Oh, that would have been one for my Mom.

When I was growing up my grandma paid the neighborhood kids to dig the dandelions!

So, last week I installed an app, free benefit from work, for physical therapy for my sciatic pain event. I like it. It's a daily reminder to do my stretches. It's also a new daily maybe 5 minute video or brief article to read. I think the app format really suits this type of health thing and that could apply to lots of other health aspects where you want to learn new healthy habits.

AnnaZ said: Too bad you don't have time to visit The Ark. It's amazing.

We certainly saw signs for it as we drove through.

I do like that idea, Sally... you're right, would apply to a lot of things

I've scanned some of the messages. Others, I need to go back and read. We are still on the road, but will get home tomorrow. A bit more than 4600 km plus any extra we did around towns. Actually not too much. Our hotel in Columbus, Georgia was about 10 minute walk from the Congress venues of which there were several. I figure I did about 40 minutes of walking daily plus going back and forth from the venues. For those of you who are FB friends, I've posted lots of pictures. And this is what the overall trip looks like.

Still getting over this sciatic thing. My new Healthy Lifestyle includes daily stretching. Its a little better every day but maybe I overdid because yesterday I really started aching, and last night it was harder getting to sleep. You all know, having a garden in spring, makes it really hard NOT to get out and do things. The therapy 'app' that my work made available has some good short messages most days. One being Pain is typically not damage, that I should not try to avoid ALL pain, some pain goes with appropriately using the muscles in recovery. Broadly speaking I guess.

I thought I posted somewhere about the lady who came in the library the other day. She reminded me I had given her a small pot of purple shamrocks 'oxalis' couple months ago. She told me her husband accidentally gave her plant to her friend. Could I give her another? (Doesn't that seem presumptuous? I don't know here from Adam.) Well, knowing I have two small pots of it at home, I had to say Sure. When I got home, I labeled the smaller pot (me being stingy ) for her and set it on the kitchen counter. One of the cats ate all the leaves overnight! I would have thought the leaves would be sour!. So now she gets the nicer small pot
What the heck. Gesture of goodwill to a library patron. After all I have dozens and dozens of them. It's just that they don't dig and move well.

It's really hard to move against pain. I think the normal inclination is not to move at all for freak of the pain ratcheting up a couple of hundred notches. Sometimes it depends on what kind of pain it is. Back when I was having so much trouble with arthritis in my hands, not moving them made it worse. And when you have muscle aches from doing too much physical activity you want to work against that, too.
For me and sciatic pain, I do t want to move, I try to find a position that sets the pain off as little as possible. The way my Doc explained it to me is the nerve is inflamed and swollen, and further movement keeps it that way. Two different ways of treating the same pain for you and me, Sally.

It's a puzzlement, Lynda. I also presumed that I must avoid irritating a nerve. Different stages? Different theories as to exactly what is hurting? I guess they make the big bucks for deciding what to tell you or me, depending... I'm being told to stretch a lot which makes sense .. I just picked blueberries, cut chard.. leg cramping up after a while so now I sit.

I was told stretching was ok, as long as it didn't hurt worse. If youre getting relief from the pain, then by all means keep doing what you're doing! I had just one day last week where I was really in pain, actually, it was last Sunday. I went to bed thinking oh, no, am I going to have to go to the doc? I woke up Monday morning and I was fine, no pain.

gardenfish said: . I went to bed thinking oh, no, am I going to have to go to the doc? I woke up Monday morning and I was fine, no pain.

I know, what the heck? Unpredictable. Visited my sister and did all kinds of things you would think are awful for your back. Kneeling on the seat, leaning over and pulling up the boat anchor, no pain. But standing at a kitchen counter for 5 minutes cutting vegetables. AIYEE!

No rhyme or reason. The only thing that's sure about it is when it hurts, IT HURTS! I'm no sissy, but that pain level could make a big honking man cry.

I'm still semi amazed when I stand up and feel no pain.

Pretty quiet here, but we have a new season and I'll be back shortly with a new thread.

New thread: The thread "Support for a Healthy Lifestyle in Summer 2022" in Sandbox forum