Post a bad thing that happened in your life today

[Mr Standfast]

3 minutes ago, Rebecca Ore said:

Luis, my helper, had surgery for appendicitis this morning, and is sending his wife to get this week's salary.  I'll see if she can take over walking Lola.   Luis had had a terrible year. 

 

Poor chap.

[gvallee]

We have been going off-road for the past few weeks. Off-road in Australia means serious shaking around on dirt roads, with corrugation and bulldust. It has been heaven though. Nature and solitude. We saw the ginormous blue moon rise right in front of us above a lagoon, a jaw dropping sight, and much more.

Anyway, we had researched the next trip extensively and thoroughly. Being so remote and rough an area, it had to be. It needed careful planning and organisation. Because of its remoteness, for the first time, we found it difficult to get info whether we could get through with our 7m, 5.7 tons vehicle. To start with, we phoned the only recovery garage in the area (300 kms away). We thought piece of cake, they rescue mine vehicles in the area. Nope. They didn't even know where that National Park was. They warned us, it's a very remote area you're going to, if you break down no-one can help you out, be careful. Argh!! The dangers were not only a mechanical breakdown but I feared more getting bogged in river crossings or being unable to negotiate a steep rutted climb out on the other side.

Anyway, my adventurous side got the better of me and we decided to go. We bought 3 diesel jerrycans in addition to our long range fuel tank, filled up with 170 litres of water, bought enough groceries and wine for a month. The fridge/freezer is packed.

The number one thing to have in these circumstances is comms. We have a personal emergency locator beacon, but we cancelled our satellite phone subscription in favour of Starlink. I felt so safe with Starlink, internet anywhere in Australia. Help at our fingertips if needed, even if it's a helicopter rescue.

We were about to get to a mine where you have to be escorted through it towards the track to the park.

Tonight, after days of corrugation, we lost the electrics. No electrics means no Starlink. It hit me like a rock. I had never thought of that... plus panic about the fridge. $600 worth of groceries about to rot. We managed to reboot the system but....

We made the decision to turn back and re-schedule the trip for next year. Crushed...

 

Edited September 7, 2023 by gvallee

[Michael Ventura]

4 minutes ago, gvallee said:

We have been going off-road for the past few weeks. Off-road in Australia means serious shaking around on dirt roads, with corrugation and bulldust. It has been heaven though. Nature and solitude. We saw the ginormous blue moon rise right in front of us above a lagoon, a jaw dropping sight, and much more.

Anyway, we had researched the next trip extensively and thoroughly. Being so remote and rough an area, it had to be. It needed careful planning and organisation. Because of its remoteness, for the first time, we found it difficult to get info whether we could get through with our 7m, 5.7 tons vehicle. To start with, we phoned the only recovery garage in the area (300 kms away). We thought piece of cake, they rescue mine vehicles in the area. Nope. They didn't even know where that National Park was. They warned us, it's a very remote area you're going to, if you break down no-one can help you out, be careful. Argh!! The dangers were not only a mechanical breakdown but I feared more getting bogged in river crossings or being unable to negotiable a steep rutted climb out on the other side.

Anyway, my adventurous side got the better of me and we decided to go. We bought 3 diesel jerrycans in addition to our long range fuel tank, filled up with 170 litres of water, bought enough groceries and wine for a month. The fridge/freezer is packed.

The number one thing to have in these circumstances is comms. We have a personal emergency locator beacon, but we cancelled our satellite phone subscription in favour of Starlink. I felt so safe with Starlink, internet anywhere in Australia. Help at our fingertips if needed, even if it's a helicopter rescue.

We were about to get to a mine where you have to be escorted through it towards the track to the park.

Tonight, after days of corrugation, we lost the electrics. No electrics means no Starlink. It hit me like a rock. I had never thought of that... plus panic about the fridge. $600 worth of groceries about to rot. We managed to reboot the system but....

We made the decision to turn back and re-schedule the trip for next year. Crushed...

