17/07/2026
A Little Life Update + Back Pain Relief Tips ✨
After my mom died in January, I was handed a fresh perspective on what was important to me. It was so simple. And like a good Capricorn, I was making it SO complicated.
I've spent a couple decades hustling to keep my practice thriving and my herbal nonprofit running. Some of the best years of my life. But I'd been squandering my 'one precious life' on worry and fear about the future.
So I attacked this issue like the Capricorn ♑️ I am. I booked 4 vacations from March to June.
My partner and I drove to Tucson for some hot weather cycling (nobody told us it would be 90+ degrees in March 🥵). Then we road-tripped to Boise to see 2 of my daughters.
The 3rd trip, I trekked to Michigan to be with my bestie (picture of me is at the upper peninsula of cool Michigan in May) and climbed the Effigy Mounds National Monument in Iowa on my way home. Kind of a mysterious, inspirational place.
Finally, I camped with my family on a Wander Women trip to Wisconsin. And not a single tick was seen!
Between the 3rd and 4th trips, my back went completely out. That took the wind out of my sails real fast.
I was having a full-on flat-on-my-back, ice/heat all day, is-this-ever-going-to-end kind of thoughts for 4 straight weeks. Herbs were taken, but only ibuprofen cut through the pain - and also gave me a nasty case of eczema.
Did you KNOW it could do that with continuous use?? I did not.
Was 35 years of caring for my long-suffering mom coming to a pinnacle of misery? Was she trying to communicate that I didn't have to worry and hustle so hard anymore?
Probably not - that was just me looking for an explanation for the sudden pain. This was NOT how I saw my life going once I was freed from the responsibility for my mom.
⭐️ In case you're curious, I did ALL these things for my back to feel better. Not in order of helpfulness:
— Epsom salts baths to relax muscles.
— Heat and ice several times a day, especially at bedtime.
— Chiropractic visits every day, then every other day for 2-3 weeks. This turned out to give me the most relief.
— Acupuncture!
— Three MD visits to rule out anything more serious - my P*P, a sports doc and an urgent care MD when the eczema appeared.
— Topical applications of arnica, martial arts liniments, anesthetics, essential oils, castor oil (when you're not moving, other functions slow down, too).
— Oodles of slow stretches and movements to keep from locking up.
— Crossword puzzles 🤓. Distracted me from the pain.
— Journaling, like pages and pages.
— Drawing, painting, anything I could do to feel lighter.
— I read a dumb summer romance, literally called Summer Romance or something.
— Massages and cupping! Cupping twice or three times gave me instant relief for a good day or so and the student massages I got were another wonderful pain reliever.
— Oh, and how could I forget, Turmeric and an Herbal Tincture (formulated by yours truly.)
If you really want to find out who your friends are, get laid up suddenly and see who checks on you regularly. Lots of you did!
Anyway, the biggest takeaway is this. Stop obsessing over the dumb stuff and get out there and DO YOUR one precious LIFE.
Go make friends with some plants. Trees. Nature. Water. Mountains. Prairies.
This is your permission to give yourself time to relax and recharge.
You're welcome. 🤗 Are you having the summer you wished for? I hope so!
As always, to book an appointment with me:
📧 Email [email protected]
📞 Text or call my work number at (515) 412-4152
💻 Book online on my website
