March 31, 2004

Not far from where I work is this restaurant. It can't be cheap - well, how many restaurants on or near 57th Street are? There are linen napkins and tablecloths of course. The walls and pillars are paintings of scenes of decadence throughout the ages.

In the evenings when I go to the train, I look in their big picture windows and see them prepare these mountains of crushed ice and artfully place raw seafood into positions to make scenes and landscapes. Slabs of salmon filet, shrimps, huge king crab claws... I see an ideal table, where I could see a pillar of dancing naked men from Ancient Greece behind my date, and he would have a view of some hooker waiting for some john by a taxicab.

DD 5:58pm EST on Wednesday, Mar 31, 2004

Valerie put two words after yesterday's date: turning point.

Monday when I got home from acupuncture I called my dad. Without the stigma of needing anything, I told him how much he's helped me and how much I appreciated it. He seemed to be pleased and that too was rare. I felt I could say the herniated disk hurdle had been jumped. Now to regain what I've lost.

A new regimen. She was impressed with how much I could now move and restored back exercises to my "program." Not a single twitch or tingle during the entire physical therapy session and see me in six weeks.

I can squish into seats if need be, cross one leg over another to tie a shoe, and many other things I could not do until recently. On Tuesday morning I gave up my seat on the bus for an elderly man with a cane. It is time to give back.

DD 5:57pm EST on Wednesday, Mar 31, 2004

March 29, 2004

Yesterday, for the first time in almost half a year, I could sit in the front seat of Dad's car. When this herniated disc stuff started my foot involuntarily twitched. I remember the day: it was the first time we went to that orthopaedist in Forest Hills. October 10th or something.

For months I'Ve squirmed in seats, one of the least comfortable being the back seat of the car (maybe the chairs in the waiting room of my primary physician are worst; after the first time in that condition I requested a folding chair). I hadn't squirmed anywhere in weeks, so I thought I'd give it a try. Think I could stand to use a lumbar wedge. I still sit on one at home and at work.

Acupuncture did it! Now I'm going pretty much for maintenance. It holds back my joint inflammation so I have more options in my life and slowly regain my agility.

Three cheers for Alternative Medicine!

DD 11:58pm EST on Monday, Mar 29, 2004