 

 

Wow, you two are a bit crazy, but in a great way! 

[Steve F]

7 minutes ago, gvallee said:

We have been going off-road for the past few weeks. Off-road in Australia means serious shaking around on dirt roads, with corrugation and bulldust. It has been heaven though. Nature and solitude. We saw the ginormous blue moon rise right in front of us above a lagoon, a jaw dropping sight, and much more.

Anyway, we had researched the next trip extensively and thoroughly. Being so remote and rough an area, it had to be. It needed careful planning and organisation. Because of its remoteness, for the first time, we found it difficult to get info whether we could get through with our 7m, 5.7 tons vehicle. To start with, we phoned the only recovery garage in the area (300 kms away). We thought piece of cake, they rescue mine vehicles in the area. Nope. They didn't even know where that National Park was. They warned us, it's a very remote area you're going to, if you break down no-one can help you out, be careful. Argh!! The dangers were not only a mechanical breakdown but I feared more getting bogged in river crossings or being unable to negotiable a steep rutted climb out on the other side.

Anyway, my adventurous side got the better of me and we decided to go. We bought 3 diesel jerrycans in addition to our long range fuel tank, filled up with 170 litres of water, bought enough groceries and wine for a month. The fridge/freezer is packed.

The number one thing to have in these circumstances is comms. We have a personal emergency locator beacon, but we cancelled our satellite phone subscription in favour of Starlink. I felt so safe with Starlink, internet anywhere in Australia. Help at our fingertips if needed, even if it's a helicopter rescue.

We were about to get to a mine where you have to be escorted through it towards the track to the park.

Tonight, after days of corrugation, we lost the electrics. No electrics means no Starlink. It hit me like a rock. I had never thought of that... plus panic about the fridge. $600 worth of groceries about to rot. We managed to reboot the system but....

We made the decision to turn back and re-schedule the trip for next year. Crushed...

 

 

Gen, silver lining - at least it happened before you went into the park and got stranded, could have been terrible.

[NYCat]

Smart decision. No risking of life, please. I saw a presentation yesterday by Andy Mann. He's the sort of guy who enjoys risk and I enjoyed him but really can't relate to that kind of fun. He has amazing photos of rock climbers and base jumping. Scary.

 

Paulette

[gvallee]

10 minutes ago, Steve F said:

 

Gen, silver lining - at least it happened before you went into the park and got stranded, could have been terrible.

 

My thoughts too if it's any consolation. 

[gvallee]

9 minutes ago, NYCat said:

Smart decision. No risking of life, please. I saw a presentation yesterday by Andy Mann. He's the sort of guy who enjoys risk and I enjoyed him but really can't relate to that kind of fun. He has amazing photos of rock climbers and base jumping. Scary.

 

Paulette

 

I follow my instinct and in this case, it says test the electrics for a few days before going off-road again.

I do enjoy taking risks provided it's in a responsible manner. Stories of unprepared people getting into strife leaves me aghast.

 

 

[Michael Ventura]

Yesterday, as the day progresses, my lower back started feeling more and more pain, for no obvious reason.  I got to bed and slept well but when I got up, I could barely walk to the bathroom, the pain was so bad.  When my daughter got home from her night shift, volunteering at the firehouse, she applied a Lidocaine  patch,  gave me whatever pills we had the would be appropriate and put a heating pad under me, this was around 6:30 this morning.  I had two shoots scheduled today and I was doing all I could to not cancel them.  I have only cancelled shoots twice in my life, once when I broke my arm and also when I got Covid.  Well today I had to cancel the shoots.  One I got rescheduled for next week and the other had to be shot by another photographer, due to a tight deadline.   I have shoots every day this week, so I hope I can get better enough to shoot tomorrow's shoot.  It's no fun getting old.  Or as The Rolling Stones famously wrote, "What a drag it is getting old" back in 1966, when they were quite young!

