying flat on my back for the past 1 1/2

> weeks, taking Soma, Vicodin, Robaxin, and whatever else my doctor

> has tried. I've been to the stupid chiropractor (which I don't

> believe in, but it's a family friend and free) and still, my lower

> back hurts. My doctor was happy to hear that I don't have pain

> shooting down my legs or any paresthesia occuring. Guess that

means

> no nerve damage in my spine. I'm praying and hoping that it's

> muscular because this means it will heal eventually.

>

> I went to work on Friday after not being up for over a week. My

job

> is labor intensive (12 hours of turning patients, scooting them up

> in bed, holding up various limbs, etc) and it was really

difficult.

> I made it 8 hours and then decided to cut my day short. I was

> supposed to work a 12 hour shift the following morning, but my back

> was aching, so I opted to call in and preserve what back I had left.

>

> Today is Monday and although I still have this nagging pain in my

> lower back area (around L3,L4, and L5), it's not so bad that I

can't

> walk around or sit. I stepped on the scale and about burst into

> tears. I'm up to 162 (I have NEVER been this weight) and my

bodyfat

> according to my wonderful friend, Mr. Tanita, is 37%!!!! Oh,

> sheesh...that did it. I put on my workout pants and tied up my

> laces with the determination that even if I can't follow the BFL

> program exactly right now due to my lower back hurting, I can at

> least go to the gym and get my big fat butt onto the treadmill.

>

> Well, I spent 35 minutes, walked 2 miles and burned up 250

> calories. I alternated between walking at 3.5 mph at a 10% incline

> and 4.0 mph at a 5% incline. I didn't do anything that caused my

> back to hurt and made sure to hold in my tummy and keep my pelvis

> tucked under (which really helps ease the pressure off my lower

> back). I really felt great when I finished and hope that this is a

> start to getting my old self back again, body and mind.

>

> Oh, I also saw a recommendation from Yogagirl's website for a yoga

> video called Candlelight Yoga from Crunch. I just received it last

> week in the mail and did it the other night. My back never hurt

> while doing the video and it really made me slow down and relax.

My

> biggest problem is that my mind is always racing and thinking about

> what to do next. It stresses me out and I always feeled pulled in

a

> million different directions. This yoga stuff really makes you

STOP

> doing all that and just be calm. I was forced to slow my breathing

> down, the stretches were all great and it's not a difficult tape to

> follow if you aren't familiar with yoga positions. I did learn

that

> I have great balance and parts of me are much more flexible than

> others (my hips are much looser than my hamstrings).

>

> Oops..sorry to write a darn novel again. I get carried away with

> words sometimes. I just wanted to thank everyone again for the

> support and although I am not back in the saddle completely, it's a

> start. I also have realized that it's so much easier for me to eat

> healthy on the days when I workout so that's another goal of mine.

> As long as my back is still not 100%, I will at least go to the gym

> for a light workout or at least take a walk around the block. This

> will encourage me to put healthier things in my mouth, which will

> lead to some weight loss in itself.

>

> I will post when I'm ready to actually begin a challenge and take

> new photos and stats.

>

> Thanks again for all the support!

>

> M.

March 25, 2004

Lorraine,

Yes, I'm in nursing school...that's what is responsible for packing on these

pounds!!! Back in August, before I started school, I was in a size 6, 24% bf,

and 145lbs. I'm now a size 12 (very tight), 37%, and 162lbs. I just started

working as a Nurse Apprentice in the ICUat the hospital in my town and this back

injury has been hard to deal with as my job entails a lot of physical labor. I

feel bad when I can't help a nurse turn a patient or lift them up because they

weigh 250lbs. I have been asking for a 3rd person to help and some of the

nurses look at me like I'm lazy or weak. I've had to explain to them that my

back was injured and then they usually look at me with understanding...I think

all of them have been there at one time or another.

I will admit that I could never be a CNA. I think they are highly underpaid for

what they do and it's a very tough job. I'm getting paid around $15 an hour to

do less than what a CNA does and I know at the nursing homes around town, CNA's

get paid around $10 an hour. Not nearly enough money for everything they do.

My hat goes off to CNA's and I will never be one of those nurses who takes the

CNA's for granted. Actually, that's why I want to work in the ICU. You don't

rely on a CNA for all your primary care....you do it all yourself. I would

rather take care of my patient from bedbath to meds rather than have someone

else do it. We don't have CNA's in the ICU...just Critical Care Techs. They

don't do half as much as a CNA on the regular hospital floor does.

I agree that there is a lot of crap going on in healthcare right now. It's

probably the only thing that scares me. Luckily, the hospital I'm working for

right now is great and I have not run into one nurse who is disatisfied with

their employer!

M.

lorraineg57 <lorraineg57@...> wrote: