I finally did one more thing I said I would never do. I went to a Chiropractor. My SI joint has been a problem for....months. It hurt, made me limp, made stairs even more difficult, and my leg kept falling asleep. I happened to mention it to my friend Kimberlee when we were in Moab. She is a super serious nutrition and body building gal. She suggested I ask her husband Aki. Aki used to coach the U of U girls gymnastics team. Those two are the ones that suggested a chiropractor versus physical therapy....and they knew a great guy. I trust them infinitely with their doctor referrals. This is the 3-4th one I've got from Kimberlee and they have always been fantastic!
Dr. B, the chiropractor, is a very mellow man. He speaks softly and is very focused on how you walk and how you move. He felt my bend was pretty good but noticed my back didn't move past the waist. So I got on the table and he put some stuff kind of like Bengay on my back. Then he had me move to lay on my back. Then on the right side. I bent the top leg and the top arm. And he pushed strategically. I felt a very gentle crack. Then I moved on the left side. Same thing. Back on my back. He pulled each leg. I honestly didn't feel a thing but I instantly felt better. Marked difference in my back when I got up. Seriously, I just can't believe it! He said I needed a few adjustments to keep my joint in position. He explained it is going to want to get inflamed and that will push it back out of alignment. So I will ice it as he instructed. He also asked that I walk down the block and back before I got in my car. Here is where it is interesting.
Anyone that has been around me knows that walking is very painful for me. I have terrible balance and really struggle with adjusted levels of pavement. But I really want this fixed. So I started walking down the sidewalk. Seriously. I got all the way to the end of the block without hurting. I felt a marked difference in my walking. I turned around to walk the block back. I did get a little sore in my mid-back on the left side but it wasn't that insistent burn that hurts so bad. I got back in my car and drove home.
I no longer sit leaning in the car. I got home and took a box of trash to the outside bin. No problem. More ease in doing the steps (still a long ways from normal though....but it didn't hurt like it was). I went to the front porch and picked up a package. Usually I feel unsteady and like I am going to tumble down the stairs, but not this time. No problems.
This feels like an amazing miracle to me. He said I should be feeling really good by the weekend.
He wants to see me tomorrow to see how I am doing and to check and see if I am still aligned. He also suggested this magnetic field chair thing he has in his office. He said it has marked benefits for those with chronic diseases. He has Parkinson's disease. They happen to have a special where I can go in the chair for an hour for $35. He suggested 3-5 sessions to start. I figure, why not? Modern medicine is helping me but there is still a huge gap in my well-being. So I signed up for the special. I'll give it a try to see if it helps.
He is also into nutrition. Not surprised. He said we need to work on my nutrition. I explained my Prednisone weight. He said it is impossible to lose weight if my liver isn't functioning well. I don't know if my liver will ever be perfect since I take drugs daily that damage my liver but it might be interesting to see what he suggests. His waiting room is full of supplements to buy. I'm not sure I want to take lots of supplements but I'm open to hear his suggestions.
I guess you could say, consider me converted. Maybe I'll be back in the gym next week!!
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