Making it through another year, '23-'24

[SawyerTed]

Inversion isn't for everyone.  Asking someone who knows is good advice.  A cousin was advised not to use a regular inversion device due to a knee replacement.  I did ask my dr if inversion would cause any problems and she said it would not hurt me. 

My main issues were compressed and bulging discs causing sciatic nerve irritation and inflammation on both sides.   Hanging upside down -inversion - has gotten those discs back in place and restored some space between vertebrae.   Sciatic nerve problems are mostly gone.  When I feel a twinge of pain, I invert 2 or 3 times a day.  Each session i invert repeatedly 3-4 times for up to a minute per inversion. 

Inversion has also given relief for strained back muscles by providing stretching.

It's like having a chiropractor folded up in the garage.  It's in the garage so any family or neighbors who need it can use it.  

[aigheadish]

That may be part of the problem for me, I don't invert very often. I should set mine up on blocks or something, when I invert my arms, from about my elbows down, start dragging on the floor, and it feels like it doesn't quite work the way it should. 

I will say with both the inversion table and the roller- both make me feel better than I did.

On the tennis ball tip- My aunt is a masseuse and my sister is a pretty serious yoga teacher. Both have shown me techniques, that I unfortunately forget now, with tennis balls and towels that work absolute wonders. I think there are some pressure points involved and strategic placements of the balls or the towels. 

[Old Greenhorn]

The last time I mentioned inversion to my Chiro, he said he didn't think it would help my issues. I haven't asked since. If I knew somebody with a table I would try it, but I don't know anybody and won't invest in something that takes a lot of room and won't get used over time. Yes, I am trying to give this time. I slept in this morning, that didn't help much at all. Laying down ain't good. BUT I am starting to worry. I HAVE to get these logs done and I can't wait until Friday. Wednesday is rain, Thursday too. But I am a hurtin' pup right now and the thought of lifting logs is a non-starter. Heck I am still using a cane to get in and out of chairs, or get down on one knee to fill my stoves. It would be no big deal at all except for my deadlines. I am not even working in the shop just trying to let it settle down.

 Just to be clear, I do not partake in tree climbing. But I do like watching others much more limber than I.

[doc henderson]

I was about to suggest and elevator "inversion" tree, but if you do not climb, well...  get feeling better.  can your son or anyone help you in this jam or do you just need to let your clients know things are behind?  good luck.

[Old Greenhorn]

Usually I can move it out a little. But this client asked for a 3/30 pickup since he placed his order in early January. I tried to get it in a week early, but just missed it. So normally yeah. I will try to move it out. But for this guy, I would really rather not. Plus I still have 3 orders after this one.
 If I am not able to get out tomorrow, even with the rain, I will check in with him and see what we can do.

[SawyerTed]

Tom you are the best judge of what will work for you.   I do hope it's a quick recovery.  

Just sharing because inversion has been so effective for me. I am a believer!  So excuse my enthusiasm.  Maybe it will help someone.  I did ask the doctor about inversion. 

 I couldn't walk without pain, getting up and down from a bed or chair was excruciating and forget doing any kind of physical work or lifting anything.   I had 3 different episodes each lasting months.  Epidural steroid injections gave some relief for weeks to months.  The last injections cost $900.  Pain relievers had all pitfalls we know are associated with opioids.  I never took more than two or three days worth.

I tried everything from chiropractor, different shoes, exercise, physical therapy and even yoga    

My inversion table came from Walmart, shipped to my door was $115.   

They still sell them for $99.  It has saved $1,000s in injections, doctor's visits, chiropractor visits and prescriptions.  It may have even prevented or postponed surgery.  The other thing is the time and productivity gained.  Absolutely most important is the pain relieved and the relatively quick and lasting relief. 

It folds out of the way but does take a little space.  

[Hilltop366]

Forgive my ignorance on the subject but what would be the difference in hanging from your feet ( I'm presuming that is what you do on a inversion table) vs hanging from your hands on a chin-up type of bar?

[SawyerTed]

I cant explain the physiology but hanging from my feet is different.  I don't get the same results hanging from my arms.  

[doc henderson]

short answer is weight.  the extreme is hanging upside down on an inversion table for a neck problem, the weight is just your head.  you also do not want to hang by your neck right side up for, I assume, obvious reasons.  so, for neck problems they make a pulley and bag of water system with a chin strap to do in a doorway.  hanging by your legs, has most weight below and putting traction on especially your low back.  not everyone tolerates being upside down.  you may acclimate to it like a pilot and g forces.  the benefits depend on your issue.  If you go to PT, they will have a table that can pull on your neck ect.  It is important to diagnose the problem, or the solution may be for a problem you do not have.  Just like on a sawmill.

[Hilltop366]

That makes sense.
Thanks Ted & Doc.

