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He-Man, Acupuncture & Staying at Bullards Beach One More Week

June 24, 2012 by libertatemamo 29 Comments

He-Man it is!

I call it “He-Man” disease and all you women out there probably know it well. It’s when a male species ignores whatever pain he has going on and decides to just “He-Man” right through it. Muscles bulging, chest forward, and power on! But alas unless you’re a young buck in its first prime, “He-Man” comes back to bite you in the you-know-what. And my fabulous hubby, much as I love him, does indeed suffer from this disease.

Pain relief -> The Asian way…

This was a “He-Man” week. Paul had been having very slight back issues for some time, but not enough to stop him. Just a few days ago he made a move that changed it all. Tweak, sprain, ouch…..pinched sciatic nerve and searing jab down the leg. Three nano-seconds later he was planked out on the floor in pain.

Oh no!

Now given we have to start workamping in about a week AND we were scheduled to drive to Harris Beach State Park on Monday, this was not an ideal time for this to happen. We both know enough about backs to know this is not serious enough for a doc (from the feel and look of it it’s a minor spinal hernia), but definitely needs time to heal and some help to get that nerve un-pinched. Time to scramble and change plans.

The lovely Tina Veccera

I’m a huge fan of acupuncture for this kind of problem and a few calls around led me to the lovely Tina Veccera who just so happens to practice right around the corner in Bandon. Score! She offers both acupuncture and chinese herbs, and was able to see us same-day.  Score again! Our third order of business was to try to extend our stay here in Bullards Beach State Park until we absolutely need to move. By some alignment of the stars our exact site was open until next Sunday. Score number three!

From pain to luck in three easy moves.

Paul under treatment

We’ve been seeing Tina for 2 days now and Paul is already feeling better. We’re hoping a full week of treatment, relaxation, easy stretches and lack of “He-Man” moves will get him to the point where he’s OK to work. And then of course he’ll need to strengthen those back and stomach muscles.

The beginning of a tough week, but hopefully we’re still on-track to be where we need to be. As long as that He-Man guy doesn’t sneak in to interfere, of course 🙂

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We LOooVE Comments, So Please Do

  1. Steve and ML says

    June 24, 2012 at 5:27 pm

    I can relate to this He-Man phenomenon. My husband Steve experienced a sudden stab of pain on his back right after plugging our systems. And like you I said, ” Oh No”. I can’t drive the rig. But he says he is okay and suffered in silence and never listened or do all my proposed remedies. The back pain is lingering and the He-Man is still with him. One day a certain move will bite him back and when that happens I hope we are already out of Alaska.

    Reply
    • libertatemamo says

      June 25, 2012 at 9:12 am

      Oh dear!! Lingering back issues always worry me. There are alot of good, simple exercises you can do to help strengthen those muscles and prevent it from getting worse. Stomach crunces, easy yoga stretches…lots of info on this on the web. But I know there’s not much you can do if hubby won’t listen.

      By the way I definitely recommend learning to drive & handle everything on the rig. It’s alot of fun (really it is!), and a good safety net for those “what if” situations. It came in handy for me last year when Paul had to fly home on a family emergency. I had to drive, dump & park the rig on my own.

      Nina

      Reply
      • Steve and ML says

        June 25, 2012 at 6:33 pm

        I gave up hubby never listens. I can probably handle the rest of the rig but the driving part is what I’m uncomfortable with. It is the thought of driving a 60′ vehicle that scares me. I need a professional to teach me not my hubby:)
        -monaliza

        Reply
        • libertatemamo says

          June 26, 2012 at 9:07 am

          I learned to drive the rig while on the road. Started out in the desert and just driving around parking lots before I migrated to roads and freeways. But if you want professional instruction (which I totally understand) there are lots of really good RV driving schools out there. I would definitely recommend signing up for a class.
          Nina

          Reply
        • libertatemamo says

          June 26, 2012 at 9:15 am

          Here’s a good link for RV driving schools:
          http://www.rvschool.com/

          Nina

          Reply
          • Steve and ML says

            June 26, 2012 at 9:02 pm

            Oh thank you, I should have known there are driving schools in CA, I could have done it before going full timing 🙂 but its never too late.

  2. jil mohr says

    June 24, 2012 at 6:08 pm

    glad you could get what you needed to deal with this….

    Reply
    • libertatemamo says

      June 25, 2012 at 9:22 am

      Yeah, we are very happy to have found the care we need right next-door.
      Nina

      Reply
  3. Linda Lanzl says

    June 24, 2012 at 6:49 pm

    Ugh! Sorry to hear this happened. But glad to hear you could get the right kind of holistic help. Sending positive thoughts for a speedy healing.

    Reply
    • libertatemamo says

      June 25, 2012 at 9:13 am

      We were VERY lucky to find a good acupuncturist so closeby (only 2 miles away!). Day 3 and things are definitely improving. We’re hopeful we’re on the right track.
      Nina

      Reply
  4. LuAnn & Terry Oburn says

    June 24, 2012 at 7:02 pm

    Terry and I both moaned as we started to read your post. Thank goodness you have access to acupuncture where you are. Take care Paul. We will be sending good thoughts your way for a speedy recovery.

    Reply
    • libertatemamo says

      June 25, 2012 at 9:15 am

      Thanks! We sure hope this week of rest manages to get it under control. We know it’ll be a long-term process to completely heal it, but if we can just get it manageable we’re on the right track.
      Nina

      Reply
  5. Jeannie says

    June 25, 2012 at 4:34 am

    Boy, does Eldy need to get over the “He Man” syndrome as well. Almost identical back pain, and he’s being so stubborn about not going for help because of cost, mainly. Hard to be sympathetic when there’s options out there. You’d think somebody would want to end their pain, even if it did mean a hit to the budget. Glad Paul is feeling better!

