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Post by Mr. Atari on May 8, 2011 14:33:48 GMT -5
When I was reminded that yesterday was the Derby, you were the first person I thought of. Sorry it wasn't a profitable race for you, but I know it's still a big day.
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Post by Hellcat on May 8, 2011 23:44:15 GMT -5
When I was reminded that yesterday was the Derby, you were the first person I thought of. Sorry it wasn't a profitable race for you, but I know it's still a big day. Thanks, Mr. A. Yes, it's a pretty big day for me. Kind of bittersweet, because I always remember how much I enjoyed watching the races with my parents. It isn't really the same without them, but I still have fun.
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Post by Hellcat on Jun 11, 2011 1:05:27 GMT -5
I won't be able to watch the Belmont Stakes today, because I've got my Rifftrax Meetup. I will probably place an advance wager on it, then DVR the race and watch it when I get home.
Truth is, the race hasn't been very high on my list of priorities lately. I've had an awful lot on my plate. A few days before Memorial Day, I had a nasty fall in the kitchen and hurt my back. I think I pinched a nerve, because for about a week and a half after that my right leg was numb from the hip down and I had these weird shooting pains going up my leg with each step. I could barely stand. My leg felt as if it was made of jelly. Then, about a week ago, the sensation came back to my leg and the pain left. I've gotten a little better each day since then. I can walk just fine now, thank God.
My doctor thinks it's a pinched nerve. He sent me for back and neck X-rays, and he wants me to see a neurologist. I'm due to see him week after next (he's been on vacation). I don't know what the fix for this will be, but I hope it's an easy one, with no surgery. I really don't want to spend any time in a hospital if I can avoid it.
I'm really looking forward to this Rifftrax meetup. After the past two weeks, I could use some laughs.
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Post by Hellcat on Jun 18, 2011 0:15:47 GMT -5
The meetup was great, as always. We watched The Crater Lake Monster and a bunch of shorts. The guy who hosts these get-togethers is a really nice person. He provides pizza and soda and doesn't even ask for reimbursement. We guests usually bring snacks too, so there's a good spread. It's a good crowd, usually about 20-25 people. I always enjoy these meetups.
I was a little nervous about traveling. It was my first subway ride since the problems with my leg started, and I was worried that my newfound stability wouldn't last. No need to worry, though. I've continued to improve. No pain, no numbness, no shakiness. It makes me feel more confident about the neurologist appointment next week.
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Post by Hellcat on Jun 23, 2011 15:18:22 GMT -5
Just got back from the neurologist. It turns out that I have a herniated disc in my back. He explained to me that surgery isn't necessary because the numbness and pain went away on their own. However, I do need to lose a significant amount of weight in order to minimize the pressure on those discs. He also wants me to have a few sessions with a physical therapist so that I can learn some exercises that will strengthen the muscles in my back and abdomen and provide better support for the discs. That should be interesting!
I'm so thrilled that I won't need surgery. I hate hospitals with a passion. Both of my parents died in hospitals, and I have this fear that if I go into a hospital I'll never come out. I know it's irrational, but there it is.
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Post by Frameous on Jun 25, 2011 0:06:54 GMT -5
I'm happy to hear your good news, both about your health and the RT meet up. The fear of hospitalization is not an unfounded one by any means. I wish you the best of luck for a speedy recovery. Following doctor's orders is rarely fun, but the trick is to maximize the joy in your life outside the pain and hard work so one balances the other. Stay vigilant.
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Post by ilmatto on Jun 25, 2011 1:41:36 GMT -5
Get well soon Hellcat!
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Post by Crowfan on Jun 26, 2011 16:02:16 GMT -5
Glad that you are feeling better. Your fear of hospitals is not unfounded. I can relate.
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Post by MonsterX on Jun 27, 2011 0:48:28 GMT -5
I hope you're feeling better. =( Do you have a plan to loose the weight?