Edited September 11, 2023 by Michael Ventura

[NYCat]

33 minutes ago, Michael Ventura said:

Yesterday, as the day progresses, my lower back started feeling more and more pain, for no obvious reason.  I got to bed and slept well but when I got up, I could barely walk to the bathroom, the pain was so bad.  When my daughter got home from her night shift, volunteering at the firehouse, she applied a Lidocaine  patch,  gave me whatever pills we had the would be appropriate and put a heating pad under me, this was around 6:30 this morning.  I had two shoots scheduled today and I was doing all I could to not cancel them.  I have only cancelled shoots twice in my life, once when I broke my arm and also when I got Covid.  Well today I had to cancel the shoots.  One I got rescheduled for next week and the other had to be shot by another photographer, due to a tight deadline.   I have shoots every day this week, so I hope I can get better enough to shoot tomorrow's shoot.  It's no fun getting old.

 

Oh dear. I am so sorry. Is this something you need to be working on in the future? Some physical therapy that teaches you the exercises that prevent it? The physical therapy place I went to last about my arthritic foot had practically cured it but I do have to keep up some stretches and exercises. I have a few that I do before getting out of bed. Then I do more while I'm putting heat on my eyes (which I've had to do for years to prevent styes). My slight scoliosis also has to be dealt with properly so it doesn't get worse. Fortunately, my work as a cat-sitter makes me walk a lot and that seems to be the best thing for the foot (now that it doesn't hurt to walk.) I definitely feel my body needs to be taken care of in a way that wasn't necessary when I was younger.

 

Paulette

[Steve Hyde]

2 hours ago, Michael Ventura said:

Yesterday, as the day progresses, my lower back started feeling more and more pain, for no obvious reason.  I got to bed and slept well but when I got up, I could barely walk to the bathroom, the pain was so bad.  When my daughter got home from her night shift, volunteering at the firehouse, she applied a Lidocaine  patch,  gave me whatever pills we had the would be appropriate and put a heating pad under me, this was around 6:30 this morning.  I had two shoots scheduled today and I was doing all I could to not cancel them.  I have only cancelled shoots twice in my life, once when I broke my arm and also when I got Covid.  Well today I had to cancel the shoots.  One I got rescheduled for next week and the other had to be shot by another photographer, due to a tight deadline.   I have shoots every day this week, so I hope I can get better enough to shoot tomorrow's shoot.  It's no fun getting old.  Or as The Rolling Stones famously wrote, "What a drag it is getting old" back in 1966, when they were quite young!

I’m sorry to read this Michael. Fingers crossed for a speedy recovery 🤞

[Mr Standfast]

3 hours ago, Michael Ventura said:

Yesterday, as the day progresses, my lower back started feeling more and more pain, for no obvious reason.  I got to bed and slept well but when I got up, I could barely walk to the bathroom, the pain was so bad.  When my daughter got home from her night shift, volunteering at the firehouse, she applied a Lidocaine  patch,  gave me whatever pills we had the would be appropriate and put a heating pad under me, this was around 6:30 this morning.  I had two shoots scheduled today and I was doing all I could to not cancel them.  I have only cancelled shoots twice in my life, once when I broke my arm and also when I got Covid.  Well today I had to cancel the shoots.  One I got rescheduled for next week and the other had to be shot by another photographer, due to a tight deadline.   I have shoots every day this week, so I hope I can get better enough to shoot tomorrow's shoot.  It's no fun getting old.  Or as The Rolling Stones famously wrote, "What a drag it is getting old" back in 1966, when they were quite young!

 

Take care Michael. 

