I /was/ going to post an entry saying how spiffy it was that the keyboard worked on the Wii now, but the system update didn't upgrade the web browser.

Anyone else out there that's as sad as me and immediately tried the same thing, don't forget to go to Wii software and update the web browser too.

All is good now. Maybe I'll post again in another 10 months or so :)

So I'm in Melbourne, sitting in a tram, staring at the decal in the window.

Who else noticed that 'Yarra Trams' backwards is 'Smart Array'?

Finally attended a formal meeting at work, went through all the items on the agenda, all serious stuff that I can't discuss really, until we got to the last item, that was introduced as seriously as the others:

* Do I look fat in these pants - is it the pants ?

I have an interesting workplace.

Another angsty rant, about what happened with my leg... I thought I wasn't going to do the angst thing here.... :)

It all started with a leg cramp, ignored that for a day and it got worse... I left it a little longer and it got to the point where I could barely walk. I didn't think leg cramps should last a few days and arranged to see a doctor as soon as possible. (Well almost, I called the local medical centre and all the doctors were booked out, Rose actually rang (From NZ!) and arranged an appointment elsewhere for me.. Thankyou so much Rose)

Unfortunately that was mid-morning, and the next doctor's appointment wasn't until 7PM- in Annerly (And I was in Ipswich). During lunch, Lachlan helped me to the nearest chemist and we managed to find some anti-inflamatory stuff that dulled the pain down long enough to get through the day. I left my bike in the carpark and caught the train to Corinda after work, where Whyrl drove me to the doctors (And again a huge thankyou to Whyrl, who drove me quite a few places after that), and we continued around to a few people's places to get some forms to help with Rose's residency application.

The doctor's words were I just had muscle cramps, and to get a massage therapistas soon as possible. The next day (still going to work each day), I arranged to see a massage therapist working in the same building as us during my lunch break. That really seemed to help, I could walk okay again and I really thought I was on to something.

A few days passed and it got worse again, on the weekend I was talking to Dad, who said my sister's old housemate Malcom was a trained massage therapist and to see him. Again, Whyrl drove me over to his house (thankyou!), and he was able to clam things down a little, but it didn't help as much as the first time. This was the first time we started to notice pain in my lower back, and pressure there could be felt down my leg, he mentioned nerve problems, and that what I was describing seemed like the sciatic nerve, but we still thought muscles were the cause.

As Monday comes around, still thinking I'm on the way to healing, I carefully make my way towards New Zealand to visit Rose for a week (more on why later, probably :). Hairy/zezom was very helpful and took me to the airport (initially I wanted to take the train so I wouldn't get in anyone's way- that definately wasn't going to happen :) I got away with almost twice the allowed luggage weight, but again more on that later :)

Most of my week in NZ was spent hobbling between the bed and the couch, complaining about how much things hurt and generally not being too fun. I feel rather bad, and I'm so sorry to Rose and Colin for how un-fun I must have been *sighs*

Rose arranged (and paid for!) another appointment with a local massage therapist in Hamilton. That day was the worst pain I think I'v ever felt- I feel (probably incorrectly), that I could endure anything now :) The lady I saw was very thorough, asked a lot of questions and tried her best to fix the problem. The massage seemed to help- but even less than before.

She said she garunteed her work to the best of her ability, and as I was still in a fair bit of pain she asked for a bit of time to contact some specialists she knew to see if there was anything else she was capable of that would help. Surprisingly this was at no extra charge, and she offered to visit the house I was staying at the following morning.

The news wasn't overly good, but I do have to thank her for what she discovered. She attributed the *cause* of the pain to nerves, not muscles- and managed to trace it to the sciatic nerve (by applying pressure to my feet of all things, the body, and back up to the first vertebrae of my back. And told me to see a chiropractor immediately.

Because we're poor (tm), this meant I had to hold off until I was back in Australia, although this was only a couple of days, I'll again have to apologise to Rose and Colin for how damn annoying I must have been.

Arrived back in Australia, saw chiropractor the very first day. He simply looked at the way I was standing and said 'You have sciatica, let me prove it'. After x-rays, I was put on the neat chiro-table thingy, stretched and contorted into a few strange positions, and after a few very loud pops, I knew without a doubt I was on the right track.

The next week or so involved me seeing the chiropractor every few days to keep putting more of my back in- back stopped hurting rather quickly, but the rest of my leg went completely haywire and seemed very confused, muscles randomly aching and cramping all over the place - whose stupid idea was it to create a single nerve that controls majority of your entire leg?

Finally, three weeks later I'm almost okay again, just some lingering muscle pains but they're fading too - the chiropractor wants to see me in a week, then in a month just to make sure, but apparantly no permanent damage.

I'm not quite sure what I've learnt, I'm certainly not as scared as I was - take care of yourselves everyone, I guess? and if something doesn't seem quite right, don't ignore it.....

Some pictures of Flea and Ronin, behind a cut partially to save your friends pages, partially so I know how to do cuts :)

( pictures )

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