An update on my back issues:
As some of you are aware, I have been suffering from severe back pain for several years, and lately it has been becoming worse. I was at the point where I could barely walk or stand, and I was looking at buying a wheelchair.
A couple of weeks ago Batman (Brent) suggested that I look into IntraMuscular Stimulation (IMS) therapy. It is a form of Acupuncture that focuses on relieving tight muscles. He had used it successfully for years to deal with severe back issues.
I have had two sessions totalling about 1 hour in treatment and all I can say is that the results are nothing short of miraculous! The reduction in pain levels is incredible. I can hardly believe the difference. Before the treatments just getting out of a chair was painful, and I had to stand for a few seconds while the pain dissipated before I could walk. Now I can get up without flinching and I can start walking without hesitation and without pain! I even did a tiny bit of gardening just to see how it felt. Previously using a shovel was impossible. On Tuesday I dug out part of the roots of an overgrown shrub without experiencing any pain! I had to tell myself to stop before I over did it. On Tuesday night the guys at the club commented on how easily I was moving around.
Obviously I can't predict how long lasting the results will be. I'm hoping that I have found a cure but only time will tell.
What is interesting and somewhat disturbing to me is that most doctors and physiotherapists are not educated about IMS as a possible solution. The medical schools don't teach it. In my case I was prescribed the usual physio exercises for years despite the fact that after several attempts the standard treatments were obviously making the situation much, much worse.
Anyhow, thanks for listening. Wish me luck that the success continues. If you have chronic back pain and your back muscles are tight, do some research on IMS for yourself.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
hon30critterOn Tuesday I dug out part of the roots of an overgrown shrub without experiencing any pain!
I'm really happy for you and share your enthusiasm, Dave. My only caution to you is — don't get too over confident and cause more damage. Basically I'm saying go easy and pace yourself with the shovels and spades.
I had back surgery in '97 for a herniated disk. Although 95.5% of the pain has subsided I do get reminders when I overexert myself or try to push my limits.
Pace yourself and ease into the strenuous workouts. Be especially careful of bending and lifting.
I'm Glad for your relief and I hope it lasts forever.
for you and for Brent
Cheers, Ed
A question Dave, has spondylolisthesis been the culprit of any of this pain? or has imaging shown you do not have any spondy (short version)?
Mike.
My You Tube
Just Shoot Me!
Wife and I smell gas in the house, gas companys coming and out we go.
Good thing I stopped smoking!
Ken
I hate Rust
Dave,
I have used acupuncture for pain management for over 30 years. BioFeedback is another avenue you might explore. I use it to block chronic pain from various injuries, and the joy of advancing age. It was 1 1/2 years of study, and practice, before I was able to use part of the potential it offers.
Western medicine has yet to learn many things from some of the Eastern cultures--if it wasn't discovered at Harvard, or Princeton, it doesn't exist.
You might explore the Kushi Institute, in Brookline Ma. I took my wife Mary there, not so much to find a cure,rather a concern being quality of life for the time she had remaining. She had oatcell cancer, five tumors in her brain, three in her lungs.
We were told that they would not entertain discussing a cure, but they could ensure what time remaining would be of good quality. Mary had been a nurse for over 30 years, so was no stranger as to the prognosis. She had one treatment of chemo, and after stated that she would rather die than go through the series. This was not a decision I agreed with, but it was HER decision, and in 17 years of marriage I never made any for her.
The Way of Life originated in Japan over 2000 years ago, well documented, and is a pacifist group. Respected in Japan, even during the war years. They are a politic, religion, and a way of eating to maintain life. Our intrest was in the eating part. Some of their beliefs are interesting, to say the least, but they do have a history to draw from. Their main temple was in Hiroshima, as a group, monitored by the Japanese, and American governments, to date none of the individuals who were there that day have experienced any form of radiation sickness, cancers, organ failure, et all. Quite remarkable.
I am glad for you that you are having positive results, look into cupping, if you don't mind looking like you have gone ten rounds with a giant squid. May you have continued success with your proceedures.
herrinchoker
mbinsewiA question Dave, has spondylolisthesis been the culprit of any of this pain? or has imaging shown you do not have any spondy (short version)?
Hi Mike,
I don't remember the term ever coming up in any discussions with the many doctors who worked on me but my memory of the most serious episodes of my spinal infection are limited at best because I was seriously wired on pain killers at the time. My understanding is that the vertebra had stayed in place, but the infection had caused the bone to become porous and the scar tissue that had formed had caused significant nerve damage.
