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The above picture was taken at the Naples Botanical Gardens in Naples,, Florida.  Glass sculptures.

Time for a new post.  Well, guess it could be past time, all depending upon your perspective.  I’ve been trying to think of things to add but having a difficult time.  TBI survivors are all different.  Well, separate from TBI, I’ve been dealing with back pain.  Nearly a year ago I was carrying a basket of clothes and set the basket down.  At that point I could hardly stand back up or straighten up.  There was so much pain that when I did straighten out I was unable to walk.  My steps could be measured in inches.  Had never experienced anything like it before.  I went in and saw my doctor and he gave me a prescription for a muscle relaxer.  Started taking that but found it really didn’t help much at all.  Basically things very slowly began to get better, and over time the pain went away.  Then a short time later I was adjusting myself in the seat of my pickup when it happened again.  This occurrence was not quite as painful as the first, and the recovery time was shorter as well.  After some time later I tried picking up a 40lb bag of pellets (for pellet stove) from the garage floor, and admittedly did it wrong, and the problem happened again.  This time though, it was much worse.  I’ve never in my life had to deal with that degree of pain, to the point of screaming when trying to get up out of a recliner.  Thankfully, no one was home but me.  My dog just backed up a little, not knowing what to think or do.  Aside from the severity of this pain, the worst pain I experience is my head pain and especially when I’m dumb enough to get brain freeze.  Wow!, that is unbelievable.  Well, the pain coming from my back, extending down to my right back cheek, down to my calf.  The pain in my calf took the longest to ease up and hurt as much as my back did in the beginning.  The calf pain was to the point where I decided to use a cane when trying to walk.  Got a message to my doctor and he gave me the same useless muscle relaxer meds.  After that, at his direction, I tried 2 weeks of physical therapy, and that didn’t help either.  Finally ordered an MRI and the results showed a herniated disc around the L4 and L5 area.  Eventually I saw an orthopedic doctor/surgeon and he told me there is no permanent fix for it.  The doctor preferred to not do surgery, since the pain has nearly disappeared, and gave me a prescription for a med that affects the nerves.  Sort of a nerve relaxer and something typically given to people with epilepsy.  I’m not to take it unless the problem happens again.  Well, since there is no permanent fix then it’s only a matter of time.  What I was hoping for is a suggestion to perform what is called a Lumbar Microdiscectomy, where the surgeon goes in and shaves off whatever is putting pressure on a nerve, which typically relieves the pain almost immediately.  It’s a fairly non-invasive procedure.  Well, there was no suggestion but the doctor did mention it.  So, at this point I can try the medicine when it happens again or perhaps find a different doctor/surgeon.  Now, I don’t know about other TBI survivors, but for me any time I experience pain in any part of my body it will contribute to my daily head pain.  I am glad the pain has for the most part gone away.  

Now, with the above in mind, how much does a person risk doing?  Obviously, trying to lift the 40lb bags of pellets is not advisable.  How can I determine what I can or should do and what I shouldn’t, other than just doing it and see if the problem happens yet again?  

Some time ago I messaged a neurosurgeon, via Facebook, and asked about the problem I have with exercising and to the point where my heart rate increases.  You see, when that happens the pain in my head also increases, and at times substantially.  The neurosurgeon suggested blood pressure may be the issue.  Well, that made sense.  Some time later I went on blood pressure medicine to lower my blood pressure so as to be able and safer to go on medicine for depression and ADHD.  I found that even though my blood pressure was lower, and definitely in the normal range, but didn’t help with the problem when exercising.  So, for the time being I’ve tabled trying to pursue a solution for this.  My exercise will be restricted to walking.  At least for now.