I have had a rough month (OT)

[capt jake]

Well, this has been a tough month for me

[Tom Lathrop]

Hey John,

Sorry to hear about all the setbacks.  I've no advice on the issue with your son.  My sons are not perfect but have given me no serious problems so I have not had to deal with that.  One thing is certain, reinforcement of bad behavior is not a solution.  Self destructive tendencies are a different matter and I hope for the best for your family. 

I can empathize with your back problems though, having had major back surgery earlier this year.  Mine was not specific to an injury though.  More likely the rewards for a lifetime of poor posture.  A ruptured or slipped disc is not the big deal it once was though.  There is now orthoscopic (sp) surgery available for that, typically as an outpatient.  Look into that.  I did spend about 3 months on my backside looking at TV and reading so I know how that works.

All the best,  Tom

[BillBrush]

I hope things work out for you Cap.

The hardest lesson for people to learn is that they are responsible for themselves.  You teach the kids as best you can, but ultimately it's up to them to "man up" and take control of their destiny.

[Konrad]

OK, I'm going to attempt to offer advice on matters such as yours which I have no personal experience in.  But often times that one piece of advice that an old veteran boatbuilder from the Pacific Northwest once told me will also apply to other areas.  Here's what he said:

"Don't worry about the boat as a whole. Just go to your shop, and do one thing. Do it right, and when you go home that evening, take satisfaction in that one thing that you accomplished that day. Repeat the next day, and so on. If you do that, you'll finish your boat, guaranteed."

I sure wish I knew who said that to me 10 years ago, because it's helped me get more than just boats built.

Like Tom said:  "All the best."

Konrad

[Frank Hagan]

My back problems are from L4-L5 and L4-L3, the lumbar region.  The arthritis is troublesome, but ask how much there is, and if its normal (almost everyone over 40 has some arthritis of the spine, but its the "gettin' old" kind and usually not the progressive, rhuematoid kind that disables you). 

I never had much relief from chiropractic, but I did from the PT.  And hanging upside down.  I have an inversion table that's sitting just a few feet away from me, and when my back is bothering me, hanging like a bat does as much good as traction at the PT office.  Ask the doctor first, but if you try this, just make sure that slobbering dog isn't around or you'll get aggressively licked (and don't eat a big meal before you use the inversion table!) 

My PT did "trigger point massage" on me and it worked very well.  I found a book, The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook that is great; now I manage most of my pain with a tennis ball in a sock and the book.  I think I paid $25 for the book at Barnes and Noble, and $3 for some tennis balls, and it helps more than all the expensive stuff I tried before that.

As to the added stress regarding grown children, we have to remember that our kids are really free moral agents from about 14 years of age on, yet we still feel "responsible" for them long into their adulthood.  But we have to let go and let them figure it out the hard way. 

We'll keep you in our thoughts!

[Charlie Jones]

Konrad- truer words were never spoken.

When people ask me about can they build a boat I ask something slightly different- I ask if they are capable of making ONE JOINT well? Most will say that they can- so I tell them that's all it takes- all anyone can make is one joint at a time. Make the one needed, make it well, then do the next one.

That's all it takes- make enough good joints, one after the other, and you'll have a boat sitting there.

Of course there IS a bit of sanding involved also, but you get used to that- just zone out and do it

[capt jake]

Thanks guys. All good advice.

I liked the slobbering dog advice.

I start the commute on Monday morning.  I am working light duty , M-F.  I am overjoyed!  NOT!   Going to work in the AM is a breeze, but I will get off in the heat of rush hour.  that at least doubles the commute time.  Oh well....wait and see what the specialist says.

Sanding???  Somebody always has to bring up sanding.... LOL :)

[Tom Lathrop]

John,

I've found that the worse thing for my back is riding in a car, particularly newer cars with low seats.  Riding in a van or pickup is far easier on it because of the high seats and better position.  Too bad for fuel mileage though.

We had a great time at the messabout yesterday with lots of wind, waves and no rain until too late to care.  Today will be different with rain and most time will be in the shop for skull sessions and ShopBot demos.  Lots of B&B boat there and good sailing.  Lapwing went very well relative ot all the others.  I did forget to seal the top of the CB trunk under the center thwart and had a cascading, squirting avalanche of water from there.  Luckily the bailer works well and kept sucking it out.

[Konrad]

Thanks guys. All good advice.

I liked the slobbering dog advice.

I start the commute on Monday morning.  I am working light duty , M-F.  I am overjoyed!  NOT!   Going to work in the AM is a breeze, but I will get off in the heat of rush hour.  that at least doubles the commute time.  Oh well....wait and see what the specialist says.

Sanding???  Somebody always has to bring up sanding.... LOL :)

We got five smilieys out of him in one post.

Someone musta said something right.   

[Frank Hagan]

I'll second Tom's comment about driving in a car being the worst for a back ... but mine is a lot different being in the lumbar region.  I have a Obus Forme high back cushion I use in my little commuter car, but there are times that I have to stop and walk around.  If the commute is crowded, I pull off onto PCH and stop, walk out and see if I can see any dolphins or whales.  Sitting in general is worse for me than standing, but I would imagine it all has to do with the injury, and where it is.  The only good thing about pain is that it tells you what position is bad for you!

[capt jake]

I start the commute on Monday.  I just can't wait, I am so excited.....   I haven't had to spend a lot of time in the car yet, but it hasn't seemed too bad.  Just this pain down the back of my arm that never goes away.  It may lesson for a while, but it has been here for a month now.  Commuting, YUK!

[Frank Hagan]

Chronic pain really wears on you.  Its not that it hurts so much, but just that its always there.  After a while you get very tired of being in pain.

My PT explained that you get two kinds of pain, one is from the nerve and then the other is from "muscle guarding" where the muscles tense up to try and protect the nerve ... they act kind of like a splint.  But then they don't let go, and become a source of pain themselves.  Then other muscles start "muscle guarding" too.  Did the massage help with the pain at all?

[capt jake]

Chronic pain really wears on you.  Its not that it hurts so much, but just that its always there.  After a while you get very tired of being in pain.

My PT explained that you get two kinds of pain, one is from the nerve and then the other is from "muscle guarding" where the muscles tense up to try and protect the nerve ... they act kind of like a splint.  But then they don't let go, and become a source of pain themselves.  Then other muscles start "muscle guarding" too.  Did the massage help with the pain at all?

It helped a bunch!  I had the guarding pain, but now it is pretty much the nerve pain.  It comes and goes for no apparent reason.  I have good days and bad (with no apparent cause).  Now, since I started and workman's comp claim, there is the issue of referrals and who is paying for what.  Our health insurance in this country is messed up for sure.  I have a few more massage treatments scheduled that I will pay for out of pocket if necessary.  I already paid for one to just get relief for that day.  Now I have to just wait for the claim to be processed and approved (it better be).  then we can move forward with the neurologist, etc...

[capt jake]

Pain this AM around a 3-5 depending.  Then it went away!  I just blew off the roof and driveway and feel fine now.  Although a bit winded, no pain.  Of course this happened lat week also, so I will wait and see.  An odd ordeal for sure.