honest with yourself - Newest

Try to imagine 'just for a moment' that you're a boxer 'in a boxing ring': Your slipped discs 'have you down in the corner, when suddenly - you throw an uppercut'. You now find yourself 'in the middle of the ring' starting to feel 'that you're somewhat like, your usual self'. Yet gradually, you shall realise 'that your strength is returning, but your pinched nerves can still torment you'. For around month twenty-eight of my recovery, I began to notice 'that I was feeling good' for two to three days of the week, and that I started 'enjoying life so much more' when undertaking tasks - but afterwards, that I could still suffer 'pinched nerves from hell' (especially 'around and near' that receding slipped disc in my neck):

How do pinched nerves affect your strength? Your 'out of that corner' (after your marvellous uppercut), but throwing that uppercut 'has taken everything you've had'. You know 'that you need a break from this fight'. You had the strength 'to throw the uppercut' but thanks to your pinched nerves, you know that 'if you throw any more uppercuts right now', that it's going to be 'no good for you'. Because you have to be honest with yourself 'about your back' - your legs and arms may very well 'have the strength' for another uppercut - but your back doesn't! You need a break - Ding! Ding!

At this stage of my recovery, I started to notice that 'I could put a lot more force through my body' - both in terms of what I was lifting, and in terms of my flexibility (especially being able to do tasks that I hadn't done 'for many months'). Yet I also found that my strength would be hampered by 'those pinched nerves' serving as a sensible reminder 'not to overdo it'. This would then 'feed into my emotions' because I wanted to get on, but I had to force myself 'to spread tasks out - throughout the week'. I have found 'this hampering' to be very frustrating, with pinched nerves coming from:

• Ripping my 'printer to bits' (early December 2019). It had a 'very bad paper jam' around one of its 'very deep internal rollers'. To get to that roller, it took me around an hour of 'pulling bits off' - undoing screws on its exterior, pulling apart plastic clips, undoing screws on its interior, disengaging gearing cogs, pulling out spindles (that could now turn) and building an 'ever growing pile of screws and bits'. For I was amazed by 'just how much there is inside' even a small laser printer! I got the paper out 'at the halfway stage' and as my back was by now 'well and truly hurting' I had to put it back together 'a little bit slower'. The next day, I could feel that 'pinched nerve in my neck' again - whereby it felt as if 'it was doing a very good impression, of that very bad paper jam'!
• Rubbing my feet down, removing hard skin 'that had built up' for ages (mid December 2019). This 'seemingly simple task' would push my receding slipped discs 'to their absolute limits' - but 'the time had come' for me to spend some time 'on myself again'. So with both my 'Dremel Multi-tool' and my 'Ped Egg' I was soon 'rubbing my feet down' - bliss! For the next week, I felt my spinal cord from the base of my spine to the top of my neck!
• Painting my model miniatures 'and actually enjoying it' (Christmas week 2019). As I find painting 'to be relaxing' this was one of the hardest activities 'for me to have lost' (for many months). Whilst I am now 'back to doing this' I limit my painting sessions to half an hour max - because otherwise, I find that the 'pinched nerve in my neck' starts to play up again (as I keep 'bending my neck both forwards and downwards' which it doesn't like).
• Tidying up my room (New Year's Day 2020). Granted this may not be 'a favourite task' but when you haven't actually been able to 'tidy anything' for many months, this can really help you 'to feel emotionally stronger'. I decided to 'tear out the lower half' of one of my bookcases (whose 'carpet area' in-front had also been 'covered in paperwork' for ages). It felt really good 'to be able to tidy', because I can remember December 2017 - when I couldn't really do anything! It's also an activity that 'tests your body, to its limits' - especially when you're 'bending down and carrying books'. After two to three hours 'of tidying' I decided 'that was it for the day'. Later that evening, I started to feel the 'pinched nerve in my neck' again (which took a couple of days to relent).
• Our microwave 'had packed up' (October 2019). We finally got around 'to ordering a new one' (January 2020). I knew the date that the microwave was arriving - and everybody 'should have been in'. Unfortunately, when there was 'a knock at the door' they'd all gone out! I went out the back, down the side and around the front. The delivery person 'just dumped the microwave box in my arms', and signed the tablet himself 'heading off'. I started heading back down the side, but soon realised that the microwave's weight 'was too much' for my back. I had to 'put it down' on the garden table, 'where it stayed' until everybody else 'got back'. For the next four days, my reward 'for carrying the microwave' was - the pinched nerve in my neck (aka 'the old favourite' again).

For it was 'around here' that I started to feel 'that I'm getting my life back' - of which I believe 'that your strength' is an important part of that. I could do 'more tasks with more power and more flexibility' - but I would then 'have to take a break for a bit' to allow my pinched nerves 'to calm down'. And whilst you are 'calmed down' you shall also notice 'your bad habits returning' - as I keep finding myself 'leaning forward at my desk, with my feet all over the place'. Fortunately, this is not a problem 'that I face in the evenings' because my three slipped discs changed me: 'no more sofas' - I stand!

