Thank you for the messages sympathising with my back pain.
It seems like something which so many of us have to endure at some point to varying degrees.
I know I’m very lucky to have been able to have had an MRI scan and a diagnosis so soon because some people have to wait for a long time to know what is going on.
My problem is a tear and a bulging disc in my lower spine, which I think is sometimes called a herniated disc or a slipped disc.
Daily physiotherapy
I’m not an expert as to the differences between these but in my case, I have to have intense physiotherapy almost daily, in order to build up the muscles around the problem area to protect it.
This will hopefully make it much less likely to happen again.
Well, that’s the plan anyway but I know that I really have to put in the hard work and do my exercises.
This getting old thing isn’t funny is it?
I used to strut around every day in high heels and regularly run 5k and 10k races and never get a twinge.
But maybe walking in heels didn’t help my posture, or controversially maybe my posture was better with the heels because I’ve had a lot more back problems since I ditched the heels during lockdown.
Maybe flat shoes are causing me not to walk so upright as I used to.
But if you are slumped in a chair just now reading this, sit up!
It’s a constant bit of advice we all need, especially when we are slumped over our computers and mobile phones.
I also have slight curvature of the spine and I most definitely blame mobile phone reading posture for that.
If you see me out and about, feel free to shout at me if my head isn’t held high.
Tour bus
A few weeks ago, I was talking to you about travelling on the tour bus.
Thank goodness by the way my back wasn’t playing up when I was sleeping on those bunks.
A lot of you seemed quite interested in life on tour so next time I’m living that life I will share with you some of the goings on.
Singing to thousands
Anyway, the reason I go on tours is to be with artists who are doing huge gigs and have to sing to thousands of people every night.
In order to sing in tune and to hear yourself and the band, you have to have these special things like hearing aids inserted into your ears.
They are called in-ear monitors and they not only enable the singer to hear but they actually protect the ears from the volume of the music and the crowd noise.
It’s not only the singer that wears them but everyone at the side of the stage as well, including all the musicians and technical staff.
We also use them as a form of communication because the floor manager and sound engineers can speak to us during the show.
It’s actually great because we have a connection with each other which the audience can’t hear.
It was my time to get some new ears fitted this week as we have to upgrade them every so often.
I put a picture of me having my new ones moulded by my wonderful audiologist Giselle on social media and I was inundated with questions from people who hadn’t a clue what I was doing.
It’s something that I’m so used to seeing, that I didn’t realise how strange it looked.
So here is the picture of Giselle and I in action!
I have to have my jaw loose to open up the space in the ear which is why the white thing is in my mouth and then she injects a sort of plasticine stuff into each ear which hardens and then becomes a mould which can be removed scanned and sent off to LA for the monitors to be made to exactly fit my ears.
When the new ones are ready, I will let you see those.
We can choose any colour or have them customised with diamantes for example.
Mine will be pretty basic as I don’t have the budget of someone like Beyoncé who probably has real diamonds in hers.
I suppose all hearing aids could be customised too.
I hadn’t thought of that. Maybe my Auntie Margaret will be the coolest lady in the care home if I order some diamanté ones for her.
Have a good week everyone, shoulders back, head up!
Yvie x
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