Canada = USA lite....The Same But Different

A few months ago I visited Montreal and Ottawa.
It was a bit rough on me - I felt a bit out of sorts - which surprised me - because I assumed always that Canada was USA lite. It may have been the French speaking that threw my equilibrium off - I'm still not sure.

This week I am in Toronto - it turns out that Toronto is USA lite.
I like it here.
And yet, at the same time, you know you are someplace different.

In the US - we love to use our credit cards and debit cards, we never have cash.
Canadians only like to use cash and debit cards - but you better have a debit MasterCard - because they don't take Visa.
It turns out that Visa is not "everywhere you want to be"

In the US - we pride ourselves on pretending to be green and concerned about the environment.
Canadians don't pretend to be green, they really are. Even the hotel rooms have recycle bins!

In the US - you don't find WalMart's at the mall.
Canadians love when a WalMart is the anchor store. And they pile those deals high! If you want to buy hockey paraphernalia - WalMart is the place to be.

In the US - if you want to buy bulk food - you go to that aisle in the grocery store.
Canadians have a place called Bulk Barn. A whole store of bulk bins! Seriously - this place is off the hook!

In the US - Sears is a place where you buy lawnmowers and car batteries.
Canadians go there and the store is full of 70" flat screen TV's with Paris runway shows and designer duds to buy!

In the US - we love Starbucks.
Canadians love Tim Horton's, Timothy's and Second Cup - Starbucks....not so much. Don't get me wrong - Starbucks are still here - but the Tim Horton's appears to have the same appeal here that Dunkin Donuts does in New England - frenzied caffeine fiends!

In the US - when you order iced tea it is typically not sweet - unless you are in the South.
Canadians put a ton of sugar in their tea and only 2 ice cubes.

In the US - you avoid making eye contact and small talk with strangers.
Canadians talk to you all the time - and make eye contact - and are really nice! Even in elevators!

Oh, my aching back...

I go hot and cold on the blogging.

But this last cold spell has really been because I have been plagued with a terrible back problem.

It has really been a game changer for me.

Back in the early spring - I was experiencing twinges of pains here and there in my left hip - but they came quickly and soon went away..

Sadly - they started to come more often and really be a problem.

As I entered May - the pain was now constant and shooting down my leg.

I knew the pain was bad and I had a serious problem the moment I knew I needed a doctor.

I hate doctors. I hate needles. I hate, hate, hate.

First, I self diagnosed myself with sciatica. I'm a huge fan of self diagnosis and hypochondria

Second, I went to see a chiropractor - huge mistake - this actually deserves a post on it's own.

Third, when the pain was so bad I couldn't see straight, was dizzy and about to pass out - I went to the ER. they took a bizarro xray of my pelvis twice and gave me a shot in the ass....clearly not taking interest in my sciatica diagnosis - the crackpot doc on duty thought I must have fused pelvic joints?! wtf?!

The ER ended up referring me to an orthopedic doctor - who ultimately sent me for an MRI and then to a physical therapist and a pain management doctor.

It turns out - I have a herniation of the disk in the L4 L5 - apparently its not bulging too much and it is not all the way out or burst - that is supposedly good news.

The bad news is - days away from October - I am still fairly miserable.

Physical therapy is and was great - I do my exercises diligently and it gives me relief. Apparently I am also strenghtening my core so that when my disk decides to slip back into place - I won't have future problems.

The pain management doctors gave me 3 epidural steroid injections. I had to be knocked out for these. I didn't like them. I wanted a miracle and they did not provide it.

The pain doctor wants me to get another one - but I am convinced the steroids made me feel weird, and I didn't get total relief - so why should I let you bill my insurance company another $8000 for another shot?

Just give me pills.

But, I kind of hate popping pills too. I don't think they really work - and the ones that do, make me pass out so if the pain is gone, I don't even get to enjoy being pain free and awake.

I am passed out and drooling.

Not attractive.

I now have deep sympathy and empathy for those that suffer chronic pain. I don't know how much longer I can take this. I don't remember my back and leg feeling good anymore. I just feel pain, aches and tingles all the time. I can't sit for more than 30 minutes. I can't do the things I used to do. It sucks.

I have been told over and over that the healing process is long and bumpy - but somehow it doesn't make it any better.

But I will soldier on - one small pitiful shuffle at a time.