It is all put away... well, the decorations at least.

It is that bittersweet time of year where all my Christmas decorations have been put away and my house looks a little less cluttered.  I love the echoy sound my entry way makes after getting the tree out and the sap scrubbed off the floor.  I love being able to see my mantel and the items I keep there year round.  I love the clean normalcy of it all.  I am still burning the Christmas scented candles, but pine trees are a winter smell not just Christmas.

Oh how I wish physical things could be put away like Christmas decorations.  Who wouldn't want to put away diabetes and only pull it one sometimes?  Then again.. who would ever pull it out?  Or back pain.  That's my most current issue, and one that I'm sure I will be told I should have taken care of earlier.

Off and on for the last year little while my lower back on my right side has felt like it needed a one on one with a chiropractor.  I have done the simple stretches, which although they look funny actually feel quite good.  I have laid over my exercise ball on my stomach and stretched.  Like I said, it looks funny.  I have rested it.  I have heating padded it.  I have ice packed it.  I have done both.  I have even gone to the chiropractor.  He couldn't get it to feel better either.  Lately, the painful feeling has been daily.  I have noticed certain things around my house that I would love to change.  The height of my counters are the biggest.  If only my kitchen counter were 2 inches higher.  That will be changed if/when I get new cabinetry.

I don't know why I haven't made an appointment with the orthopedic before today, but I haven't.  Contrary to all the doctors I see on a regular basis I don't like going when it's something I think I should be able to fix myself.  I did make the appointment this morning though.  So come February 4th I will be doing what I should have done since LAST February 4th and have it looked at by someone more knowledgeable than me.  I'm hoping it is something simple, and that I've just not been doing the right exercises or stretches. 

Stay tuned.