low back was out horribly for two weeks and today something in my upper back just snapped. Chiro says and rib slipped and a vertebrae twisted.

Other than that..its all good :o) That's the Vicodin talking............

doesn't that require bending?

love it!

hangin in there - drugs are helping :o)

egad!!

"Tootsie Can't Take it Anymore!"

boo! you missed a spot!

I finally gave in and got the doc to phone in pain killer and muscle relaxer. THose and this will take care of tonight :o)

Not sure what I'm going to do. I'm really concerned with how easily things have gone out these past three weeks. check out my latest poem on the poetry page - I think you'll like it :o)

just when all seems lost
just when I can't bear the cost
just when all seems vain
just when I can't bear the pain
along you come, my online friends
and lift my weary soul again.

no matter how I carp or whine
you're there for me every single time
thank you for caring for one so far
and knowing you're there under the same stars
gives peace that comes from God on high
and somehow gives the strength to try.

this is such a sappy sonnet
but still I'll put my name upon it
over 50's you know who you are
wish we could all just get in my car
and go out for breakfast after a long night of talk
ok, add your car too so the springs do not balk
pancakes or eggs, waffles or pie
it doesn't matter, I'll even take fries.

Let's meet up some day, take a place at the beach
we could do it if we gave just a little bit each
or head on out to a place in the mountains
or a cafe in Paris right by a fountain.
lets make it so...we can if we try
A great evening to you, all my friends from CY (ber)

right back at ya!

I am actually going to a new primary care person this week who has been highly recommended to me. I am going to approach the disability idea with her and see what she thinks.

thanks choco - I just had to express some of this because I was SOOO frustrated with having to miss work today.

Ron, thank you for sharing so much. Sometimes I feel so alone with all this. I know I'm not, but some days its hard to fight through the feelings. My economy at this point doesn't allow me to take my hours down too much, but if I can figure out some cheaper living situation - that will open up my options. I love my job but it just seems that my body is at war with it. You are one of the folks on here that I would love to just sit across a kitchen table from and talk.

Oh my 5x10, what a trial you have been through. How are you coping? There are so many days when I am so tired but know I have to get up and go. I expect your child keeps you motivated. I will keep you in my prayers daily.

Thank you all so much for your thoughts. I am not going to do anything rash, but something has to give soon if I am to have any quality of life. Now for individual responses...

I like that we are able to talk without being insulting. Not too many people can do that these days. You write well fran

Thanks Carmen - I am trying to finish out this school year but there are still 3 1/2 months left and that is looking very far away.

He has actually said "I won" many times in the last two weeks. But more than the president are entrenched politicians who wrote something without any true regard for middle class taxpayers other than a couple of token bits they say they are going to throw our way.

I mentioned the credit card because at least they would not control how it was spent. :o) I would prefer to get some lump that I could either put in savings or against a school loan.

We will see how this all plays out in the next few weeks. I just feel like the government no longer represents or listens to most of the hard-working taxpayers at all.

The good side is that people are stepping back on the living outside of a budget life styles, keeping up with the joneses lifestyles they have been living for the last few years. When I see what young coupld feel they MUST have at the beginning of their marriage compared to how my parents started out, I am astounded.

So I am at a point when some chronic (and often very severe) pain or other is beginning to severely limit my ability to do my job. Part of this is because my schedule just doesn't allow time for my body to work out all this stuff in the morning before I have to be "on" for 7 hours of teaching on my feet, and an hour of duty. Music always has extra activities also, plus moving equipment like keyboards and drums. I am afraid I am going to lose my job due to absences. I have never taken any sort of assistance but am starting to think it may be time to apply for diability and just do whatever I am physically able to do part time. I have horrible low back issues, and just when that started to feel better after being out for two weeks my upper back went out today. Incredible pain. I am not an invalid but with each year that goes by I feel more limited in what kind of work I am able to do. I can't do steady standing (without walking a bit ) for long hours, I can't sit in one position for long periods of time, etc. I know how to cater to this almost 25% disability (from two major car accidents in the last 15 years plus increasing scoliosis)when I am not stressed and pushed and do pretty well. But that's not the circumstances I am in now. I just don't know what to do to somehow make things better. Any thoughts you have would be appreciated.

The problem is the "I won so just deal with it" attitude that he is giving off. Nothing HAD to be done this week without careful deliberation and a bill orginally written by reps and Senators from both sides including some of the junior folks who have great ideas. 4 days of "debate" of $850 billion dollars is less than we would take in deciding which used car to buy.

I vote for the plan that give each taxpayer a credit card that we must spend (not pay down debt with or save) so that the money goes immediately into local businesses and they can hire. There are 3 major things that are wants instead of needs that I am holding off on because I have no idea what is coming with this economy.