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Post by Hellcat on Jun 27, 2011 15:27:59 GMT -5
Thank you all very much for your kind wishes. I feel very confident that I will make a full recovery. I hope you're feeling better. =( Do you have a plan to loose the weight? I haven't come up with a concrete plan just yet. Weight is a sensitive issue for me, because I've taken a lot of abuse for being overweight in recent years. So I have to approach this issue very carefully. I really don't like being told what to do, and I tend to regard diets or programs as a form of telling me what to do. They're not going to work for me because if I put a food on a list marked "FORBIDDEN," then I'm going to become obsessed with having it. That's just asking for trouble. Been there, done that. Instead, I'm looking for ways to make some healthy changes. For example, I recently bought two excellent cookbooks from The American Heart Association, and they're a goldmine for healthy recipes that also taste great. They've been a big help.
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Post by MonsterX on Jun 27, 2011 23:15:04 GMT -5
Thank you all very much for your kind wishes. I feel very confident that I will make a full recovery. I hope you're feeling better. =( Do you have a plan to loose the weight? I haven't come up with a concrete plan just yet. Weight is a sensitive issue for me, because I've taken a lot of abuse for being overweight in recent years. So I have to approach this issue very carefully. I really don't like being told what to do, and I tend to regard diets or programs as a form of telling me what to do. They're not going to work for me because if I put a food on a list marked "FORBIDDEN," then I'm going to become obsessed with having it. That's just asking for trouble. Been there, done that. Instead, I'm looking for ways to make some healthy changes. For example, I recently bought two excellent cookbooks from The American Heart Association, and they're a goldmine for healthy recipes that also taste great. They've been a big help. I asked because I was wondering if you've ever considered a vegan diet? The health benefits to going vegan are amazing and are substantiated by countless peer reviewed medical studies. Not to clutter up your blog to much with my own personal crap, but I have a lot of health problems and I just recently went Vegan last week. (I wasn’t planning on it or anything, it just kind of happened.) The diet is not a form of self-punishment; I've decided that I'll still have cheese on Italian food for example, (giving up Italian is where I draw the line!) and I won't feel bad if I slip up or if I need to eat meat because there is no other viable alternative available to me. This works for me because it's a lifestyle change that I made on my own terms rather than a diet I've imposed upon myself. In just a weeks time I have more energy, my thoughts seem clearer and my acne has disappeared. I weighed in at 215 last Friday. The weight is supposed to come off really quick so I can't wait to check it again this Friday. For the first time in my life I feel like I'm in control of my own health. I'm not suggesting you make a crazy spur of the moment decision like I did, but maybe you could try working in plant based meals to replace some of the “worst food to eat” listed in this Harvard study that was in the news lately. healthland.time.com/2011/06/23/study-the-best-and-worst-foods-for-weight-loss/Anyway, I thought that it at least might be something worth investigating if you're interested. There's a lot of information online and a lot of surprising tasty vegan recipes too. That's a long winded post - I'll shut up now.
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Post by Hellcat on Jun 28, 2011 16:07:11 GMT -5
I'm not sure if a vegan diet would work for me, because I really enjoy a nice steak every now and then. But I have cut back on eating red meat -- I only eat it about once or twice a month these days. I find that if I don't eat it as often, I enjoy it even more when I do decide to have some. I also try to have at least one meatless day a week. It's not at all hard to do, and it gives me a lot of variety in my diet.
I think you touched on something quite important in your post, Monster X. You wrote that your lifestyle change was something you decided to do on your own, and not something that was imposed upon you. That's exactly what I'm shooting for. I want to get out of that whole "diet = punishment" mindset, because it doesn't help.
You seem to have found something that works for you. Best wishes for continued success.
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Post by Hellcat on Aug 1, 2011 15:49:59 GMT -5
Had my follow-up visit with the neurologist today. He was very pleased with my progress. It's been more than two months since my fall, and the pain/numbness/shakiness have not come back. He made it clear that I'm not home free, because the disc could act up again if I stress it too much. He said again that losing weight will help. I'm on board with that, as long as I can do it my way.
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Post by ilmatto on Aug 5, 2011 3:34:07 GMT -5
I'm glad you're making progress Hellcat! I'm glad you've got a good doctor.
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Post by ilmatto on Sept 15, 2011 23:32:16 GMT -5
Hellcat is there any more news on that case where the mother and father in Queens were executed at 4 AM while their son was walking the family dog? Was my theory (the son did it or had it done) right? The story is not showing up on the national news anymore and I'm just wondering what is going on....
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