Iliotibial WHAT?! in A New Beginning

Hello again, friends!! :o) !! Well, I have been going to Physical Therapy for two full weeks now (twice a week) and my leg is getting better! Last night was the first night in a week or so that I’ve NOT worn an Icy-Hot patch to bed, and my leg was fine and only started to cramp a wee bit, toward getting-up time. That is MUCH better! For a week or two, I couldn’t ever get up out of bed without painful cramping, and I couldn’t even get my darn socks on without Joe’s help! That was nooooooooo fun at all. I am thankful that I can go to physical therapy, AND IT HELPS!

The therapist said that this doesn’t seem to have anything to do with my lower back; he says it’s my hamstring and iliotibial band, which are sooooo sore and sooooo tight. The exercises I do make them sorer, but then they feel better because it’s loosening them up. I’m not SUPER-good about doing them at home, but I do make sure to do some of them at home every day I don’t go to PT. Well actually, I do most of them at home....I just have to wait ‘til Guinness is outside or in his room, cuz he can be a bit of a pest. ;o) !!

Soooo and also, in health-related but not leg-related news.....did I tell you that my blood test I had last showed I have high calcium? So I have to get another blood test next week. My doctor asked me if I take calcium. I said no, but I drink LOTS of milk. So I’ve stopped drinking milk, and will see if this puts my calcium in the “normal” range. If it doesn’t, then it probably means there’s a problem with my parathyroid....which is rarely cancer, and easily fixable. Or apparently high blood calcium can also be a symptom of certain types of cancer. I really don’t want to think about that, but I also really don’t think that is what I have. So! I WILL be glad to know the verdict on this, though. And also, I’m having a mammogram on Monday....just to be having one. I haven’t had one in a few years.

Damn, now I am a person who can fill a whole entry with my own medical stuff! :oO !! It does bother me a bit, since my Mom and brother both died of cancer in their fifties. On the one hand, I have way too much to do to be dyin’. On the other, I AM pretty damn tired! ;o) !! But who wants to deal with that stuff?! NO ONE!!!!!!!!!!!

But, I do have a few other things to write about! Life is pretty good! :o) !! ONE MORE DAY of work, and then I am off ALL OF NEXT WEEK! The kids and us cafeteria staff are off all week. The teachers have parent/teacher conferences Monday and Tuesday and maybe Wednesday too. We (me and the Joes) were going to go to Carrie’s for Thanksgiving, but with my leg troubles, I can’t comfortably make an eleven-hour car drive, so we’re going to go at Christmas instead. So that means I get to cook Thanksgiving dinner! And I do like to, even though Carrie cooks a delicious one also. We won’t be having company because my sisters, niece and nephew had already made dinner reservations at a restaurant. But I am sure that I WILL have a great time going out-and-about with my sisters, a time or two during my NINE DAYS OFF!! :o) !!

Well, dear friends, I’ve been interrupted by a phone call, and I’m also workin’ at cooking dinner....so I’m going to sign off for now and wish you a happy Friday and weekend!

hugs and blessings,
Nicky