Friday Grateful Five

     It's time now for.... Friday Grateful Five! 
I think I need this today.
     So, five things I'm grateful for. Not so easy this week since I've been sick and the kids are now getting sick, YUCK! And, with this cold, I've not been able to sleep laying down like normal, so I've not been getting the rest to recover, and my back and neck are killing me. Ok, not killing me, but it's getting pretty bad. Of course it would be bad for anyone, but I slipped a disk about 3 years ago. I mean, really slipped it. The doctor told me I shouldn't have been able to be walking (I still was, super slow and carefully, but still walking). He wanted to do surgery. I was very anti surgery. Said flat out no. Ended up at a pain clinic and got a different kind of PT. With the PT and a cortisone shot (or 6), I'm mostly out of pain. There are days where there is no pain in my back at all! So, guess I've got my first 'grateful' thing.
     
     1. My Physical Therapists
          These two women are absolutely outstanding. The way they do it is not your normal way of lifting weights and repetitive exercises. It's sort of like a massage. Like a cross between PT, massage and chiropractors. There's no snapping bones, they manipulate your spine and mussels to go back to where they are suppose to be. i had one exercise to do daily, and that was it. At the time I was really bad, and seeing them 2x a week, they accepted insurance. Now, they have stopped accepting it and work on a donation base completely. Both women are Christians, and want to help those who can't pay. Super grateful for them both. 
     2. Cortisone Shots
         I know, a lot of people are not crazy about them. But I am. The shots reduced the swelling in my disk, making it go back where it needed to be, without cutting it out. That's a win for me. 
     3. Toasted Cheese Sandwiches
          Or, grilled cheese if you will. I just think toasted cheese sounds neater. Yep, these little babies are great. You can have a lot of fun with them, trying different bread, cheese or add ins. Right now I love using English Muffin bread with Colby-jack. You know, I only discovered making different kinds from good old american and white bread, recently. Wonder why it took me so long, I've been making them since I was 7. Go ahead, give it a try, go crazy!
     4. Conditioned Air
          So, I did indoor plumbing, now it's conditioned air. No, not just cooling air, but heating as well. Gone are the days of fire being the way to heat a house. Just flip a switch to hot or cool, set a temp and there you go. Air that has been conditioned to what you want.
     5. Decongestant Pills
          The little red ones that you have to use your licence to get, to be exact. "Wall-phed" is usually what we have. They are the best for me when allergies or colds get me. They dry the junk right up. And don't make me sleepy! I would have been so much more miserable without them this last week. Yea drugs!
     So, I did come up with five, not too difficult. There really are so many things to be grateful for. I'm glad I'm taking the time to type them out, it's a good reminder for me.
blessings
mamaAthena