Hmm. Still not sleeping well. I had a brilliant sleep about 10 days ago which I described as "the best in 5 years" when I woke up. It was probably because I'd slept so poorly the previous two nights and my muscles and mind just drifted away for 8 hours of initerrupted sleep.

Last night I had a worsening migraine through the night - very unusal for me - despite taking two Panadol Extras with some food at 2:30am. I skipped work today - which I feel guilty about - to try and recover the tsrength I need to do my job well. I finally rolled out of bed after several periods of interrupted sleep at around 11:30am.

I went to the gym after lunch because I seem to have benefitted from my last trip on Sunday. I still get a nasty clicking in my right hip when I put weight on it, but - as advised by the physio - have decided to try and ignore it. I find - to my hesistant glee - that I can now bend at the waist (eg. when brushing my teeth) without needing to favour one side of my body. I still feel weak and a twinge of discomfort, but get the sense that I am getting my life back.

At the gym I tried to moderate my effort. I am thankful to Gene for telling me of his recuperation. He told me to expect my back to spasm up the first few times I returned to the gym, and that's exactly what happened to me in the last few months.

I must admit that I have been filled with doubt at times. When doctors seem to give me the same advice they give everyone, and I am the only person I know who has both back and bilateral knee pain, I have frequently felt that I haven't been getting advice that is specific to my circumstances.

Anyway, I managed 45 minutes or so today:

1. 15 minutes on a cross-trainer at 130 BPM heartrate.
2. 50 or so situps on a fitness ball
3. 2 x 20 hyperextensions
4. 2 minutes on a balance trainer with small dumbells
5. 100 adductions and 100 abductions (!?) for the hips
6. stretching from the chin-up bar
7. 2 x 20 standing bicep curls with a light barbell
8. 2 x 20 tricep pulldowns

I felt pretty strong doing all these and didn't feel my back spasm up with the effort. My left shoulder still bothers me (particularly during the bicep curls), but I know that is less important than my back getting sorted.

Despite the fact I didn't do any leg extensions (because I didn't feel up to it), my knees felt a little better going up the escalator afterwards. They are still nowhere near pain-free - which I need to have my knees taped for (see previous pst) - but it was a welcome development.