This is...less than pleasant.

[jennlk]

Ugh. The weather has changed. It's definitely winter. That's not the problem -- mid-November is supposed to be winter. The problem is that my (newly repaired) back doesn't like the cold weather, and is letting me know. I wore my winter jacket today when I went out to run errands (usually I don't pull it out until it's in the low 'teens), and I could feel the muscles in my back tightening up as I walked out to the car. sigh. And now they're really tight and stuff is getting compressed that shouldn't be, and the heating pad won't help, and I don't want to take a muscle relaxant because I hate teh groggy. And nothing really hurts, it just doesn't feel right, and I can't find a comfortable position in my nest, even after I kicked all the cats out.

And I don't know how much of the soreness is due to the weather and how much of it is due to SR's cold (which she is so kindly sharing).

We've got two pairs of crows hanging out in the backyard by the birdbath, peacefully co-existing with the jays and the finches and the sparrows and the swallows. The cats don't exactly know what to make of them. They're much bigger than even the jays, and the cats are just fascinated by these things that look kinda like birds but are far too big to be birds. Scrabble was alternating between a full "it's a bird!" forward lean and a "omigod it's big!" cower. Then the dog went out and they all scattered (including the cats). The sparrows were all fluffed up today, and looked like feathered tennis balls.

Comments

[tlunquist.livejournal.com]

You might (if you haven't already discovered them) pick up some of the ThermaCare single-use heating pads for your back, and put one on before you go out into the cold. I know heating pads often don't help me once I'm already in pain, but if I get the jump on the muscles they work pretty well. The nice thing about the ThermaCares is that they are light, self-contained, and invisible to the outside world. I use them for, er, girl trouble - and refuse to let my household stock drop below one full box (3 pads).

Obviously you have to do what works with your post-surgery constraints, doc orders, etc., but hey - free advice is worth what you pay for it.

Hope you feel better!!!

[jennlk]

I've used the ThermaCare packs before, but I hadn't thought of using them in this situation. (Part of that is that I didn't even think about the possibility of tightening up due to the cold, other than "I probably should wear the warmer coat today".) I'll try one the next time I go out. *After* I've gotten rid of the current crop of snarls....

As far as doc's orders, I've got one, which boils down to "don't be stupid". (Don't lift heavy things; don't sit up too long; don't bend or twist or lean sideways; if it hurts, stop doing it.)