[Old Greenhorn]

Tom you are the best judge of what will work for you.  I do hope it's a quick recovery. 

Just sharing because inversion has been so effective for me. I am a believer!  So excuse my enthusiasm.  Maybe it will help someone.  I did ask the doctor about inversion..........

Well Ted, I am not the best Judge of what will work. If I ever get a chance to try one, I won't pass it up. But I really don't want to spend money on something that won't work for me and takes up a bunch of the remaining space we have in our house or the non-existent room in the garage.  If it works, that's a different story.
 At any rate, this time around it's gonna take a few weeks to settle out. It won't be quick like I had become used to lately. SO I have ben thinking all day about what I'm gonna do. Back in my working days, in situations such as this I would just buckle down and suffer through it, even if it meant working through the night. I won't work through the night on this (that's nuts!), but I will get out there tomorrow, work as carefully as I can and get what I need for this order. It's going to rain, so that will make it even worse, but I think I can do 20 logs or so if I can get the buggy in there.  Not real happy about it, but if I can't keep a promise I am sure gonna have a reason why not. In any event, it won't be fun, but I have to try.

[aigheadish]

Tom, you need a mushroom logging intern.

This is kind of a joke but with your loft you could make your own inversion space. Bolt a sturdy pair of boots to the ground up there, lace them up tight and fall over the edge! Again, kind of a joke but it could be done mostly safely and more or less at the cost of what you have laying around. You'd want several handles to help yourself back up from inverting.

I'd imagine there is another difference with hanging chin-up style and inversion, though I agree with Doc is saying. I feel a big difference with the weight being distributed through my shoulders, when hanging, and it never feels like it gets to my spine, where inversion seems to pull (or hold, I guess) the hips up while the torso is dragged downward by gravity, stretching the spine out and allowing all 'dem bones to resettle.

Also, inversion doesn't always mean upside down. My table (and I think all of them) have kind of a practice mode, where you only go a bit past horizontal and as you get used to it, and as needed, you can go further and further toward vertical. I've found that even a bit past horizontal can help, especially if your head gets a bit bubbly when the blood heads that way.

[doc henderson]

you need and electric winch.  use to put things in the loft, or clean a deer, or invert yourself.  make sure you can reach the controls!    If your problems continue and your insurance will cover it, try the PT.  they can try different things and see what helps.  they will do it in a safe way and based on their education, training and experience.  you may need the MRI.  there are epidural injections and trigger point injections if the chiro does not continue to help.

[Old Greenhorn]

Well really guys, I was in a lot of pain there for a few days and pretty miserable, but I am coming around now, slowly. I don't think anything drastic is needed, I would be fine except for the looming deadline on my mind constantly. I will hold off on the winches and hanging systems for a bit. In fact, I have to say that these recent months I felt have the best I have in a long time.  Until Friday, all my strain recoveries were literally overnight, even the few times I KNEW I did something stupid and would pay for it, I snuck by. That made me pretty happy. I don't know what was different about Friday, nothing stood out as dumb
 Anyway, yesterday afternoon I began thinking about how to finish this order. I stopped using the cane, which becomes a hinderance to healing at some point. I got the new back belt I ordered and that helped better than the ill fitting one. I walked a bit more and found I could bend  to fill the stove without the cane to help me get up. I SLEPT WELL last night! The new dosage of Advil may also be helping. So this morning I am slowly getting my body woke up, doing chores, and then later, in spite of the rain, will head out to the woods and see if I can't finish this order today.
 Bill called last night and offered to cut and collect these last few logs for me. But he already does too much for me and I can't have him taking one of his guys out and paying them to cut my logs. That ain't right. But because of the forecast rain, his guys will likely be in the shop, so if I can't do it, or do it all, I can grab somebody for a little help for 20 minutes. If I get hurt again, somebody is within about a half mile to help. The easiest wood is in the toughest spot to get to, I will try that first. Plan B is to take some of the trees more out in the open, but a bit more work. Whatever I do, I will take it easy and bug out when I hit the limit I need.
 Yes, you guys have my consent to tell me how stupid this is, I don't mind. You've already thickened up my skin pretty good.
 Today is another day and my next post here will tell you 'the rest of the story'.

[doc henderson]

glad you are doing better!

[gspren]

I'm guessing you don't have any Amish familys in the area? A good 12-13 year old Amish boy would work hard and bail you out for a very reasonable amount, even a 20 mile drive to pick a boy up would be worth it.

