Damn It!!!!

Just went out to check the pool cover to see if all the water had been drained off only to find out that we have no water INSIDE the darn pool now! Seems that we had what the pool supply company is calling "the bathtub effect" take place. In other words, as the water on the cover got heavier, it pushed the water inside the pool up and under the top rail, between the walls and out onto the ground.....all.....winter.....long. Now waiting on the water hauling service we used last year to call me back with a price quote. I know it's going to be way more expensive this year since the cost of fuel has gone up so much. What do you do though? I bought that pool to swim in during the summer, I'm not going to just let it sit there.

EDIT: $35 per load plus $65 per hour, averaging 3 hours per load. That is the quote from the water hauler. I know when he first filled the pool, it took 4 loads. I figure this time will take at least 3 loads. That is going to come to around $690! It only cost us $500 to fill it completely last year!

It's Over Already?

Did I really have a 3 day weekend? It sure doesn't feel like it. Maybe it's because my back was out for 2 of those 3 days and I didn't get to enjoy the time off work like I'd wanted. Yeah, you read that right. My darn back was out. It started bugging me Saturday, but not enough that it stopped me from doing laundry and other chores. No, it waited until I got up Sunday morning, the day of my brother's picnic, to really kick in. I was able to take vicodin and at least get up to my brothers, eat lunch and visit with family a little, but I was so spacey that I didn't really enjoy myself. We ended up leaving early and coming back home. I thought that rest would help me feel better, but by the time Sunday evening got here I was to the point that I just wanted someone to shoot me. I couldn't stand up. I couldn't sit down. I couldn't move without my back sending shooting pain up my back and down my legs. I finally just took another vicodin and a celebrex and went to bed, hoping that I felt better Monday morning. No such luck though.

When I got up Monday, I "thought" I was feeling better, but then I bent over to pick up a pair of pants and my back completely went out and I ended up on the floor. Talk about painful! I don't know how long I laid there before I finally just told myself that I had to get up. I managed to pull myself over to the bed and lug my big ol' butt up off the floor that way. I spent most of yesterday on the couch, sipping banana rum and watching tv. I didn't move a lot at all because every movement sent sharp pains in all directions.

Thinking that a hot bath might help, I had hubby help me into the tub later that evening. It felt good while I was in there, but then I had the fun of trying to get back out. Major mistake on my part. It took several minutes to even haul myself up to a kneeling position, then to standing. I had to have hubby physically lift me over the side of the tub because I couldn't get my leg up high enough without pain. Talk about embarrassing! It's one thing to have your husband sweep you lovingly into his arms, but to have to haul your naked butt out of the tub because you can't move, well, let's just say it isn't the most romantic thing.

Later that evening when I went to bed, I decided to seek a bit of help from the man upstairs. I wasn't looking for a huge miracle cure, just enough help to get me moving again. I have a doctor's appointment next week. I can deal with the type of pain I'd been having in the one leg (numbness, some throbbing, etc), but I just could not deal with the inability to move and do my daily things. I just kept repeating over and over until I fell asleep that I needed help.

When I woke up this morning, I really didn't figure I'd feel any different and when I first rolled over to shut the alarm off I did still feel twinges in my lower back. But, I got up and slowly made my way to the bathroom...no problem. I got dressed...no problem. I walked out to the living room...still no problem. I think it is safe to say that I got my little miracle. I still have pain in the right leg and it is still tingling and sort of numb, but the pain in my left hip/lower back is pretty much gone today! I'm taking it easy and not over doing, for fear that I'll mess it up again, but at least I'm able to walk out to the car, even if it is slowly. I was able to drive into town, get some work done online, etc. I hope beyond hope that it stays this way....at least until my doctor's appointment next Friday.

EDIT: Got a phone call from the neurologist this afternoon to let me know that the doctor wasn't going to be in next Friday. I thought, "great, how much longer am I going to have to wait now", but I was pleasantly surprised to hear that they wanted me to come in this coming Monday, the 2nd, instead. Yay! Less time to wait in pain. I'm very very happy.

OUCH!!!

I am so tired of being in pain. I was doing well there for awhile, but my back is again giving me grief. I think I set it off this time when I slipped on the stupid ice. Just another reason I despise winter!! Anyway, I've been taking my pain pills and they're not even making a dent in the pain. It hurts to sit, stand, lay down, move in general. I'm TIRED of it!

Last night, we went out for dinner. Sitting on the restaurant chair hurt so bad that I didn't even enjoy myself. And then when I stood up, I hit the back of the chair (it was one of those wrap around types) with my hip and pain just shot down my leg. I had to sit back down and let the pain pass before I could go on. Walking out to the parking lot, my leg actually went numb and I know it was from the pressure on that dang nerve.

I've gone to the doctor for this and there were options as to what to do (physical therapy, surgery) and I'm really leaning towards the physical therapy part at the moment. However, my stupid insurance will not cover the sessions and money is super tight at the moment so don't know if that is even an option.

I just want to get back to normal, whatever that is.

Why Do Bad Things Happen?

I had this whole post ready about how sucky my day has been. My son is home sick for the second day in a row and a part that we've been waiting on to arrive is still sitting on the loading dock at Fed Ex. And then my mom called and, well, my day doesn't seem quite so bad now.

She called to let me know that my cousin's daughter and her family had a fire at their home on Saturday. And that two of her small children (age 4 and almost 2) died because of it. Suddenly, my day seems pretty insignificant in comparison.

Unfortunately, I didn't know my two little cousins (I think they'd be considered my third cousins) very well, but I did get the pleasure of meeting them at my grandma's funeral this past August. They were both really cute and funny and just beautiful girls. I remember telling their mom that the baby had the most striking blue eyes and that just made her so proud and she smiled and said that both girls were her two pride and joy.

So, it is with a very sad and heavy heart that I am writing this post. Please keep my cousin and her family in your prayers. They are all going to have a very long and sad road to recovery.

To Moderate or not to Moderate

I've had my blog for about 4 years now and this question has always puzzled me. Should I moderate my comments or not? In the beginning, when I first started blogging, I set my comments to only allow registered users to post. This kept spamming and unsavory characters away, but it also made it hard for some of my readers to leave comments because they weren't registered users. So, about a year ago, I changed the setting to allow any and every one out there to leave comments. It worked well for awhile, but now I'm seeing that I'm getting spammers leaving comments again.

It's just frustrating. I don't want to limit those wanting to leave comments, but I'm sick and tired of getting on here and seeing things like "here's that website where I make all this money. check it out". What do you guys think? Is there anyway that you know of to moderate comments without excluding some people from leaving them in the first place? Let me know.