Acupuncture update

Last Thursday, the 8th, was my third appointment with Mark Seem. He said after the third to take a month off and see how I am doing. He does this with all patients but especially with those that have my issues, as your body needs to recover from the trauma of the needles.
The session was pretty intense, he did two smaller needles in my jaw on both sides, and the dry needles he did in my back and shoulder and neck hit the spot. I won't say it was very painful, but I won't say you didn't notice it straight away. It's a strange feeling when the needle hits exactly the trigger point, and your muscle starts spasming. After the treatment I felt sore immediately. He said to go home and use heat, so I did, which definitely helped a bit. I was still pretty sore the next day. He also did another needle in my right index finger which unfortunately seemed to undo the numbing affect from the previous week. Right now it's sort of numb and sort of not, it keeps flip flopping.
As for my neck it is feeling a bit better but when I just turn it sometimes it feels as if it's being sprained and is painful. Other times it is fine.
Since our benefits at work have changed and they finally (almost) sorted the new insurance completely, I was able to locate a PT facility on Dr. Panagos' list that is on the new insurance and make an appointment for next week. I know that will not fix the stenosis but it should help strengthen my neck and I am hoping it won't hurt when I turn it anymore. Trying to be optimistic here!
On the exercise front, I'm still trying to go swimming three times a week but my right knee is not enjoying it at all. It has been killing me after I do some laps and then when I walk home it feels all loose and wonky. I am going to see if there is anything I can do that will not hurt me but will strengthen my quads. Should be quite a challenge. I am also wondering if I could get some sort of knee brace to wear in the water? Don't know if that exists but will check it out.
It's snowing so that always makes me nervous as it's quite slippery outside. I am missing the warm weather today!

sleepless in new york

Last night was Kol Nidre services. I always find the Kol Nidre prayers very moving and I try to attend every year. This year I was hoping to just make it through the first part of the service since I just had surgery this week. Miracle of miracles, somehow I made it for two hours sitting on a folding chair with my brace on. At that point I was hoping to make it through the rest of the services, but my hip was getting the better of me and I had to concede it was time to go home. I don't know if this made the rest of my night worse or if it was just a coincidence.

I decided I would go to bed later last night and by this hopefully sleep longer. Unfortunately my plan did not work. I was up around 4 am and even though I just laid in bed for two hours, sleep did not come. I was in pain when I woke up, but also achy all around as my body does not seem to like sleeping on my back. I did try for an hour or so to lay on my side with a pillow between my legs, but that didn't seem to help either.

After two hours of nodding off for a few minutes then waking again, I gave up and put the telly on. There is absolutely nothing on the telly that early on a Saturday morning so I just left something random on and was hoping to drift off, but I had no luck with that. By 8 am I was starving and had to get something to eat. Not wanting to wake my mother, I hobbled into the kitchen and was going to get some challah. My mother heard me though and followed me in. (As a side note, I know it's Yom Kippur but for medical reasons I'm not meant to fast).

After having a small bite I went back to bed and my mother came in and watched some telly with me. Again I just couldn't seem to drift off. Finally by about 10.30 or so I tried to fall asleep but kept having spasms in my legs, especially the right one. I was told this might occur from the Psoas release, and had been given muscle relaxers for it. I usually take one of those at night but I couldn't stand it so took one then, and also we put on the GameReady. I believe I finally fell asleep for a bit on and off till about 1pm.

I'm still knackered but at least took a shower. My mother had to go get me some more bandages, and when she gets back I will do the CPM machine and then my PT. That's the plan at least.