Pain Physical Therapy #10

Friday, March 15, 2019, 3:00 p.m.

Linda and I both forgot that we needed to get gas before going to my appointment, so by the time we got to the gas station and were on our way, I knew I was going to be at least 10 minutes late! I felt an immediate sense of panic (because I’m usually 10 minutes early), but I started looking through my phone contacts for the “live” phone number that would reach the Pain Clinic. The first one I tried (Kaiser Pain Clinic) got an automated answer, so I hung up and found I had a number for Kaiser Parisa (Parisa being the main person that I knew would answer a call “live”), and Parisa did answer! I told her my situation and asked her to please let Francis know I would be 10 minutes late but I was on my way.

When I got to the Pain Clinic and checked in, I just had time enough to take a blurry picture of a piece of art in the waiting room.

Francis came out to get me and was his usual cheery self. I was afraid I would feel uncomfortable since it has been two months since my last appointment. But it was okay.

Once in his office, I gave him time to access my medical records. I mentioned that I had weighed in at my January appointment and he asked me if I wanted to weigh in again. “Not really,” I said. But it was too late.

“Okay, let’s go get your weight,” he said, standing and motioning me to the door. I knew that I had weighed 135 at home that morning, so I figured it would be at least 2 lbs. more than that now. It was 137.6. No judgment, just that the scale doesn’t lie!

We talked. I asked him how his trip to the Philippines in January was, and he told me that his younger son went with him and his wife. They were gone two and a half weeks, volunteering at a medical mission. (I’m presuming Catholic, because that’s what he is, but I didn’t ask specifically.)

I bragged about getting my A1C down to 6.0% at my last blood test last week. I told him I was still doing all the exercises he had given me but I knew I have some deep psychological hang ups about walking. He listened without judgment and really without giving advice.

I told him that Julie Whitehead had enrolled me in a 9-week Depression Group, which I’m in the middle of. When we finally got back to my assigned pain physical therapy exercises, he asked me if I had been doing the “lighthouse” exercises he gave me two months ago. I said that I did try it at home but it seemed hard to keep it [the motions] in sequence. His response was to give me another type of “lighthouse” exercise that is done sitting on the floor. He brought out a yoga mat, placed it on the floor, and asked me to sit on it while he tried to demonstrate the movements from his chair. He turned his computer monitor toward me so I could also see the people demonstrating it. I saw that it was from a site called GentleSomaticYoga.com. Sounded reasonable to me!

We went through the four variations on the exercise. So now I hope I can do this at home! I will need to clear a place on the carpet in the living room, behind my desk, to see how I can make it work.

“The Lighthouse” is an exercise to help you unlock tension surrounding your spine and hips.

 

Harborside

After leaving Union City, we drove to Harborside. Even though I had not yet been texted that my order was ready for pickup, I called an 888 number in a previous text and got a live staff member, who told me that my order was “still in process” because they had a lot of orders (being a holiday weekend and all) but I could come and wait. I said okay, thank you.

While we were driving, Linda told me that she heard my voice change from something I would typically say in this situation to something Linda would say in the same situation. Ha! I had not been aware of it, but it was a compliment that she thought I was like her!

We stopped at the BofA ATM in Alameda. Fortunately, the cash withdrawal went smoothly, unlike my experience on Tuesday when I had to bang the ATM–hard–several times before it would release my cash!

I was anticipating a long wait when we got to Harborside, but I went inside and got into the pick-up line to wait. I was rehearsing what I was going to say when I got to the front of the line. But a staff member (probably a supervisor) was coming down the line of people waiting, asking for their name. When he got to me, I just said, “Hegarty, H-E-G” and then I watched as he went to the cabinet where filled orders were and pulled out a small bag and put in on the counter behind the cashiers. My order was ready!

Fortunately, I had enough cash. My CBD/THC tinctures were in the bag, with my printed receipt. I decided to forego any other edibles but went home happy. Maybe this crappy week of the time change was coming to an end! But not quite.

 

Injury at Home

In the process of preparing to fix supper, I went around the corner from the kitchen to the living room and banged my right forearm against the corner of the bookstand that held my 3-ring binder recipe book. It hurt so I stopped to look at my arm and probably would have just rubbed the place that hurt, except that I saw a three-corner tear in my skin, with blood oozing out!

Ah, sheesh! I am officially an old lady!