Thin Slices of Joy
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SerenitySTAT, I really enjoy reading your posts. You are very good at writing. I get a slice of joy when I come to read this thread.
Lisa
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Thanks, coffeelatte!
My dog has us well trained. When she needs to go outside, she rings the bell hanging from the doorknob. The duration of the ringing indicates urgency. Last time was not that urgent.
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Earlier today I cleaned out my bedside table. In my stack of books that I never read, I found last year's birthday card from my parents. In my lame defense, this was right after my mastectomy. I put the card in the recycling bin. In today's mail, I got another birthday card from my parents. I pulled out the old card to confirm that, yes, my parents sent the same card. Did they buy them in bulk?
I'm not sure joy is the right feeling, but we got a kick from it.0 -
My older daughter is in the middle of finals, and I've hardly seen her. She asked if we could just cuddle with the pup and watch TV this weekend. I'm so happy our kids like to spend time with us.
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I found my therapist! This massage felt so good. It was a combination of massage and osteopathic movements. She asked to see what postural alignment exercises and said she would have recommended them. None of the therapists I've seen have told me about them. She has a book that I borrowed from the wellness center library.
Description:
Thai & myofascial bodywork: a calming massage and bodywork session to open energy pathways, stretch and address myofascial restrictions and adhesions. Can be beneficial for post-surgery and post-treatment joint mobility and myofascial release.
This is her book where she's the first author: https://www.amazon.ca/THAI-ing-all-nutrition-holis...
She also teaches a yoga class at the center, so I've signed up for them. I may schedule some sessions outside of the center because it's hard to get the massage with her.
My sciatic pain has improved in the past few days. I've increased my Lyrica dosage, been hanging, and been exercising. Progress!
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YAY!! Great news!!
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Thanks, glennie! I have a bone scan next week, so I'm glad the pain has lessened. Hope it keeps improving.
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Went to Qi Gong and Meditation today. There's 1 1/2 hours between the 2 classes, so a group of us waited in the center's library. It's really a family room with bookshelves. The room had a lit fireplace, and the large bay windows let in all the sunlight. The warmth felt so nice given how cold it's been. There was a woman with black seeds taped to her hands. Sujok seems to have helped her and another woman. Still not going back.
Then I went to the kitchen store to buy a pan that fits inside my Instant Pot. Looking forward to homemade cheesecakes.
After dinner my teen daughter fell asleep next to me on my lounge chair. The dog joined us and lay down on top of her back. That and me laughing promptly woke her up.
Feeling tired, but pain level is very low.
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My dog wants in on my postural exercises. The other day I was hanging, and she bonked me on the nose and then pushed herself against my face. I didn't fall.
Today I was in this position:
She crawled under one arm and stayed for a minute. Then she crawled through and walked around to nestle between my legs. She's still there, so here I am on my iPad.
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I love your dog Serenity, and I wish I had your cancer center, it sounds like they have amazing services.
Today my teen daughter got word that she got the part she auditioned for in "Rent" at her high school. This is great news because she's meeting other kids (new school) and she was inches from leaving unless she got a part. This school was an experiment she wanted to try and it has been rocky, but I'm happy she'll stay the rest of the year. Tomorrow is her community chorus concert and I am really looking forward to it. Contented today.
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I love Rent! Big congrats to your daughter! It's such a great way to make friends at a new school. Enjoy the concert!
My dog has been more comforting than I thought possible. She can make me feel better just by leaning against me.
My cancer center does offer a lot. I'm thrilled to have the support care doctor helping me with my sciatic pain. They do have group therapies, but I go to a separate cancer wellness center because it's closer with no parking fees. I'm lucky to have access to both places.
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Just realized it's been a year since my mastectomy. What a year it's been!
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I'm going to brave the cold tonight to watch Rogue One. Hubby never wanted to go. Teen daughter said she wasn't interested. Yesterday older daughter changed her mind and wants to wait to see it with friends after a Star Wars marathon binge. I was all set to buy my ticket (at the credit card entry stage) when teen daughter says "I want to go!" Had to back out to select seats again. She claimed she wants to be with me, but I think she's coming for the candy. I've told them that I can see a movie by myself, but I guess they still see me as fragile. Well, I feel the love.
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Yes, feel that love!
Tonight's concert was wonderful, and everyone (not just me!) was saying how moving and beautiful Emma's singing was. It was a South African song about peace, redemption, praise, faith, victory and comfort. Here's a version of Ukuthula: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNqmpQPp-ns&index=2&list=RDkjQI-2ARpgU
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That link wasn't working, but this one did:
That was really beautiful! It's no wonder you're proud of your daughter. I had never heard it before.
