Thoughts On Chronic Pain…

March29

Short Story…
In late October 2011 I was having some pain after running and it wouldn’t go away, pretty sharp pain in the top of my lower back and deep in either ass cheek. I ended up taking a pretty light month in November running but it wouldn’t go away and turned more dull. I did a few sessions with a Chiropractor that helped but didn’t make time to see a doctor as I was heading to Central/South America. Plus I figured I could just run through it combined with rehab exercises and stretching. And it turned into a pretty solid 24/7 dull pain with spikes of further pain from time to time.

I took January 2012 off to just give it a rest since I believed at that point that inflammation was pinching my sciatic nerve. It got better but not great, and I was back to running in Feb and just trying to live with it. I never really thought about seeing a doc in south america as my spanish sucks, and plus the wine in Argentina is AMAZING. And then I got to Australia and had gotten used to it.

So what the hell caused it?
I went through a lot of testing but I’m 90% sure at this point it was due to a change in my work environment. My normal work environment is a standing desk + a HM chair I’ve had for 5+ years. But with me going abroad for a few years I had moved that into storage and had been sitting in a broken chair which was pulling a lot of muscles off + I was now staring down at the laptop screen (pulling all my neck and back muscles up). And then while traveling I never had my screen even with my eyes until mid way through Australia. And I just kept inflaming the same muscles and never game them time to heal (16+ hour flights don’t help).

Summary: Stupid, Stupid, Stupid (don’t do this).

What I noticed about 24/7 dull pain:
– It turns me into even more of an asshole. For the first 4 to 6 months of it you get really frustrated since its preventing you from running and other sports. And it makes you cranky and you lash out way quicker.
– You get used to it, after 6 months its just there. That is nice since as you get old you will only be an asshole if you really are one or for short bursts as you get used to increased pain levels. So that is nice to know.
Ibuprofen is an amazing drug.

I woke up a few days ago and the pain is a mere 1% to 5% of what it once was, which is awesome. I attribute this to a better work environment the last few months + a foam roller + a lacrosse ball. And maybe a little magic?

And of course I made a doctor appointment now with a sports doctor now that the pain is so much better. I just forgot before :).

PS. I’m sure I will look back on this post when I’m old and laugh my ass off thinking I even knew what chronic pain was like. If I make it that long. My brother tells me its cancer, and he is almost a doctor.

Review: New Tomb Raider (PC Game)

March29

Screen Shot 2013-03-29 at 7.21.05 PM

I’ve never been a big fan of the Tomb Raider series, I liked the idea but the game mechanics always seemed boring. After reading some good reviews I tried out the new one and it is one of the best games I’ve ever played. Like Indiana Jones combined with Die Hard. And the plot and voice-acting/acting is fantastic, I didn’t wince once and the story is awesome.

Highly recommended you play this! Fun as hell, took me around 15 hours to beat although I was moving pretty fast.

Best Running HeadPhones – Yurbuds (Short Review)

March29

I sweat like a mad man and I’ve destroyed about 3 pairs of iPhone type running headphones. I finally ended up with a pair of Yurbuds Inspire Ironman Series Earbuds about 6 months ago and highly recommend them. No problems with sweat, rain, etc.

Notes:
– The weird twist lock in your ear thing is actually comfortable and stays in perfectly. I haven’t had them fall out a single time.
– Sound is very good plus they have opening so you get in some of the surrounding sound in case you want to avoid cars and bikers.
– Mic is great too in case you need to record a note to yourself while on a run (I run with an ipod shuffle unless I’m on trails)
– Easy to skip songs and adjust volume off the little clicker near the y split too.

Highly recommended!

Crazy Blood Pressure Gadget!

March20

I was in Singapore for a week (had an amazing time and I’ll post soon on that!!) I ended up at a big computer show and found this device that works over bluetooth and your iphone to pull your blood pressure (and stores trends etc). I’m kinda a nut for these things and I’ve been running with a Suunto heart rate monitor for 5+ years.

I took this one after finishing up a longish run, fun to take a few a day just to see what happens. I’m going to try playing a Zombie video game in the dark and see if I can get something to happen with my blood pressure. I’m pretty sure aliens vs predator from around 10 years ago would send it through the roof, as kids that almost caused us to hyperventilate from the slow beep… beep… of the motion detector in almost pitch black conditions as a face hugger scurries across the floor somewhere you can’t see.

A Memory of Light – Last In WOT Series

March19

Memory-of-Light_WoT_Michael-WhelanThe Wheel Of Time series is an epic fantasy series that I highly recommend. The total series is 14 books, long books that are a total of 11,916 pages of amazing characters and stories. The creator of the series, Robert Jordan, died before the 12th book and Brandon Sanderson finished the last two from his detailed notes and drafts.

Memories of Light is the last book in the series and just came out last month, after rereading the previous 13 I finally finished this one and had to say goodbye to all the characters. It is so hard to say goodbye when you feel like you know them, and then have to watch them die, change, and then no matter what say goodbye because there are no more books about them. Sad but happy. Amazing series.

posted under Books | No Comments »

Bali Trip In February!

March2

I’ve always wanted to go to Bali and I found an awesome house on AirBNB. I love the style of Bali/Thai houses where the walls open up on all sides. I stayed in Ubud the entire time.

It was a really nice vacation, and much needed after a trip to Vegas for a management meetup and all the jet lag that induces. I spent half my time catching up on big picture work projects and the other half reading. I made it about half way through the Wheel of Time series as I wait for the last one to make its way to ebook… If you haven’t read the wot series yet please do!

The best 3 parts of this trip?

#1 – The house included someone making breakfast each morning which was awesome. Nyomen was very nice and cooked a massive breakfast each morning with black rice pudding (delicious), local fruit salad, yogurt, and delicious bread from the local bakery. I had at least 4 fruits I’ve never had before, drank my way through 12+ coconuts, and one bottle of homemade rice wine (the pink drink). And delicious coffee each morning that was grown only a few miles away (pic below).

#2 – The quiet. Living in downtime Melbourne I forgot how nice it is to open your window and there is just silience and bug noises (like Arkansas). Plus at night the terrifying screams from the lizards sitting on the roof ease you into slumber (amazingly loud). It’s been a long time since I slept so soundly and woke up with the sun.

#3 – Rice hike. I went for a few hour hike with Nyomen all over the area which was fun. Bali is beautiful, especially when you stay out of the typical south-asian touristy towns.

This is bwb’s personal blog, so he can share his thoughts with the world, however scary or silly they might be. Plus family and friends can track what I am up to, and where I am in the world.

I am pretty simple. I love Mangos. I love the ocean (although mostly at sunset, as I’m a ginger). I love to travel, eat exotic food, do long bike rides, read, and use my imagination. At some point, I decided it was better to be a pirate captain than an admiral. I am a globalist and see the entire world as my responsibility and playground. And I am married to an amazing woman who makes life even more fun :)! And we are now the proud parents of Calico Jack :).


Archives