continuing the case history of my neck problem in which I 'miraculously' avoided an invasive surgery and found an alternative solution...
The Chiropractic Progress – day 5
Sep 29, 2005
I feel confident enough to start to term it as 'Progress'. I dropped by at my friendly SP doctor's office last night (not just to say 'Hi', but with my youngest girl who has a little sore throat and fever). He told me the Neurosurgeon at the Specialist Hospital replied to his letter, stating that my condition was serious enough to justify surgery and advised that I should proceed with it. But looking at me smiling from ear to ear, while I explained why I opted for another opinion, my friendly doctor said he was glad I didn't proceed with surgery and was happy that I'm doing good progress with chiropractic treatment.
I went off Ponstan since yesterday just to see how far I could go. If I could give a grading to the pain level this morning before I went for the 5th session, I would grade it as a 'nuisance'. Much less pain but enough to give me that 'tangled-wire-in-the-neck' feeling.
Well, we got to define all the other levels first don't we? Otherwise we don't have a point of reference for comparison. That sounds more like technical jargon. I would rate level of pain the days before I started chiropractic treatment as "intolerable" when I couldn't brush my teeth in the morning without the knife twisting in the shoulder. After 2nd treatment, it was balancing somewhere between tolerable and intolerable. Then, after the 3rd treatment, I rated it as "tolerable".
Today I still did not use my right hand to work the mouse because it still tried to push the pain level from 'nuisance' back to 'tolerable'. There appeared to be some warm glow threatening to flare up again in my right shoulder after I went clickety-click on the mouse for a while.
Mr. Chiropractor addressed me as Mr. Siemens this time. He asked me what type of gadgets we're producing other than meters and instruments. While he fumbled around my backbone with his fingers, I told him our range of products include Engine Management Systems and anti-theft steering locks, etc. He remarked that my spine felt so much better now. I agreed with that.
While he was wringing my neck, he wanted to know whether installing a cruise control in the car as an after-market part would be better than having it factory installed. As soon as I got my wind back I said I don't use cruise-control so I don't know much about that. He said our cars don't often come with cruise-controls in them. Is it because they're afraid we'd fall asleep at the wheel?
I said our highways have too many toll gates in between, it is an unnecessary item. He went on about kampong folks driving their cars on cruise-control while they pour themselves a coffee and eat their nasi lemak. In spite of the discomfort, I was smiling at the floor through the little opening provided for a patient to breathe while lying faced down on the bench.
From here on the treatment sessions were getting routine as the traction pain has gotten so much less painful than before. But before I get congratulated, I still have 7 more sessions to go and the after treatment rating still remains at 'nuisance' level. I certainly hope I can go back to lifting heavy loads and workout on my punching bag to keep myself in shape.
Right now I better go back to work the mouse clicks with the right hand again. I always believe that whatever facilities you have, if you don't use it, you'll lose it.
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