Health Stuff

So this is me procrastinating writing my two essays due tomorrow. *shudder*

Also, this is to update everyone on what's going on with....all this. Some of you know most of it, a lot of you know a little of it, and then the rest have no idea what's going on. So:

Early-to-mid-July, during the Hill Cumorah Pageant, I stretched a muscle in my, uh, gluteus maximus. And it didn't go away like it should have, so I went to Dr. Alice Baron - who is amazing and a miracle-worker - and after a couple visits she had me on the mend, though we hadn't had time to go enough to get me completely fixed. So she told me to avoid sitting as much as possible.

Then we went on a two-week roadtrip out to BYU. *facepalm* So the muscle got inflamed again, and started to hurt again.

I didn't go to the doctor for a while because...uh...because...actually, I don't really know why. I think it was just cuz I never had the time, and since the pain was manageable and really only present when I was in the process of sitting or standing, and I was still able to find comfortable sitting positions, I didn't worry about it too much. Except then the pain became more constant, and I started downing Motrin like candy, and I couldn't sit without pain...so I sucked it up and Sierra went with me to the urgent care place at the Student Health Center, where the doctor recommended physical therapy and that I take even more motrin to bring down the inflammation.

That didn't work. Motrin really helped for a while, and I was really hopeful that the PT would too...but after the initial visit I noticed that the girl became more causal and a little more sloppy with some of the treatments, and then I started feeling worse after doing the proscribed stretches. So after a month or so - maybe a bit more - of PT I went back to the doctor - a different one this time - and after an insanely lengthy interrogation he recommended I get an MRI.

SO. After 4 months after the initial problem, and 3 months after Alice told me my sciatic nerve is pinched, I got the MRI. And guess what?

She was right!

And my roommate wonders why I have such faith in naturopath doctors...

Anyway, the MRI got sent to Alice, and she managed to track down a kinesiologist that is not in the phonebooks, is not listed anywhere, doesn't even have a website...got his info, passed it - and the MRI report - to my mom, who passed it to me, who went to him at 8am this morning and is now feeling confident that the problem can be resolved. :)

Basically, at your 2nd lumbar vertebrae the spinal cord ceases to exist as a cord, and octopus's out into individually wrapped nerves (not for individual sale). The disc at my 5th lumbar is bulging inward and pressing on one of those nerves, thus creating PAIN. So he worked his awesome kinesiologic magic and I felt so much better coming out! Turns out my left leg is a half inch shorter than my right, since my pelvis tilted up from limping and is now misaligned (or was, 'fore he fixed it). And there's this muscle right in the front, that connects the spine and the leg that is mega-tight. And I mean MEGA. TIGHT. At the very end he had me lay on my back and move my left leg up, out, and back down while he was pushing on the muscle with his fist. My face turned red, it hurt so much. >< I think even he was surprised by how tight it was: he told me it's probably a good 50% of the reason I'm in so much pain.

So, yeah, that's coming along (please tell me you get that reference...). I'm going back on Monday, plus I have an appointment with an orthopedic doctor on Tuesday. My Mom says he'll probably recommend a series of shots, or maybe surgery - please no - and that should help fix it up really quick.

Funny story about the doctor (no, not that one): for one thing, his last name is Bacon. :) Which automatically makes him cool. Second...see, I have all these connections here in Utah. I think every Mormon has some connections in Utah, whether they are aware of them or not. Mormons are kind of like Hobbits, in that we're all inter-related (somehow), and you can call on favors based on relationships from years ago. Case in point: my ride to the MRI was my mom's old mission president (he's the one who was in charge of all the missionaries in her area, which was Anaheim, CA). He now lives in Provo, has only met me once for about an hour, but came, picked me up, drove me (and Sierra, who was wonderful and took time out of her day to come sit in the waiting room for an hour) to the doctor's office, and drove us back again. He's amazing. :)

Well, I found out today that he grew up with Dr. Bacon: they were next-door neighbors as kids. O.o Who'd-a thunk?

Anyway, that's about it so far. I'm wearing a lumbar support belt (I love it! It makes me feel SO good!!!), avoiding sitting, and currently lying in my bed, trying to write two essays without falling asleep. >< Wish me luck: I need it.

Luyi Zhang

This blog is dedicated to Luyi Zhang, in honor of her 18th birthday!

Remember:

Big rock, little rock?

Made-in-China-san?

Tohru-chan/san?