I really enjoyed the movie tonight. My favorite was the character played by Donnie Yen. I know him from his work as lead in the Ip Man movies. I've requested a walking stick like his from the movie. We'll see.
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Serenity, I love your dog! So supportive! And is that pose supposed to help your sciatica? Interesting pose,,, I too am jealous of your cancer center and all the services that you have available to you.
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glennie - The pose is a variation on the Modified Floor Block pose, and it's part of a series of exercises for herniated disc problems. It relieves a lot of tightness in my shoulders and upper back. It's all connected! Most of my postural alignment exercises are using the Egoscue method. I have one of his books, and there are videos available. They take a long time to do, but along with my hanging, I can minimize pain without using additional pain killers.
Today I was able to do my exercises without pup interruption. She didn't come down to the basement for part 1 of my exercises. When I came up for part 2, I didn't see her.
I did find this mound on my chair:
Someone had tucked her in. It took some digging to find her:
Then she watched while I did the rest of my exercises:
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Haha, loved your tucked-in pup!
I have cervical disc problems,, getting xrays and MRI again soon. Joy,,,,,
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She loves to be under covers!
I feel your pain! I had an MRI a few years ago that showed L5/S1 disc protrusion pressing on the nerve root. I rarely have back pain. It's mostly in my leg. Since I still have sciatic pain, my MO ordered a bone scan that I'll have on Thursday. My pain has lessened so I'm hopeful the scan won't find anything new.
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I like watching my dog when someone walks into the kitchen while she's lounging in the family room. She lifts her head to see what the person is doing to determine the probability of food dropping. When my husband poured out a glass of milk, she stayed still. Once he picked up a cookie, she was off to wait by his feet. Don't think he dropped anything, but as always, she remains hopeful.
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Went to yoga at the wellness center. It felt very good. It was good timing. A daycare class came to sing Christmas carols for us.
They were so cute. This is their last song, Feliz Navidad.
This kitchen! It opens out to a deck.
Love their wee boots in the coat room.
All days should start this way.
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How wonderful!!!
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glennie - It was wonderful! Yesterday I started my day going to the hospital for a bone scan. I much prefer the yoga and carolers!
Had some long, deep sleep yesterday. When I went to bed, I lifted the pup up, and she curled up next to sleeping Hubby's pillow. Usually, she curls up at the bottom of the bed. She fell asleep quickly and started a little sleep barking. It reminded me of when we got our first dog together. One night I woke up gasping for air. Our new pup had rested her head on me so that her ear covered my nose. Our current dog has not yet tried to suffocate me.
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Just made marshmallows. I use orange juice and zest for added yumminess. I couldn't make it last year after my surgery. Felt good to make it.
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I've made red linen napkins for my holiday table. It feels good to be sewing again.
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reflect - I love linen! Those napkins will look great!
BB - It's hard to watch our old friends hurting. I'm glad he's feeling better.
I've had fun in the kitchen today. This is the time of year when I bake. Last year my kids did most of it while I supervised. It took a long time to cut the marshmallows, and I'm still wearing some powdered sugar. I made an Instant Pot cheesecake for tomorrow. Hope it's good! I found a can of chocolate fondue in the pantry, so
chocolate fondue + homemade marshmallows + extra graham crackers = S'MORES!!!
They were delicious. Now we'll watch our favorite Christmas movie, Die Hard. When done I'll go back in the kitchen to make the cinnamon roll dough to be baked in the morning.
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Merry Christmas!
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Mmm, homemade cinnamon rolls and coffee at mid morning. Now that the kids are older they sleep in on Christmas like any other non-school day.
My teen daughter made body butter for me. I put some on my hands and had to hold off the pup until I sat down. She glued her eyes on me until I released her from her stay. Then she came straight for my hands to lick them. Glad she didn't knock the coffee mug out of my hands. She's now resting on my lap. I'll have to use the body butter behind closed doors.
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I don't really mind when my dog sticks her nose in my ear and sniffs. Even more funny when I'm in my bat hang.
My first try at cheesecake was creamy and delicious.
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This supine groin stretch is great for relieving any sciatic pain. It takes a long time, but at least I can avoid more drugs this way. I don't have the tower. Instead, I use a stool and my couch.
But I have my pup helping me. Here she is curled up in my arm.
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