[gvallee]

3 hours ago, Michael Ventura said:

Yesterday, as the day progresses, my lower back started feeling more and more pain, for no obvious reason.  I got to bed and slept well but when I got up, I could barely walk to the bathroom, the pain was so bad.  When my daughter got home from her night shift, volunteering at the firehouse, she applied a Lidocaine  patch,  gave me whatever pills we had the would be appropriate and put a heating pad under me, this was around 6:30 this morning.  I had two shoots scheduled today and I was doing all I could to not cancel them.  I have only cancelled shoots twice in my life, once when I broke my arm and also when I got Covid.  Well today I had to cancel the shoots.  One I got rescheduled for next week and the other had to be shot by another photographer, due to a tight deadline.   I have shoots every day this week, so I hope I can get better enough to shoot tomorrow's shoot.  It's no fun getting old.  Or as The Rolling Stones famously wrote, "What a drag it is getting old" back in 1966, when they were quite young!

 

Take care of yourself Michael, a shoot can be rescheduled. If you're in pain, you're in pain. No need to feel bad about cancelling. Get well soon.

[Cecile Marion]

Sorry to hear you’re in pain, Michael. Take care of yourself.
 

Look out for the lidocaine patches. I use them a lot.  I didn't think using a heating pad over a patch was okay. Maybe your Lidocaine patches are different from what I have. 

[Betty LaRue]

I’m so sorry, Michael. I do know what severe back pain is like, for sure. If you can, try some gentle stretches by leaning over slightly like you’re going to touch your toes. But don’t try touching your toes. Just let the weight of your arms pull you down a bit and hang there until you feel the muscle spasm release a bit. If it feels ok, stand up then gently do it again.

Most of the time whatever is wrong sometimes causes severe muscle spasm as your body tries to protect the source of the pain.

When I got so bad, the tilt table with my ankles locked in with straps helped me a lot. I did about 30% head down tilt for about 5 minutes & the spasms relaxed.

I found out that would help me when I went to the dentist for teeth cleaning. The young lady had my head lower than my feet, then when she was finished she left me that way until the dentist came in & took a look in my mouth. I was slightly tilted at least an hour. I felt the gentle stretch in my back & felt good the rest of the evening after going home. Right after that, I researched the tilt tables & ordered one.

It didn’t cure me by any means, but made the pain better for awhile after using it.

I recently sold it because now I have hardware & I don’t want to pull screws loose. (DON’T SAY IT!!) 😆

Hopefully your episode is a one off & you’ll get over it.

 

[sb photos]

10 hours ago, Michael Ventura said:

Yesterday, as the day progresses, my lower back started feeling more and more pain, for no obvious reason.  I got to bed and slept well but when I got up, I could barely walk to the bathroom, the pain was so bad.  When my daughter got home from her night shift, volunteering at the firehouse, she applied a Lidocaine  patch,  gave me whatever pills we had the would be appropriate and put a heating pad under me, this was around 6:30 this morning.  I had two shoots scheduled today and I was doing all I could to not cancel them.  I have only cancelled shoots twice in my life, once when I broke my arm and also when I got Covid.  Well today I had to cancel the shoots.  One I got rescheduled for next week and the other had to be shot by another photographer, due to a tight deadline.   I have shoots every day this week, so I hope I can get better enough to shoot tomorrow's shoot.  It's no fun getting old.  Or as The Rolling Stones famously wrote, "What a drag it is getting old" back in 1966, when they were quite young!

 

So sorry to hear the bad news. I sometimes get lower back pain, but minor compared to yours. Can't take any aspirin based pain killers, finding Co-codamol  the most effective.  I used to carry my kit in shoulder bags, but now mostly back packs, that helps. Also I usually have 2 backpacks packed ready for whatever. I try to utilise the smaller lighter one if circumstances permit containing D500's and lighter lenses. Recently I just took out a D500 and 80-400 lens to photograph blue plaques, business signage and signs + managed to park close too. I manage, but the only times I've had to cancel anything has been caused by sciatica or bruised/fractured ribs, but luckily not for at least 10 years. Have even just about managed with frozen shoulders twice. Hoping you are back to normal soon.

