Hey Seesaw,

I’m so sorry your hurting

I sprained my back and neck last summer. My co-worker talked me into going to his specialist, which cost me an arm and a leg with the testing.

All they did was tell me the sorry condition of my back (something about bulging disk) and the sprains, and offered me pills I refused and walked out with a sheet of exercises I tossed and instructions to use heat. I can’t remember if they said ice.

I then went to my regular Paleo doc and asked him what I could have that isn’t addictive and won’t poison my liver.

He gave me Tramadol 50 mg which is less addictive and contains no Tylenol so I could take extra without killing myself.

I went on amazon or ebay (I can’t remember, probably amazon) and bought a large heating pad that does not shut off. I already had another something like it, and I slept on both of those.

This happened because I was hypomanic—I dug up my whole yard planting trees, bushes, and flowers. My yard is full of rocks and maple tree roots in clay soil. I was off my rocker. I kept going even though I was sore. I even bought a jackhammer from Amazon because the guy working at Home Depot just kept telling me I was crazy and would get hurt. I was pissed at all the giant tree roots everywhere. I swung an ax many times, used saws, and fortunately the jackhammer had an oil leak right out of the box, or I might have hurt myself.

My neighbor tried to help me, and I told him I’m big and strong as a man, and I didn’t need any help! I fell several times trying to dig out rocks the size of a large baby’s head. I was trying to use leverage w/the shovel and flipped myself backwards. I kept going even though I was hurt. I even took an ax to the tree roots under a retaining wall that belongs to my neighbor, and leveled the wall and put the stones back.

I can’t imagine doing that work now. I’m a lazy slug...hypomania is amazing.

Anyway, I think it’s a good idea to try heat and stretches. They told me to come back in 8 weeks. I didn’t, but it was more like 12 weeks before it was better.

My back is screwed up, though. Lately when I fall asleep on the recliner, I will have a back ache the next day.