Life Modified

Life is so different with one more person added to the Hood home. I think I siked myself out before she was born just to mentally prepare myself for all of the changes that would come. I must say I have been patting myself on the back for juggling everything with a mental balance and I shed less tears everyday.

For about a week now I have been experiencing severe pain in my neck. I have been in so much pain I could barely move my head to either side without a pulsating throb of pressure and pain at the left base of my neck and it would hurt all the way down into my left shoulder. I wasn't sure if I slept wrong or too tense but I knew one thing, the pain was worsening and there were no signs of it improving. So, I made an appointment with the chiropractor this morning. I jumped out of bed just in time to pump enough milk for the baby, hug Dalen goodbye and make it to the office on time.

Come to find out, I have a severe case of scoliosis, along with signs of arthritis settling in. In fact, he told me my back had two very severe curvatures that were causing the bones to close up where they curved and smash the nerves that are in between them, and that's what's causing the pain. Obviously I am in no shape for pain meds. Who can be on pain meds with two kids? NOT ME! I am barely functioning in my right mind! So, I was sent home with a neck brace and a device called a Tens 3000 which offers a "drugless and non-invasive way of controlling pain" (doesn't that sound pretty!). It does this by sending tiny electrical impulses through the skin to modify your pain perception.

I have been blessed by a baby who is sleeping pretty good but the neck pain has kept me awake. I was ordered back to the doctor tomorrow for "adjustments" and he hopes with consistent adjustments the curvatures will begin to straighten. *Sigh* This too shall pass. I find myself talking to myself a whole lot lately. I am constantly convincing myself out loud that "Dalen will adjust" or "You will be somewhat skinny again" or "Sleep in overrated". You should try it, it actually helps more than you think it would! My life has been titled "Life Modified" for now. Lots of changes, yes but in the end changes that will improve our life not set us back.