It’s May 10 everyone! You know what that means (I hope)!
Exactly 150 years ago around 500 officails and railway workers gathered a the summit of promitory point, Utah, to mark the completion of the first route from coast to coast by rails. Spike of various metals, including the famed golden spike, were driven into the ground! The event rests in the minds of all railroad enthusiasts as one of the greatest events in railroad history!
Happy anniversary of transcontinental railroad everyone!
Regards, Isaac
I model my railroad and you model yours! I model my way and you model yours!
Good Morning All,
A regular and a donut with red, white and blue sprinkles please Zoe.
So it's TCRC (Trans Continental Railroad Completion) day. Is it really just 150 years since the golden spike? Funny how 150 years is a blink in the time line but an eternity ago in progress. Railroads had started making us a United States but the transcontinental rails truely started us towards becoming a nation.
More rail and turnout cleaning last night. Touched up some more ballast spots and finally decided to pour the access road to the back shop rather than use the asphaltic road bed stuff I had lying around. Just too thick and it cold flows to foul the side of the rails. I made styrene dams around the turnout throw rods to keep the plaster out and maybe if I'm ambitious tonight I will try to pour some Smooth It over the cardboard underlayment.
Back to the shop. We finish loading for Road America and Barber Motorsports Park today with the three transport cars we're taking for another shop arriving on Monday and the rigs leaving Tuesday. I'm not going as the doc has me on limited duty still. Chow. J.R.
GMTRacingWe finish loading for Road America and Barber Motorsports Park
Back in my crazy days, before a wife, some of us used to go up to Elkhart Lake, WI. a lot. They had some bike races that a couple of my friends participated in.
It's a couple of hours North of me, if that's the Road America your talking about?
Sunshine today! here in WI. Way North, like up in Duluth, WI., this last "wet event" brought them 10" of heavy wet snow. And it's only in the 30's, so it's going away fast.
We ended up with 2" of rain.
As long as I'm here, I'll have a slice of toasted whole wheat bread with a generous layer of PB, please, and a short chocolate milk to wash it down.
Dave, I'm glad your finding relief from your back pain. I asked about the spondy thing, as imaging is the first thing an orthospedic spine specialist ordered for me, with my "sometimes" back pain. That's when I learned all about it. I have a developing "level 1" spondy between L5-L4.
With age, it doesn't fix itself. Back exercises I leaned at PT keeps it at bay, most of the time!
As our friend Mel says in his signature, "Growing old is not for wimps!"
Have a great "Golden Spike" kinda' day.
cudaken Just Shoot Me! Wife and I smell gas in the house, gas companys coming and out we go. Good thing I stopped smoking! Ken
OK, it's been ten hours since you posted this. What happened?
Each Friday morning at 6:00 a.m. for 25 years, I have attended a men's Bible study at a local restaurant. Every Friday for 25 years I have ordered the same thing: two eggs and hashbrowns. This morning, I decided to order two sausage patties to go with it. It tasted great, but it didn't sit well for my two mile walk. Next week I think I will go back to normal.
I will try to watch the Golden Spike ceremony online today. Great moment in American history.
York1 John
I asked my doctor if I gave up delicious food and all alcohol, would I live longer? He said, "No, but it will seem longer."
cudaken Just Shoot Me!
BANG!
I hope that things are ok there.
Our gas meter is in the front yard by the east door. Everything beyond that is our problem. We got gas in the monastery for the dryers, got gas in the kitche (building) for the stoves, we got gas in the pottery building for the kilns, we got gas in the powerhouse for the boiler, and we got gas out at Schnell Hall since that wan never close enought to the power house to be served by steam.
There were some leaks in the line out to Schnell Hall that we did not know about untill the gas bill started to go up.
We hired the gas company to come in and repair those pipes, actually they abandoned it and put in new plastic pipes.
ROARING
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
Years ago I was subcontracting for a company that I normally rarely ever do. It was Winter and I was a little slow on work, so I needed a filler.
There was a bunch of work to do at a warehouse and I was working on a Saturday, so no warehouse employees were there. One of the jobs was straightening a big gas heater that was hit by a forklift and had a gas leak.
I told the owner of the company I would not do this one job. When he asked why, I told him I am not not licensed for it and do not need the liability of doing illegal work.
He came down to the warehouse to do the repair himself. After he straightened the large gas heater, it leaked more. He put a pipe wrench in between two joints and proceeded to tighten the pipe. I told him, you can't do that. He said why. I said you're tightening one joint and loosening the other. He proceeded.
