Hunh, when did July happen?

I've been busy.  I'm trying to keep up with the blogs but am falling further and further behind.  I'm nearly up to 2000 unread messages in my email - so if you haven't heard from me, it's going to be a while longer.  I'm having some back problems, and some pretty severe knee problems, both of which I think are connected to the crappy mattress I can't afford to replace (it's either the wood stove or a mattress, and the stove will last longer and be more effective).

Speaking of my knee, if anyone has any idea what's going on with it, feel free to mention.  Basically, I'm in pain immediately after whenever my knee isn't working as a joint, ie, as I stand up, or turn over in bed or get out of the car.  I am in no pain whatsoever walking or dancing.  I don't think it's a joint problem, but beyond that...?

I've had a couple of mild panic attacks.  Not sure what's up with that, maybe it's just the constant stress over money.  I got July 4th off unexpectedly, which meant $70 less in my paycheck, and do to a fuckup the week before, I no longer have an overdraft as my savings account has been wiped out.  I'm also behind in my credit card payments (I do pay every month but sometimes miss the deadline, which of course means it's a  "missed" payment yadda yadda), but yesterday had to pay the phone bill via MC.  My current goal is to get to the point where I take out cash instead of debit for groceries and gas, but it's going to be tough.

I haven't looked at the big picture because I'm afraid it's going to be scarier than it already is.  Please, no suggestions to stop going out to dinner - that hasn't happened since our anniversary and even then my mom payed!

In essence, apart from money, stress, lack of sleep, back and knee pain, marital issues which I won't go into now, and  depression, the summer is going swimmingly.

Oro out.

Comments

[annacyclopedia]

Ugh. Sorry you're having such a crap summer so far.

As for the knee, I have only the most general and therefore least useful advice, but my top guesses would be arthritis or some soft tissue inflammation. Either way my advice would be the same - reduce inflammatory foods as much as possible (I'm pretty sure you already do this) and load up on fish oils and mega-doses of vitamin C. The latter has the advantage of being very cheap, and I swear one summer when I was waitressing and got carpal tunnel, I cured it by taking about 2000mg of Vitamin C a day - it helps the soft tissue. Fish oil is expensive but I have found it helps with depression, too.

Sorry if I'm just telling you stuff you thought of, like, 5 years ago. It's all I got.

Sending you wishes for magical money acquisition and stress disappearance.

[tobacco brunette]

Don't know shit about knees, but am so, so sorry you're summer is sucking.

Wish I could help. Oh wait...maybe I can. I have a fish oil connection. My dad runs a company that sells it. If you want some, let me know...I have more than I can use and I can drop some in the mail.

[Donna]

I'm also swimming in debt and pain, so I have nothing but commiseration for you. There seems to be a black cloud over the blogosphere at the moment, what's up with that? Or maybe it's just the world.

[Milenka]

*hug* Major debt and chronic dental pain are my life lately, so I feel you there. Don't you love how people offer these tips to "save money" and they are all things you stopped doing a year or five ago? The last time we went out to eat or to a movie on our own dime was before I was pregnant with the twins...so maybe early 2006? But talk about being broke, and everyone assumes you're spending your money on that kind of thing. We don't eat out, have activities, spend $10/wk on gas and maybe $100/mo on food for a family of 5, our mortgage is over 50% of our monthly income...blah blah blah. Anyhow, I just wanted to let you know that I get it. I see bloggers whining about money and then hear how they got their hair done or went on vacation or got a new phone and wonder WTF? *hug*