The black hole and the back...

Well, I finally escaped the knitting black hole - but not before the 25th, so himself was presented with an IOU. I technically finished the jumper (Cable Guy, from the Stitch N Bitch book) as written one day ago, but himself declared the arms ridiculously long, even for him. So I spent part of last night and today judiciously snipping - removed roughly one whole repeat, and knitted a cuff downwards. I had thought that perhaps, as it was knit (knat?) in the round that it would be a simple matter to unpick it from the bottom up. However, there are cable crosses and increases and that thwarted my purposes somewhat. No photo as yet - himself is already quite fed up of trying it on I think because apparently it's "too warm". I don't quite know how he thinks I can fix THAT! I knitted it in Patons Bracken Tweed, a discontinued yarn that is 60% wool and 40% acrylic. I did hint it'd be perfect for working in the much-ignored garden. Not sure that suggestion went down too well. It's about 2 degrees out there today, and in some places the morning's frost has yet to melt off and the sun's already gone down. No snow here - it did try, somewhat half-heartedly, on Boxing day, but was pretty much melted by the time we came home.

Some non-knitting news now. I've had sciatica (nerve pain) in my right leg for some time now. At least since July - but on and off, and no idea what caused it. Then I started to get lower back pain, if I stood for more than 15 minutes, or if I walked around. I'm in my early forties, so not ready for the grave yet. The doctor just said my posture had changed and I needed more exercise. Well, we go to the gym twice a week and I have been trying to get more exercise in, but at dinnertimes I've used every spare moment for working on the jumper mentioned above. So I took myself to a chiropractor recommended by a friend. Turns out I have a herniated disc - a disc with a bulge in it - right at the bottom of my spine, and it means my upper body is doing all the work, and my right leg and arm aren't getting all the information they should be (and hence the sciatica). Apparently, sitting is the worst thing for this condition - the irony of having a whole fortnight off work and not being able to SIT is quite something, I can tell you!

Luckily my sister gave me a kneeling chair she was about to freecycle and I think I might invest in a more expensive one because I was really looking forward to doing some machine knitting, and that can take more than a few hours. Her kneeling chair is ok for an hour or so, but then the knees start to complain!

We have one of those reclining sofas, and himself pointed out that you can lie almost horizontal on it. However, after xmas food and a beer or two, it also has the added effect that I doze off!

So when did I "slip" my disc? All I can think of is xmas 9 years ago - the first xmas after Dad died, so we had Mum stay the night. I can't have had many knitting machines in 2005 because I wrenched my back getting the futon out for mum so she could sleep in what is now the knitting room - it was an IKEA one and pretty hefty. We later went to the local midnight carol service, a 20 minute walk from here, and I did the first part of that walk in a squat position because I couldn't straighten up. Never went to the doctors about it because it seemed to heal up after a week or so - turns out the body just compensates elsewhere. I've since had manual handling training, of course, but alas too late. Ever wish you could rewind time or say, "look, I messed this body part up, can I have a new one?!" We've often joked that between the Cog and I they could make one decent human being (using all the good bits). Looks like it'd be my knees, eyes and hearing, and now his back! :)

So, consequently there's not been much knitting to report. Must get that back chair on order. I'm not having this! =) On the positive side, exercise seems to help no end, so have been doing more weights, especially those for hamstrings and pecs.


Current mood: relaxed