    Reply
    • libertatemamo says

      June 25, 2012 at 9:19 am

      Argh! I sympathize! There really is alot of good help you can get for this, and believe me it is worth the money as a preventative. The majority of minor back-pain does not need surgery (surgery is almost always the last resort), but can be helped tremendously by acupuncture, physiotherapy etc. And proper exercises can prevent this from getting worse. I’ve had several friends who’ve suffered from debilitating back-pain (going past the point of no return), so I’m very sensitive to prevention as the best medicine.
      Nina

      Reply
  6. Dave says

    June 25, 2012 at 12:09 pm

    My sympathies to Paul, for I to suffer from back spasms now and again.

    Dave

    Reply
    • libertatemamo says

      June 26, 2012 at 9:12 am

      Ouch! Paul is getting both leg and back spasms from this so poor boy is definitely understanding of your cooment.
      Nina

      Reply
  7. Jerry and Suzy LeRoy says

    June 26, 2012 at 6:51 am

    Give him the needle!

    Reply
  8. Steve says

    June 28, 2012 at 3:57 pm

    I have had sciatic nerve problems for many years due to trying to lift a motorcycle that had fallen over. The potential of it reoccurring will never go away, and you’ll never forget the pain associated with it! I seriously doubt if acupuncture will have any lasting relief, it certainly didn’t in my case. A couple of hundred dollars later, I was in no better shape. Search the net for exercises to help strengthen the nerve. I know it’s the last thing you want to hear while in pain, but it can be the best thing you’ll ever do to improve your condition. Go slow, and don’t try to overdo it. Cold and heat can have temp relief. Uncooked rice in a sock, heated via microwave is good, as is the blue ice wrapped tightly to the most painful area.
    There is no quick fix………Hate to say it, but, if you’re lucky, you’ll be left with a very slight discomfort that will always remind you of the potential for a much greater pain. I have had 3-4 flair-ups over the last 20 years and it’s not fun!
    Check youtube and the net for exercises……keep your money……good luck.

    Reply
    • libertatemamo says

      June 28, 2012 at 4:02 pm

      Appreciate the feedback. Paul’s been having very good results with acupuncture, but he’s also started on exercises too so we’re on the right track (cross fingers). Realize this may be a longer-term problem, but hoping the majority of the pain can be relieved over time.
      Nina

      Reply
  9. fhfrances says

    September 4, 2012 at 8:35 pm

    While the ‘He-Man’ technique might work for dudes, there’ll come a time when they’ll need some form of medication and it’s great to hear that Paul adhered to obtaining such early on. Acupuncture coupled with some meds and exercises is definitely a surefire combo as the same would be probably be prescribed by those from the Synergy Institute.

    Reply
    • libertatemamo says

      September 5, 2012 at 9:19 pm

      Cheers for the link to the Synergy Institute. They offer some interesting therapies there.
      Nina

      Reply
  10. Ken McCandless says

    April 11, 2016 at 11:22 am

    I would like to have some discussions with Paul about his back problem and any ways he found to overcome some of the required RV tasks that have to be done. Have had my problem for quite some time and would appreciate any advice. Haven’t started RV’ing full time yet, but plans are to be there in less than 24 months. We will be crusing thru you site and taking notes. Thanks for your sharing and look forward to seeing on the road sometime, somewhere.
    If you happen to get to the east coast (somewhere near NC) give me a blast, you will be welcomed with open arms.

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Paul’s Back To Hopping & Blogging | Wheeling It says:
    July 18, 2012 at 8:52 am

    […] around 3 miles round-trip) and makes it through the day without pain-killers. He’s still going to acupuncture (which continues to be fabulous) and diligently doing McKenzie exercises. Most importantly he is […]

    Reply
  2. The Darker Side Of FullTime RVing? 5 Thoughts To Ponder Before Making The Leap.. | Wheeling It says:
    October 17, 2012 at 9:04 am

    […] unexpected heartache, make clumpsy & painful mistakes, break things by your own hand, have medical issues , lose things and sit for days waiting for stuff to get fixed…and none of it will come […]

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  3. Nesting, Nesting – A Month At The Spa | Wheeling It says:
    November 1, 2012 at 1:18 pm

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  4. Year 3 FullTime RVing – 2,700 Miles & A Western Adventure | Wheeling It says:
    December 31, 2012 at 11:51 am

    […] it with a summer in Oregon that was one of our best ever (a true highlight). Paul suffered a back injury that stopped our travels short, but opened up an unexpected opportunity to stay longer in a city we […]

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    July 26, 2013 at 12:10 pm

    […] Face Rock Golf (originally called Old Bandon Golf Links) last year right after Paul did in his back. It was quite possibly one of his biggest disappointments that he did not get to play that summer […]

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  6. When Life Changes Your RV Travel Plans (And Yes, We Have New Plans) – Wheeling It says:
    April 8, 2016 at 4:52 pm

    […] has come in handy many times in our fulltime RV travels, most particularly when Paul had his back injury in 2012 (that prevented him from doing anything) and also the various times he’s had to fly home for […]

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  7. Polly 7-Week Post TPLO Surgery Update – Wheeling It says:
    July 23, 2016 at 5:50 pm

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