I have had a pinched nerve in my neck for about 8 days and when it wasn’t resolving on its own, I visited the nurse practitioner who works with my internist. She gave me a prescription for prednisolone and one begins with 8 tablets the first day and winds down to 3 at the end of 6 days. This is a major anti inflammation drug and has already eased the pain although it is still there, lurking and I am wearing a cervical collar at night and part of the day. Shouldn’t wear it constantly as it weakens one’s neck muscles.

Years ago, a bad landing in ballet class, resulted in a pinched nerve and it was awful. I was treated by a chiropractor and took class anyway, wearing the collar and just not doing pirouettes, or jumping. What brought this on, I am guessing, was lifting a huge container of kitty letter onto my cart at BJ’s. That is so hard to do, that I have to position the cart, and sit on the floor, and drag it off the shelf, and using my legs, lift it on to the bottom level of the cart. I can usually ask another customer to help if I see one, but this time, there was no one about and I have to stop thinking that just because I work out, I can still do everything.

Another thing I am doing is cutting down my carbs. I went to a neurologist because I awaken with numbed feet. No pain, no discomfort, doesn’t interfere with mobility, but not normal, so I went to get myself checked out. The neurologist found nothing wrong but said my blood work showed an elevated level of A1C which is an indication of possible diabetes if it goes higher. He said I should pursue it with my internist, who told me to cut carbs for three months, get new blood work, and we’ll take it from there. Mom, beloved Mom, had late onset diabetes, was taking insulin, stopped because she felt better (which is something a lot of people do who are from the old country) and had a diabetic heart attack. She was on life support and didn’t want to be, so she pulled out the tubes and died at 92. Thiscould be hereditary.

My diet is already rather healthy. I never have white bread or potatoes, I choose 5 grain bread, and cook spinach or vegetable pasta. I use a substitute salt product I get from the fish market. So I am stopping the occasional chocolate chip cookie, the grape juice and pomegranate juice which I was drinking because they are supposed to be so good for one. My after dinner dessert is a Weight Watchers chocolate ice cream bar and I definitely can’t use substitute sugars because they mess with my stomach and intestines but I won’t give up a teaspoon of sugar in my morning coffee. No. Just no.

My next thought is to buy veggies I can snack on during the day, like carrot sticks and green peppers and maybe cauliflower, which I like a lot. Years ago I was doing a financial editorial service for foreign customers of The Times News Service that was so involved I never sat down or had time to eat, so I kept veggies on my desk and snacked on them all day long. I called Jay one time and he said, “What’s up” and I answered, “The price of soy beans.” Wouldn’t I love to go back to that time, do that again. Live in New York again. Yes, I would. The being younger part wasn’t so bad either. And class, don’t forget class.

xx, Teal