Try to imagine 'just for a moment' that you're a boxer 'in a boxing ring': Your slipped discs have had you 'confined to the corner', whereby they have constrained 'your ability to move'. Whilst you don't like 'being in that corner' it has given you time to think, and you have gradually realised 'that your able to start parrying these blows - but your pinched nerves are still torturing you'. For around month twenty-four of my recovery, I began to notice 'that my body's flexibility was improving all the time', and that I could do 'so much more' without encountering any restriction - but afterwards, that I would always suffer 'pinched nerves from hell' (especially 'around and near' that receding slipped disc in my neck):

How do pinched nerves affect flexibility? When you're feeling pinched nerves, then you seem to have 'a laser sharp awareness' of the path that a nerve 'takes within your body' (especially within the vicinity of the pinched nerve). When I felt 'such sensations' within my neck, then it would dissuade me 'from wanting to bend my neck' - but it wouldn't necessarily 'stop me from bending my neck' (I'd just prefer not to, if I didn't have to). I also encountered 'this situation' at dance class, whereby forward and backwards steps 'were usually fine' but sideways steps 'caused pause for thought'.

At this stage of my recovery, I found that the complexity of the tasks that I could undertake 'increased dramatically'. And that I could also 'do those tasks for longer' before noticing any discomforts. Yet at the same time, did I also 'have to force myself' not to get carried away - such as by attempting a task that would be 'well beyond the maximum force, that I believed my healing back could take'. As the only way 'that you learn the answer to this one' - is by being honest with yourself 'about how your back is feeling'. For even when 'I was honest with myself' could I still get pinched nerves from:

• Searching for my car's oil filter wrench (August 2019). As I'd been 'unable to tidy my room' for many months, I wasn't exactly sure 'where it was'. I started 'tearing into piles of paperwork', hauling boxes 'all over the place', and going through my wardrobes. An hour or so later, when my back 'was hurting by now' I'd managed to find the smaller oil filter wrench, and the larger oil filter wrench - but where 'was the one' that I was actually looking for? I decided 'to stop searching for the day', but as I 'stepped backwards' there was something 'under my foot'. It was an envelope. Guess what was in it? Success! But my 'pinched nerve in my neck' was soon torturing again.
• Changed my car's engine oil and oil filter (August Bank Holiday 2019). First I removed my car's engine undercover - I jacked my front right/left 'just a little bit' (not removing any wheels) so that I could get my socket 'onto the nuts' (and undo them). Run my car for five minutes or so - to get the oil hot. Drain pan under, undid the sump nut, and undid the oil filter (using 'my found' oil filter wrench). I did most of this work 'whilst lying down' on my (currently unused) sit-up board. It was only when 'the next day' that I started to clean the oil filter 'base plate' that I first felt the pinched nerve in my neck again. I decided 'to slow down' and even did 'some sunbathing' whilst using my right hand (with a cloth) 'to clean the base plate'. I felt really happy, and was able to 'relax into' the next couple of days, although I still felt the pinched nerve in my neck (in the week afterwards).
• Completely overhauled my computer's Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS - mid October 2019). There had been a power cut, and it 'didn't cut in' - instead my computer 'had just turned off'. My UPS batteries had gone! I ordered the batteries, and they arrived 'the day before' everybody else went on holiday. I was determined to fix my UPS whilst they were away - BUT it caused 'pause for thought, because it is very heavy'. I decided to proceed slowly over three days ... First day - hoovering around it, then disconnecting five power leads and 'stuck' telephone leads. I then 'slid it forward' and carefully 'lifted it onto' my desk. Undid about twelve screws, opened it up and 'what a mess inside' - dust everywhere and batteries had leaked! It took me 'a day and a half' to fix it - because I had to clean up three battery connectors (one positive, one negative and one that 'joined the batteries together'). In the afternoon of the third day, I put my UPS 'back together' and carefully 'lowered it' onto the floor. As I didn't seem to have 'any discomfort' I then pushed on and reconnected everything. Put the power on, and it worked! For the next two days, I had pinched nerves in my lower back and upper neck again!
• Aquarium cleaning night (late October 2019). My Atlantis themed ninety-six litre aquarium had been 'too full of algae - for too long'. It needed to be cleaned, but I 'paused for thought' because of the need to carry 'buckets of water'. I decided that I would proceed, but only with me carrying 'half buckets of water'. I removed the lid, syphoned out the water (into my bucket) and 'took the dirty water outdoors'. I was then able to clean both my filters and my Atlantis ornaments (in the kitchen sink). I then 'reversed my steps' and put my aquarium back together. However, I then 'wasn't honest with myself' (about my back). As I 'pushed on and cleaned out' our smaller Goldfish aquarium. It was 'half way through this tank' that my back started telling me 'that it wasn't happy'. Yet as I didn't want my Goldfish dying 'I continued - cleaning their tank'. If I'd stopped at my Atlantis tank, then I feel that the 'pinched nerve that I had in my neck' - would not have been as intense 'as it soon was'.

For it was 'around here' that I started to have days 'where I felt like - my usual self'. Granted, I could still have 'pinched nerves from hell days', but I could also have 'I feel amazing days'. I found that 'I could do so much more in a day' before I started feeling my pinched nerves. One such day (in November 2019) was the dance show 'that I was in' ... Down the hall by 09:30, show rehearsals till 12:30, twenty minute walk home 'for lunch', twenty minute walk back (to hall), on stage in dance show till 19:00, then 'tidy up' and 'back home' by 22:00. 'My back held up all day', until around midnight!