I began opening two overhead doors. He asked what I was doing. I chuckled and said preparing for what's going to happen. He still didn't listen as the pipe busted at the threads.
The roaring sound of gas coming out of the pipe made him panic. I had already noted the main gas valve to shut off prior to this stupidity, I walked over and shut it off.
Number one, he shouldn't have been doing this kind of work. Number two, he should have had the main gas valve shut off. I don't think he even knew where it was. It was a good thing I was there.
TF
Track fiddler I had already noted the main gas valve to shut off prior to this stupidity,
It should have been shut off before he even started messin with it, and the meter is the gas companies responsibility, eveything after is the property owner, at least that's the way it is here, in SE WI with WEenergies.
York1 cudaken Just Shoot Me! Wife and I smell gas in the house, gas companys coming and out we go. Good thing I stopped smoking! Ken OK, it's been ten hours since you posted this. What happened?
Ken OK, it's been ten hours since you posted this. What happened?
Stopped eating cheese?
mbinsewi Track fiddler I had already noted the main gas valve to shut off prior to this stupidity, It should have been shut off before he even started messin with it, and the meter is the gas companies responsibility, eveything after is the property owner, at least that's the way it is here, in SE WI with WEenergies. Mike.
That is correct Mike, same here in Minnesota. You, as I know, a property owner should still hire a licensed professional. He can also pay the gas company to take care of it for him.
If the property owner knows how to do his own repair, he can. Technically it's still supposed to be inspected.
A soapy water solution makes a good inspector for property owners who understand pipelines. My personal inspectors name is Dawn
I'm not a member of Facebook, but I just checked the Maryville, IL police dept. facebook page, and nothing there about a gas incident.
Good luck Ken! where ever you are!
Shutting off the gas maian means that everything that uses gas has to be reset and the pilot lights re-lit.
You need a licensed plumber to be sure things are done correctly.
Of course we do that all ourselves, but we got a maint dept that knows how to do such things.
Property Owner can do he wants. He can even hire whomever he wants, but you cannot put yourself forward as a contractor without the proper licenses.
Licensed, Bonded and Insured. Without all three, you are buing problems.
ROAR
BroadwayLionShutting off the gas maian means that everything that uses gas has to be reset and the pilot lights re-lit.
Ya, well, it's better than blowing up the building and people dying.
BroadwayLionYou need a licensed plumber to be sure things are done correctly.
Correct! Or, because it involves a meter, let the gas company do it. If it's after the meter, a licensed plumber.
I don't mess with anything gas, and when I have in the past, it's because I was with a licensed plumber (one of my good friends) and I was his "helper" fetching pipe and fittings from his truck.
I bet you have one those big meters at your complex, Lion. Industrial size?
Working on my MILW caboose today, so as I let stuff dry, I just have to check the forum.
The sun is great, still windy and cold for working outside. It's suppose to hit 60° today.
Plans are for a small fire pit, grilling and a couple of cocktails for tonight, unless the wind keeps up.
Going to do the Mother's Day stuff on Saturday. Sunday it's suppose to rain again.
Hey Mike.
I don't know about Wisconsin but I think it would be the same. In Minnesota there are three main Gas shut offs.
One outside the house, the cities, you are not supposed to touch unless an emergency. It has a stainless clip tag on it. One directly inside the house after that, the homeowners, for repairs and emergencies.
The third one is underground only accessible by the city for when the meter has to be changed out.
The city also shuts this off for those who are persistent turning their gas back on after they didn't pay their bill. Personally, I have only turned the gas valve inside the house.
Each Appliance has it's own separate shut off to code. If you add an appliance it also has to have a separate shut off, so you have to shut off the interior main to add it.
The homeowner can do this legally with a permit. It's a good thing to use a soapy water solution before the inspector comes, so you know you're good
In 2016, a renter in Omaha was evicted from a house. They disconnected the gas dryer and removed it without shutting off the gas.
The next day, a home inspector came to the house, went in, and she was killed in the explosion. It was a series of errors that involved phone calls to the wrong people, a voice mail that was not accessed, and an inspector who was not warned.
I'm with Mike on gas work. I have done just about everything in construction, but gas is one that I've been afraid of. I stay away from trying to fix anything.
