Heh, I deal with this on a daily basis. With the way the discs in my lower back press against my spine, lifting anything over 20lbs increases the pain levels. I have a weight bench in my lanai and I exercise on a fairly regularly basis so that if I put on any weight, it goes to the right places. Even though I know I could easily, strength-wise, throw a 50lb bag of soil on my shoulder, that weight would have me dropping the bag within a few steps from pain. So every day I get confronted with things that I know I can do... but I can't. So trust me, I feel your pain.

Me too. That is why I have a raised bed. It eliminates a majority of the effort. I can't spend too much time on the ground.

The raised bed is an example of finding a way. Not easy building the bed. There was a portion of time that I needed help. Fortunately I can afford to hire help from time to time. You might consider that for your rock work. You are still involved so unskilled labor is all that is required. It is uplifting to finish projects. And after the stone work there may be light weight work on the project that you can do right away.

Good luck

Hi,
In a related subject, I have had some serious bug bites that have caused rashes, sores and serious stings, and today I have cramping after something bit me on the neck. I worry about Lyme Disease. I can relate about worrying about the injuries affecting gardening, for me there is no one else to do the job and I don't have anything else that brings me such happiness. I hope you get better quick!!!

Hi Kara,
I don't usually read Florida forums (I live in Denver), but sometimes there are great flower pictures!

I'm an occupational therapist and a certified hand therapist. I've been treating tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) for 30 years, and it can be very tricky to recover from. It's good that you received the injection, but the elbow band is just for daytime, and not too tight ... it's not needed at night.

It would be really helpful for you to have a short course of therapy with a good PT. The closest hand therapy I found was at Rehab Kinetics,
8468 W Periwinkle Ln, Homosassa, FL âÂÂ.

If you decide to go to therapy somewhere in the town where you live, try to get a good recommendation from someone who really got better with their therapy program.

Good luck. I'll check back here over the next few days and see how you're doing!

Betty

Karalyn, sorry to hear of your pain and frustration. I used to be able to lift 50 lb bags, but no more. I've never lifted rocks, but it seems like I'm lifting something everyday. I just had minor shoulder surgery two weeks ago. I busted my butt to get as much done in the garden and in the house before hand. My blood pressure went up 50 points from stress. I thought maybe I wouldn't be able to have the surgery. It was down 25 points on my pre-op day. The doctor said it was ok to have the surgery. Today my blood pressure was back to normal. All from worry and stress. I can't afford to hire help, so I do the best I can and try not to hurt myself. It is frustrating to have to stop for the day and wait until the next day to do some more. Hang in there!

Kara, I can't begin to relate all the times I've hurt myself from gardening. I once had tendonitis so bad the Emergency room Dr called in all the others on duty to come see it. So I feel your pain. I also hurt my back bending over and yanking out a plant many times. Try to be patient and rest up, the garden will always be there. Hugs.
Morningloree, any insect bite you get put ammonia on it right away. It will stop the itch and keep it from getting worse, like from a wasp sting. You can keep applying it as often as needed. Works great and is cheap.

Thank you all for understanding! I really think that it takes going through things like everyone has mentioned to really grasp what an impact they can have on your day to day activities. And having those injuries just makes you that much more creative in finding ways to get around the limitations.

I know that this injury could be worse, all I have to do is think back to the pain when I hurt my back to know that. For my back I did go to a chiropractor that was recommended to me by the specialist that I was referred to by me regular doctor and that helped a great deal. At the time I was very relieved that I didn't have to have surgery (still am relieved about that!)

Today my arm is feeling much better but I know that doesn't mean that it's okay to go back to my normal activities. I still need to give my elbow time to heal. And believe me when I say that this brace definatly comes off before I go to bed! When I bought the brace I asked the pharmisist for help in picking out the correct one for me.

Morningloree, I feel your pain when it comes to bug bites! I can't step out the door without having bugs attack me, from mosquites to horseflies to ants to who knows what! And to top it off I can't use most bugs sprays without beng dizzy and naseous for days which is what happened the last time I tried to use OFF. Now I spray some lemon eucalyptuse oil om my clothes before going out and have some cheap tiki torches filled with citronella oil that I move around the garden with me. That doesn't stop the ants though. Have you ever had allergy testing? One of my sisters has such bad reactions to any type of bug bite that she is supposed to carry an epipen with her at all times.

Hi Kara
I'm sorry to hear about your poor elbow. When I was about your age, I got tennis elbow very severely from digging and moving dirt from our pool to make a mound for a garden. The shot the doc gave me hurt more than the tendinitis because he wiggled the needle all around in there to get every area. It still makes me flinch to remember. I ended up getting some more shots when the pain persisted and my elbow skin turned white for a while, but when it finally got better, the pain never came back.

Do you still plan to go to Leu Gardens on your day off, or should you just take it easy?

Susie

Susie, the plans for going to Leu Gardens fell through. I still have the day off and I will do something fun (it's my birthday weekend so I have to spend at least one day doing something just for fun!), I'm just not sure what that something is right now. My elbow does not feel so bad right now that I'd let it interfere with me going some place.

Just thinking about having a needle wiggled around in my elbow makes me cringe. Ouch! All that is left to show that I got a shot is a small bruise.

I hope you get to do something really cool for your birthday. . . and that your elbow is completely pain-free by then.

And I'm wishing you guys a wonderful weather day for the Garden Party so you'll have even more fun.

Love ya
Susie

I stabbed my eye with the tip of a pineapple plant while weeding once. That hurt and required being sent from one eye DR to a specialist. Not my brightest moment.
I'm on the 3 month plan checking for skin pre-cancer.
I'm over 60 and still try to garden like I'm not. When I over do, everything hurts the next day.
Hope tour elbow feels better Karalynn.