You didn't elaborate on your back problem but I have a couple of helpful hints that may work depending upon what it is that ails you. If you have sore muscles or nerves moist heat is often a good trick to help sooth it. The trick is to loosen and tighten, loosen and tighten to get whatever is constricted to un-constrict. You can do it a couple different ways with the least messy way being to use a microwave and the other as hot as boiled water as you can stand (but not burning hot), take a hand towel and get it wet then warm it up in the microwave, once again getting it as hot as you can stand it. Take the towel and place it over the sore spot, let it cool completely and repeat the process several times. The heat loosens and the cold constricts, it helps work the muscles/nerves loose again. If you use the water then you have to ring out the towel every time, that's why I prefer the microwave. The other trick is using a electric blanket. I don't know why but in the winter in particular if I sleep more than five, six hours my back gets really stiff and sore. My kids ask me about three years ago what I wanted for Christmas and I told them an electric blanket....I wanted it to warm up my bed and stay warm but it was a bonus it took away the stiffness and sore back problem. A heating pad also works good using the constrict and unconstrict method, put it on the sore spot and let it heat up to as much as you can stand it then turn it off and let it cool down, repeat several times but there's no moisture involved and sometimes the moisture therapy added is more beneficial.

My son seems to be doing better the last week or so. Like I said he's back working but he still seems a bit stressed. His birthday is coming up so I went and bought him some groceries for his birthday. He asked me a couple times what's for dinner so I was thinking things might be sparse over there....people tend to operate a whole lot better on a full stomach and from that look on his face he seemed to really appreciate the gesture. I've stayed a distance from his girlfriend when she comes over, I'll be there for the kids but I think she has a ways to go to figure out I am far from what are her problem(s) in life...maybe she'll get it or maybe she won't but I know I am done with the won't part and like you said if the maybe comes around to reality a firm but fair hand can be held out to her.