Edited September 12, 2023 by sb photos

[CAROL SAUNDERS]

16 hours ago, Michael Ventura said:

Yesterday, as the day progresses, my lower back started feeling more and more pain, for no obvious reason.  I got to bed and slept well but when I got up, I could barely walk to the bathroom, the pain was so bad.  When my daughter got home from her night shift, volunteering at the firehouse, she applied a Lidocaine  patch,  gave me whatever pills we had the would be appropriate and put a heating pad under me, this was around 6:30 this morning.  I had two shoots scheduled today and I was doing all I could to not cancel them.  I have only cancelled shoots twice in my life, once when I broke my arm and also when I got Covid.  Well today I had to cancel the shoots.  One I got rescheduled for next week and the other had to be shot by another photographer, due to a tight deadline.   I have shoots every day this week, so I hope I can get better enough to shoot tomorrow's shoot.  It's no fun getting old.  Or as The Rolling Stones famously wrote, "What a drag it is getting old" back in 1966, when they were quite young!

So sorry to hear this Michael, it sounds extremely painful and hope you are feeing a bit better today and whatever it is that's causing it gets sorted quickly🙏

 

Carol

[Allan Bell]

Get better soon good friend.

 

Allan

 

[Michael Ventura]

Thanks everyone!  I really took it easy yesterday and got good rest.  Today I had a shoot, at a law firm, that I really didn't want to cancel and my son helped! He carried everything and made it go so smoothly.  My back was tender but has continued to improve today!  I think I had the worst of it yesterday.  Still will be careful in the days ahead.

 

 

[Ed Rooney]

 

Wow, Michael -- your back problem is certainly a bad thing. I hope you recover and recover soon. And be careful of those pain meds.

[Jeffrey Isaac Greenberg]

I had years of back pain. 😟__ 😟__😟

Then I read article in ?Parade? Magazine 1990s that

most back pain surgery did NOT ultimately reduce
back pain & that back pain could be split into (2)

subsets: the percentage that's real & the percentage

that's psychosomatic**;  it was magical how reading

that reduced my back pain 90% instantly; since then I

only get back pain at end of walking all day with

camera around neck;  to reduce "real" back pain

I have previously played golf daily (swinging madly

as exercise) & more lately for last year briskly walk

~1.75 miles religiously every day...

 

**think stomach ulcers: people used to think they

were giving themselves stomach ulcers until it was

discovered stomach ulcers were cased by bacteria,

NOT by thinking...after that revelation complaints
of stomach ulcers dropped dramatically..

[Betty LaRue]

16 minutes ago, Jeffrey Isaac Greenberg said:

I had years of back pain. 😟__ 😟__😟

Then I read article in ?Parade? Magazine 1990s that

most back pain surgery did NOT ultimately reduce
back pain & that back pain could be split into (2)

subsets: the percentage that's real & the percentage

that's psychosomatic**;  it was magical how reading

that reduced my back pain 90% instantly; since then I

only get back pain at end of walking all day with

camera around neck;  to reduce "real" back pain

I have previously played golf daily (swinging madly

as exercise) & more lately for last year briskly walk

~1.75 miles religiously every day...

 

**think stomach ulcers: people used to think they

were giving themselves stomach ulcers until it was

discovered stomach ulcers were cased by bacteria,

NOT by thinking...after that revelation complaints
of stomach ulcers dropped dramatically..

Jeff, I have to take issue with what you read. My spine collapsed over to one side a few years ago casing scoliosis. That put extreme pressure on nerves. I had to have surgery or end up in a wheelchair. The surgery helped about 70% & I’ll take it.

 
Ulcers? I've had them. Once three of them playing patty-cake in my stomach at the same time. I was tested for the H. Pylori bacteria & was negative. My mother & sister was positive & were treated.

Ulcers are not caused by thinking but by worrying or stress, medications or bacteria. Only about 10% from bacteria.
I’ve always internalized worries & stress…not good. My mother, a widow, married again many years ago. The guy was charming until after the wedding. Then he began drinking & treating her horribly. There were bad times, with me & my sister confronting him, then going to court to support her when she got a contested divorce.