[chep]

Tom
Core strength exercises and targeted stretching has made a world of diff for my back/hip pain. I know I'm not even 40 but I think a good routine would do you well. Get loose for the day, get loose for sleeping. 5 minutes morning and night changed my life. I went from crippled to feeling pretty dang good. 
It's never to late to teach an old dog new tricks and it sounds like you could use 1 or 2.
Good luck pain sucks

[aigheadish]

I didn't think of a winch! I could use that idea myself! Tie a winch to some boots and lift me to the top of the shop, then give it the ol' back and forth to shake my back out, yeah, that sounds nice!

[Nebraska]

Chep is right on the stretching and core stuff makes a huge difference. 

[Old Greenhorn]

..........
 Today is another day and my next post here will tell you 'the rest of the story'.

So I just got home from the hospital.....













Just kidding, really! Got out there  by 10am so I could take my time and maybe beat the rain. It was drizzling when I drove out in the buggy (SxS). It drizzled off and on the whole time, no big deal, I was not in a rush, between my back and the tree I was working on I couldn't rush anyway.
 I started in one it and took one leader, then while I was taking a break, I shot a short video. I never do videos when mushroom logging, too busy.

 The goal was just to finish this current order, not be a hero. I still need healing time. SO I took two leaders and loaded 22 logs (verry slowwwly). The trick now was getting out over that severe drop with what I calculated later was between 5 and 600 pounds. SO another video just to document the scene for the paramedics.

 As I said, I took my time and minimized the lifting. I did forget 2 things back in my trucks when I headed out: My skull bucket, and my Water. But as expected this only took a short period of time, maybe an hour, then more time to transfer the logs to the truck, then unload at home, so about 2 hours in total. I feel pretty good, just the legs are tired.
--------------------

 Thanks for the advice guys, I am trying to work on remembering to do the stretching exercises but I often forget. It's not a habit yet. I think I will bypass the winch idea of it's all the same to y'all.
 I'll live to fight another day, I think.

[doc henderson]

I think you just needed to punch it going down the hill, and do the "Dukes of Hazard" yell.  U B alright!

[SawyerTed]

I woke up early this morning so I had to watch the videos with the volume turned off.

Did you say "Hey, all y'all watch this!   Somebody hold my beer."?   Could have...

Glad your back is okay enough to do a little bit.  The stress of those mushroom log orders probably isn't good for you either.

[Resonator]

Like that quote: "I make just about enough money to pay my chiropractor".

[Old Greenhorn]

Res, That wasn't too far off, but a little bit of exaggeration perhaps. I made those for a couple of reasons, first I was working very carefully and slowly and taking breaks, so I had a little time. Second, some of my clients don't understand the issues with getting these logs to them, such as cost, safety, but also delays for weather, conditions, and injury time-outs. They will never be with me to see what's involved. So I figured I would use the video's as an educational tool when needed. I wish it was clearer. I also tried to inject some humor, maybe I missed?
 Ted, I could have but I was a bit nervous and still pretty tender. With all that weight in the back and all the lose junk in the cab. I had to pay attention. You should run them both again with the sound on so you can get full advantage of my inherent whit and knowledge.  I still think it was stupid to hold the camera and shoot that, but as I said, it would have made it easier for the investigators to figure out what happened. Yes, you are very astute, the impending deadline on this next order was on my mind all the time and it bothered me to miss a long promised date. SO that took a load off my mind. I informed the client last night and he is happy   BUT he asked if he could put the pickup off to Sunday now . I didn't realize it was Easter Sunday. No matter, it's off my mind and I have 3 orders to go. I am not working today.
 Doc, the first time we went down that 'thing' on Sunday, all three of us were in the cab, but Bill was driving and he did power down the hill and flipped through that quick right turn at speed, we only had a light, but full load of dead EWP in the box for the OWB. Glad I had both hands avail because I needed them to keep my face from planting in the dash. Inga was smart and had her feet on the dash.  She was nearly standing on the dash for a few seconds. All I had time to say was "WHOA!" Because of that 'enlightening experience' I was very cautious with a full load of green logs on board. Thinking back, maybe I should have strapped them down. It was also distracting to have the rifle come flying off the back window and smack me in the back. I thought logs were coming through the window. I'd like to see him rake the top off the berm and drag it down to cut the grade just a bit with the mini-ex, but he thinks it will be a lot of fun in the 4 wheelers, flying up and over. Time will tell. When we get it opened up all the way through and around, IF the SxS will fit, I will take the easier way in an out.  That dozer cut is so small I nearly drive past it each time I go in there.

[SawyerTed]

Deadlines sometimes are aggravating.

A young neighbor friend asked if I could build a loft type bed for her daughter.   She sent photos as examples from Amazon.  I looked them up.  Prices ranged from $150 - to $300+/- .  No way I could match those prices.  

Since it's a custom bed and I really didn't want to do it, I gave her the "I really don't want to do this price."  She said okay build it!   

So now I'm faced with a deadline and not much motivation other than the little daughter's excitement.