Gas leaks are not fun. I did do my own water heater and stove change overs before getting the new system which I had a pro install. I did check all connections, used the proper pipe and fittings and sealents to code, etc but a good dose of paranoia is still helpful. The one leak we ever had was years ago and outside in the buried line between the city main valve and the city meter and was scary enough. We did have a friend lose his shop and contents when he hit is overhead door remote on a Monday only to find the shop had filled with heating gas over the weekend. The spark from the motor was enough to set it all off. He was injured but thankfully not seriously but did lose everything. Tis' good not to see Kens' name on the news. J.R.
Even the "professionals" have a little oops now-and-then:
At the time of the accident, workers were replacing some of the low-pressure piping, but the procedure set out by Columbia Gas for doing this failed to include transfer of a regulator's pressure sensor from the old, disused piping to the new. As a result, when the old pipe was depressurized, the regulator sensed zero pressure on the low-pressure side and opened completely, feeding the main pipeline's full pressure into the local distribution network.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merrimack_Valley_gas_explosions
In 2011, a very similar thing happened near me at Fairport Harbor, Ohio but in this case a regulator had accumulated moisture which froze and caused the regulator to overpressure the residential lines. Over a dozen houses and an apartment building burned down.
There are LOTS of homes near me that have gas wells on the property. One of the "perks" of having a gas well is free gas for homeowner use.
I have seen some of these installations. There is no "telltale" stink powder* mixed into the gas so it is odorless! Got a leak? How would you know? Gas pressures at the well head can range from a few hundred pounds to over 3,000. Only thing between you and the well is a couple of mechanical regulators.
No thanks...
*(mercaptan)
Afternoon all,
Down at the Southern Command, Wife's book tour continues tonight. we had a good turnout at the Blues Hall of Fame in Memphis Wed afternoon. They sold out all of her books they had bought to sell and I had a small stash that I almost sold out of there as well. Tonight is the "big release" at Square Books in Oxford MS. Tomorrow we will hit another book store in Greenwood MS. The cool thing for the wife is that her best friend from Chicago is driving down to surprise her at this event tonight. She has no clue and I have coordinated this since a few months ago. It has been hard to keep silent. They will come stay with us at the Southern Command hovel tonight and tomorrow nite.
gmpullman Even the "professionals" have a little oops now-and-then: At the time of the accident, workers were replacing some of the low-pressure piping, but the procedure set out by Columbia Gas for doing this failed to include transfer of a regulator's pressure sensor from the old, disused piping to the new. As a result, when the old pipe was depressurized, the regulator sensed zero pressure on the low-pressure side and opened completely, feeding the main pipeline's full pressure into the local distribution network. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merrimack_Valley_gas_explosions In 2011, a very similar thing happened near me at Fairport Harbor, Ohio but in this case a regulator had accumulated moisture which froze and caused the regulator to overpressure the residential lines. Over a dozen houses and an apartment building burned down. There are LOTS of homes near me that have gas wells on the property. One of the "perks" of having a gas well is free gas for homeowner use. I have seen some of these installations. There is no "telltale" stink powder* mixed into the gas so it is odorless! Got a leak? How would you know? Gas pressures at the well head can range from a few hundred pounds to over 3,000. Only thing between you and the well is a couple of mechanical regulators. No thanks... Cheers, Ed *(mercaptan)
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/natural-gas-explosion-kills-schoolchildren-in-texas
talking about tapping gas wells with no stink added, the above arcticle incident happened in 1937.
gmpullmanThere are LOTS of homes near me that have gas wells on the property. One of the "perks" of having a gas well is free gas for homeowner use.
That's crazy! I've never heard of that being done.
Who knew?
Oh yes... Quite common as a perk for letting them drill on your property. When I taught in Elba, NY the school let a gas company drill for gas on school property. they didn't get a large enough output to use commercially, but the school did get to use the gas they found for heat, etc use by the school. That was a good many years ago but.....
73
Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO
We'll get there sooner or later!
mbinsewigmpullman There are LOTS of homes near me that have gas wells on the property. One of the "perks" of having a gas well is free gas for homeowner use. That's crazy! I've never heard of that being done. Who knew? Mike.
That's crazy! I've never heard of that being done. Who knew?
Count me as another one. I've never heard of that, either, and I lived in Louisiana.
This is actually good news for me, because I'm obviously not too old to learn something new.
mbinsewiThat's crazy! I've never heard of that being done.
There's 60,000 active gas wells in Ohio. Even if only half of those surface land owners choose to get the free gas portion of their lease that's still quite a few.
Pennsylvania may have even more.
Greetings from Promontory Summit. we are there now .
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
Very cool Garry. Pictures at 11?