I didn't leave this conversation.. just not much brain to think the past few days. My son, daughter-in-law, three grandchildren here in Georgia.. but not in same town as me and my husband.. . and my brother and his wife out in Washington state have been dealing with having covid. My brother the worse was in the hospital and he had diverticulitis at same time with an abscess. Thankfully he was able to come home Monday evening.

I had gone to my pain specialist and was diagnosed with sacroiliac joint dysfunction. I had an injection Monday. It was very hard to place a number to pain. It always is. I think because I have had extreme pain.. the worst ever after open abdominal surgery in 2015. I had 3 loops of my intestines come up into my chest.. push my lung against my ribcage.. partially collapsing my lung. Yep, that was painful, but the surgery more painful. I was sliced from sternum to my back just below my left shoulder blade.One rib was cut and one cracked and muscle cut through so the two surgeons could get to everything they needed to for repair.

My ribs are what I judge worse pain by now. They do not hurt as much as they first did after surgery, still most days I feel like I fell down a flight of stairs.. pulling rib muscles and cracking ribs. Yes, I have done that before. That is why I live in a home with no stairs.. no steps really to speak of.. two inches to step up or down anywhere. Sometimes my ribs burn a bit too and that puts them at a 10.. without the burn an 8.

I put this sacroiliac joint dysfunction pain at an 8 and after the injection a 2. Right now a 5. I will take a pain pill in a few minutes and my pain level will go down.

To some degree I probably perceive pain less than most.. at least according to my other half. Some of it is natural and much acquired. I would try to outdo my brother.. the one out in Washington state. He is just 17 months older than I am. He always cried when we got shots when we were children.. I made up my mind I wasn't going to cry over having a shot when I was about 5. He did cry.. but next time he didn't. 😁 My daddy would hurt himself.. bandage up and carry on.. so some of it learned from him. Most of it is just doing the best with whatever comes before me. Crying .. nothing wrong with it. It can release pain. I don't remember it after my 2014 surgery.. the one before the open surgery.. I had a leakage of my intestine and have not much memory of a week, but my husband says I cried with pain and they had to convince me to take some pain medication. My stubbornness abounds.

I am hoping in about 10 days I can report to my pain specialist that this sacroiliac joint dysfunction pain is gone or is at least diminished to a lower level.

Our day tomorrow will be quiet.. a small meal for us two.. and Ziggy (the dog). We will count our blessings.. they are countless.

Wishes for a delightful and happy Thanksgiving to you all.

Zee Gee