That evening after the court appearance, I doubled up with stomach pain & was treated by a doctor who diagnosed an ulcer, tested me for the bacteria, then put me on an ulcer diet. That was my 1st ulcer.
Some ulcers are caused by medication. My strong arthritis meds, various ones the doctor tried on me, caused my second one.  Once you’ve had an ulcer, your stomach lining is never the same & you get future ones more easily.

Later the three-for-one episode, when I was scoped. I won’t mention the family member who caused those, but it was stress that I took, meek & mild, on the chin.

As with anything, no physical ailments are absolute as to cause. I treated my back very conservatively for a few years until physical therapy/exercises quit working.

A funny story about being scoped for the three ulcers. I’ve never been one to swear much at all, but there were two words I used under extreme duress. (Workin’ on it now) Like when you stub your toe practically breaking it, drop a carton of milk on the floor…you get the picture. Private words. One word is “da*n,” as in “da** it!” the other “sh**.” Usually said in utter disgust as “We-e-ll, sh**!!”

So the doctor & his nurse use a medication to put me to sleep, then put the scope down my throat & into my stomach. All of a sudden, I’m aware that someone is shaking my shoulder & saying, “Betty, wake up.”

In a fog, not yet opening my eyes, I mumble, “What did you find?”

The doctor said, “Three ulcers!”

I say, “We-e-e-l-l, Sh**!!”

I hear giggling from doctor & nurse. I realize what I said and I’m so embarrassed I could crawl in a hole & pull it in after me.

[Jeffrey Isaac Greenberg]

1 hour ago, Betty LaRue said:

Ulcers are not caused by thinking but by worrying or stress, medications or bacteria. Only about 10% from bacteria.

oh Betty

no Betty

from The Mayo Clinic:
Stress and spicy foods do not cause peptic ulcers.
However, they can make your symptoms worse.

...and from several sources, the majority of ulcer cases are
caused by ?pylorum? bacteria, that means at least 51%, probably much more...

[Betty LaRue]

33 minutes ago, Jeffrey Isaac Greenberg said:

oh Betty

no Betty

from The Mayo Clinic:
Stress and spicy foods do not cause peptic ulcers.
However, they can make your symptoms worse.

...and from several sources, the majority of ulcer cases are
caused by ?pylorum? bacteria, that means at least 51%, probably much more...

This passage is from the Mayo Clinic.

    •    Ulcers. H. pylori can damage the protective lining of the stomach and small intestine. This can allow stomach acid to create an open sore (ulcer). About 10% of people with H. pylori will develop an ulcer.
 

Maybe that’s different from the percentage of people who have an ulcer being caused by H. pylori. Can’t quite figure out how to say it, but hopefully you understand. I think it’s because many people have H. pylori but only 10% of those people who have it develop ulcers. So I took it different than I read it…my bad.

All I know is that every time I got one except for the time the NSAID caused one, I was under big time stress. I even had the sensation of spiders crawling on my left arm once. For days. Big time nerves.

[Jeffrey Isaac Greenberg]

oh Betty

I feel HORRIBLE about this

let's put it past us

meet me on the porch swing

its a lovely day

(my comments about reducing-solving back pain remain spot on)

Edited September 13, 2023 by Jeffrey Isaac Greenberg

[Rebecca Ore]

22 hours ago, Michael Ventura said:

Thanks everyone!  I really took it easy yesterday and got good rest.  Today I had a shoot, at a law firm, that I really didn't want to cancel and my son helped! He carried everything and made it go so smoothly.  My back was tender but has continued to improve today!  I think I had the worst of it yesterday.  Still will be careful in the days ahead.

 

 

Glad you had your son to help.  Back pains can be transitory or not.   Stretches as long as they're not painful are probably useful.   Really good walking shoes with custom inserts if warranted can be useful.