Zenkitty,

You need a knuckle or something to press the pain out. no tennis ball, can you wrap a sock around something? hard cheese? apple? (tho the latter might squish)

I have not laid down on a tennis ball, mostly because I don't own a tennis ball. I could lay down on a shoe...

You need something you can roll on, so spherical and uncompressible are targets, in reverse order of importance, I think.

Steph, when you're freaking out about what may or may not be good enough (so glad one big source is gone!) remember that Tim and us would still love you in the worst case, but we're also trusted (highly! expert!) sources of "no need to worry, Miss" on those fronts. Indulge yourself for a week or a month. Lounge, swoon, eat bon bons (the s is important) and cuddle the pets (I don't know, some people like them). You'll still be cool, and you'll also still snap back to working lady mode unless there's a lottery or unknown ancestral inheritance.

Bet you.

Any pain with chiropractic was not my problem at all. just the freak out about the twisting and jerking.

I could crush an old apple in a sock with my back. That might make me feel better. even if it didn't help with the pain.

Steph, ITA with ita !.

eat bon bons (the s is important)

Heh heh heh.

unless there's a lottery or unknown ancestral inheritance.

Still waiting for that long European car to pull up out front and the dignified gentleperson to get out and say, "Ah, Mrs. Neil, you're a difficult woman to find. I have news about your third cousin five times removed." Or it could be someone saying "Herr Neil, your relatives in Germany have been looking for you.

OOh, Connie, me too.

I've always avoided searching--or being sought by--birth family. Unless it was by the lawyer of the fabulously rich dead relative, whose only beneficiary I am.

we're also trusted (highly! expert!) sources of "no need to worry, Miss" on those fronts. Indulge yourself for a week or a month. Lounge, swoon, eat bon bons (the s is important) and cuddle the pets (I don't know, some people like them). You'll still be cool, and you'll also still snap back to working lady mode unless there's a lottery or unknown ancestral inheritance.

I'ma trust you on that one. Especially the bon bons part. I'm very good at lounging.

Bet you.

I wouldn't bet against that. I'm no fool. (At least, not THAT much of a fool!)

Zen, you may want to look into Alexander Technique. It may like carrots, that's how much I love it right now. It is super duper gentle and focuses on relearning proper posture and movement to relieve muscle strain. Here's my instructor doing a short demo on local tv - [link] The goal is that eventually you learn how to relax on your own by being aware of your habits of tension. I swear, after my first session I felt like I'd had a massage and a nap.

And here's a study on it linked from her page - [link]

Seconding smonster - Alexander Technique is utterly amazing -- gentle, and easy, and you'll find yourself moving and carrying yourself differently and thinking about it differently after the first class.

Okay, that sounds like something I need to look into. Thanks!