Florence, there are answers, and I hope your doctors find them soon. I had student a couple of years ago who had horrible headaches much of the time. She was 16 and had been to many places including Mayos. Last year I received an email from the parents that they had taken her to M.D. Anderson in Houston. They found something very tiny in her brain. They fixed it, and now she feels great. Sometimes it may not be the facility, but the doctors who happen to be there. You just need the right person to discover what is wrong. I hope you will be able to get some other opinions, and find out what in the world has happened. (A fellow teacher said that her daughter had minor surgery in her abdomen, the surgery made a nerve angry --"angry nerve???" And that was the cause of her pain. There are all kinds of things that could be wrong. Good luck, and keep us informed. Sammy

"And if you google pilates for sciatica you can find exercises to try at home." "Another important factor is getting or keeping weight off the stomach, and strengthening the stomach muscles. A big belly with weak muscles can put a lot of stress on the spine." I have had one bout of sciatica that came on suddenly and was incredibly painful-quoted the above insights because what has worked for me is Pilates. I was taking group lessons and when the trainer went out on her own I followed her. She is very good at getting me to move and stretch past what I would do on my own without straining or overdoing it; Pilates of course is also all about strengthening one's core muscles and I've not had any more sciatic problems. Thank goodness for that, it was one of the most excruciating pains I've ever experienced. Ann

I just picked up my MRI results and am heading back to the doctor tomorrow. I read the report and from the lab and it states I have "Degenerative Disc Disease" and a bulging disc. I will know more tomorrow when I go to the doctor. So you went back to that doctor Thurs April 23rd then? And he just gave you pills? Someone somewhere should either be prescribing physical therapy, or referring you to a good surgeon. Saying you have "Degenerative Disc Disease" and a bulging disc. is a pretty generic thing to say... I'm wondering if you can get actual copies of the MRI and make an appointment with a surgeon yourself. Does your insurance have a 'help' line that you could talk to about this? Does your insurance have 'preferred' providers that you could pick a surgeon yourself? There are indeed doctors that are idiots and that care very little about helping patients. Don't give up though. There are some good ones out there. I would get an actual copy of the MRI and be finding me someone competent to look at it and either prescribe physical therapy, or refer you to someone who can help you. The one who just gives you pills, is he the one that told you that you will just have to live with the pain? You are going to have to take charge here of getting into someone who can help you. Best of luck...hang in there...you can do it. Sue

Val - Thanks! So you think I should get a different pillow and throw for the wing chair? I'll admit I don't love that planter I just had a hard time finding anything. A different style? Not an urn type? Big, wide pot? I've thought about a coffee table. Even found one on CL awhile back I considered getting. I think I'm going to hold off though. I could see it easily becoming a place for STUFF to collect. Plus I don't want it to start feeling cramped. I may get one in time though. Wantoretire - I never thought of a dowel rod. Really think that would work? Thanks for the idea and the compliment! Funky - Since the carpet isn't even a year old I don't think I can bring myself to put a rug on there yet. If it were worn pretty bad and we didn't have the money to replace it, then maybe. Plus I think I'd need a pretty large rug, and what about the pattern since my futniture is, eee I cringe at the thought of finding "the one". Ha there would be many posts on here. I agree it would help to tie it together. However, the money we're spending in a couple weeks to have all the carpet FIXED (thank you Shaw) I could buy a nice rug. :) Maybe sometime down the road. I painted the returns today. They look much better! I'll have to post a picture later. Scoobyruby - That is a beautiful pillow! You are bad! I probably could bring myself to spend that on a pillow but DH ...haha. He would think I lost it. Ya know, I think you're the person on here that really got into pheasants all of a sudden. 1 year ago I wouldn't of looked twice at a pheasant or any type of bird print, etc. I find it interesting that this forum had kind of help mold me into my decorating style. Getting back on track, do you think I should still keep the other pillows on the couch except for the matching one in the middle, and try and find a kidney shaped lighter pillow to tie everything together. I will say I was looking at the room again today and IRL the sofa and loveseat have the gold color that matches the bronze/gold pillows exact but looking at the whole room it kind of looks like the tan color of the wing chair. What about the main wall with the web chair? Should any art go there or no?