So its 2012 now... not much said on here but alot has happened in the past year. I went through a really bad winter with back pain and back problems. It got to the point I had nothing left and really couldn't function much at all. When you are laying on the bed/couch/floor bawling your eyes out because the pain is so unbearable no matter what you do, you've pretty much hit rock bottom.

I tried lumbar epidurals and trigger points at the pain clinic, which really hurt (especially the lumbar).. they didn't do much long-term but we kept trying. I started drinking alfalfa tea to deal with some of the arthritis in my back.. different vitamins and lots of other stuff. I ended up in the ER twice. After finding out the orthopedic group probably would refuse me as a patient because I had already had back surgery once.. I really started looking for an alternative, because I couldn't keep on like that.

On Google I found a "spinal regeneration center" in Watertown that is part of a chiropractic practice. As of this week, I have completed my first phase of treatment with them.. it consisted of 2 months of treatment 3x's a week. Each treatment is a session on the spinal decompression table, followed by a chiropractic adjustment. The spinal decompression table actually gently pulls your spine apart and applies negative pressure to it. Think of it like this.. if you sit it may be like 50 pounds of pressure on your spine, standing, 100 pounds of pressure on your spine...  on the table.. you (depending on your treatment) could be at 40 or 50 pounds of negative pressure on your spine. Its like undoing what you do every day. The treatment sounds barbaric, but really it isn't.. it doesn't hurt but my back is a bit stiff when I get off the table.  After ice and a chiropractic adjustment, its pretty good. I'm up in the low -70's right now.. and it is helping. Its a slow process but lets be honest, I'm pretty screwed up. As the Dr. says, there's alot of trauma in my lower back and they are working it out slowly. I still can't feel part of my foot (going on 3 months) but that's a long term goal of my own, to be able to walk normally and feel my whole foot again. If you've never been through it, sciatic nerve compression seriously sucks. Who would think something could be numb and throb/burn like mad at the same time...? But I'm remaining positive.. this is helping. Int he past 2 months I've been able to do some serious cleaning and dump trips (my office was a disaster), paint the front steps, do some projects outside and in general, function pretty well. So, it is a long, slow process, but it is good. I just need to continue being patient.. my own goals will come too.

The good news following all of that is that this year, I WILL be doing craft shows in the area. About this time last year I started a group on FB called North Country Crafters. Currently we are up to almost 160 members, and have started a branch off group for another region. This is an incredible group of talented people from every front you can think of.. every genre, material and even some handmade arts you'd never though existed. We are all working towards the upcoming craft shows, making product, getting our 10x10 tents, making weights for them and encouraging each other in what we do. I am so proud to be involved with these people.. they are truly incredible.