When I first tried to say Kyo's name and completely butchered it, and you an Alena wouldn't stop laughing for 10 whole minutes?

When I spent the better part of an hour (or was it more?) trying to defeat Maleficent in Birth By Sleep, but when I finally succeeded I didn't save in time and I died 5 minutes later, and you stepped in and beat her again for me...on your second try? >< (Also, Philip was absolutely useless)

When you got a singing balloon for your birthday Sophomore year, but I said something and you hit me with it and popped it on the metal spirals of my notebook? And then you tried to blame me for it, and we ended up shoving it in your locker where it wouldn't stop singing and it sounded like a dying cow?

When I first started reading Rurouni Kenshin and couldn't keep anyone straight, and I only remembered how to pronounce 'rurouni' because it rhymed with 'macaroni?'

...that confusing mass of relations that is you and Ginger and Liz and sometimes me? (I still can't keep it straight...)

The color purple (no, not the musical)? I swear, you were obsessed...I think you still are. ;D

May 14.

That fun conversation in French class with you and me and Leslie? The whole class was

out for...was it the Body's Exhibit fieldtrip? We had the blog to read but I could only understand every other word (if even), so we ended up talking about Harry Potter in Frenglish for the whole time (Pouffe-Soufle!), with much help from Madame because I had a teeny-tiny vocabulary...oh, and then there was the whole mix-up with 'exciter'...that was awkward. ><

In 7th grade, how all through French class I would draw Draco Malfoy's name all over pieces of paper and then show/hand them to you? I think I had good taste, he grew up nicely. ;D

Do you remember how we met in 6th grade? We were in the same gym class (remember Mrs. Demon-dork? How did we even come up with that???) and had to do that thing where you line up alphabetically, but without talking? Oh, and we had to stay on the same line so we were all awkwardly climbing around each other (honestly, as if Middle School wasn't awkward and terrifying enough!). But yeah, I went right to the end when, wonder of wonders, someone was after even 'Yankura!' That's when I met Luyi Zhang. :) It was the start of a beautiful friendship...

Mrs. Demondork (honestly...I kinda feel bad for the guy now...)

I know who your first crush was.... ;D (just saying, I'm not going to put it out on the internet.)

Remember that time in 8th grade math class when we did Sudoku? You finished in, what, 10 minutes? 15? And the whole class was coming to you for help... xD

Frenglish. :) 'Nuff said.

8th period 'study hall' Senior year? With Theresa? Going to the library and being loud and obnoxious and getting away with it...tue tête (which Theresa wrote (and misspelled) on all my stuff...)!!! And how I could never remember how to say 'to lie' and you had to look it up like five times (BTW, it's 'mentir.' It was one of my vocab words this semester).

The 3-hour long study sessions at your house Senior year, where we got so sidetracked (but we got sidetracked in French!) and took forever to get through stuff...those saved my life, though. Thank you so much for all your help in French! I would have died otherwise. :/ You're amazing!

Spending all of 8th period translating La madame au foulard blanche? I still remember the word 'trottoir' to this day, since we had to look it up a million times while reading that...

When your parents bought you a PS2 without your asking, and we were all super-jealous cuz you could play Kingdom Hearts now?

Cela cert à rien? (yes, that's the actual picture I used. ;D )

So, in conclusion, Luyi Zhang is an amazing person and a true friend! We go way back to 6th grade, when she'd just moved from Seymour (is that how you spell it?) and I had only been in Trumbull for a couple years (and all my friends had gone to Madison Middle School instead of Hillcrest). We stuck together, got pushed out of our seats at lunch, then founded our own table with Caitlin and Alena. :) Remember when the principle came around and commended us cuz we all had our noses in books? Yup, that was our table! And after all these years we're still friends and still share so many memories. Sharing stories, bouncing ideas off one another, countless sleepovers and meals and drama and life in general has built this friendship. So, on a slightly less sappy note, thank you Luyi for putting up with my drama and indulging my angst-mongering and (maybe, just a bit...) showing me the benefits of a good romance (as opposed to a bad one: PUN!!! xD ). Thank you for sticking with me and supporting me and just being a good friend! Words can't express how much I love you and appreciate you!! So even though this is a day late...nevermind, it's after midnight, so two days late - I hope you feel special on your un-birthday (as well as every other birthday and every day of the year) and I can't wait to see you over break! You're amazing Luyi Zhang, and don't you forget it!!!