Two days till Christmas!

I am done running around for my last minute gifts!

Praise the Lord!

It wore me out.

I decided to stop at Maurices to find a gift of jewelry. Of course I had to check out the additional 75% off.

You can't pass that up.

I pulled a couple of dress pants to try on because all mine are too big, a dress, and a few tops.

Trying them on made me so tired I didn't have the energy to buy them. :-)

You see, you need alertness to decide if it even looks good on you or not.

I wasn't alert enough. No deal is good enough to have to go back to a store and return. At least for me at the moment.

But back to being done shopping.

My gifts aren't fancy.

There won't be a lot of them.

(Sorry family in advance! Not that you mind, I know, but I still feel bad....)

But.... what I love is that I got out there and got them.

I had one little episode, which I'll talk about later, but other than that I've felt good.

I just got done exercising for about forty five minutes and feel amazing!

And that brings me to the new medical aspect of my life. I added another helper to my list of nutritionist, oncologist, naturopath, chiropractor.

You see, in the midst of all my pain medication calls, I talked to an on call doctor. During my allergic reaction my personal doctor was on vacation.

Isn't that how it always happens? :-)

Anyway, the other doctor asked if I had ever considered preventive exercises with physical therapy.

It had never occurred to me.

I think in the midst of dealing with a disease I didn't think I would ever get, I missed simple things like strengthening muscles that are under strain, and not getting the exercise they used to.

So....

I called my nurse, talked to my cousin who is a physical therapist, (Unfortunately she lives in K.C., or I would be going to her.) and made an appointment.

I had no idea what to expect at my first appointment.

It was another first for me.

May I just say that my physical therapist is amazing?

I have nothing to compare him with, but he offered me hope.

Hope that I will be able to do these exercises and build up my muscles in ways that will help keep the pain away.

And.... best of all.... when I told him how tight my back muscles were and how much pain and loss of sleep they cause...

It almost made me cry with relief when he felt the muscles in my back and told me I wasn't imagining things.

I was extremely tight.

And then he rubbed my neck area in such away that thoroughly relaxed me and worked those muscles.

I'm telling you, I'm a believer in physical therapy for that alone. :-)

I'll let you know if it works for my shoulder and hip pains.

I'm just thankful I have another avenue to explore for some relief and to build up my body!

Have a wonderful Christmas with your families if I don't get back on here until after Christmas!