Steady as we go ...

I am seeing progress ...

Each morning when I wake, my neck feels better than it did the previous morning.

As the day wears on, of course, and as I tire, my neck and shoulders tire and one would think I was in much worse shape than I am.

But I think that is quite normal with any kind of pain -- it's always worse when you're tired. 

So I am encouraged on the whiplash recovery front.

Of course, I knew that it would improve.

It's just that I don't like to be kept down at all.

And to be slowed down at a time when an unpleasant responsibility falls upon me (you cannot pre-schedule or delay the Big Man's plans) is just adding insult to injury.

Another factor diminishing my ability to physically keep up, of course, is having reduced the Cesamet dose (could we have picked a better time?).   I'm already feeling the effects of that lower dose -- my right hip is objecting to what had been becoming "normal" day-to-day in-home activity (throbbing like a toothache by late afternoon) and my energy level is starting to wane again.  I am supposed to reduce the dose again next week but I might wait until I see the doctor before I do that to discuss the pain management impact of that strategy.

Yesterday, I went for a massage therapy session.  We weren't sure how much pressure, if any, she would be able to apply in my hip and shoulder areas, but I really needed the treatment (and there are many stroking methods that can be used if the actual massaging is too much for me).   My massage therapist happens to be a Registered Nurse who works at the Heart Institute on weekends.  So she knows medical stuff too.  She tells me that the bruising on my left hip will remain visible for a good four more weeks, easily.  But she was amazed at the extent of area beyond the visual bruising that she was not able to touch, even gently.  And when she got to my neck and shoulders, she was able to do gentle stroking but that was it.  We agreed that my body is "still broke" in very many areas.  My bi-weekly sessions with her will provide another indicator of my progress.

The rest of the day yesterday was spent on the telephone, dealing with matters relating to my late cousin's affairs.

This morning, we head into Ottawa again, this time for my EEG.  Sure hope they don't find that for which they're looking.