Back Pain is Really a Pain in the…

As you may have read in an earlier post, I am dedicated to exercising more and committed to running five 5Ks this year.  I signed up for two for this month.  The first one was scheduled for February 9th but postponed until October.  The second one is for this coming Saturday.  My back was starting to ache again about a week ago, so when I went to the doctor for another ailment (I swear, I am not 90 – I only sound like I am) I mentioned my back.  She said to work on the main reason why I was there and when I visited her the coming week, we could address the back situation.  Yeah…

When I fell about three months ago, ceremoniously getting undressed from a day at work, and slipped on my pants with my legs falling out from under me and landing on my tush, with THANKFULLY, my hands breaking the rest of my fall – I should have known that the back pain I was experiencing wasn’t going to just go away. Last Sunday I decided it was time to get my run on – prepare for the 5K.  (Mind you I had gone to the doctor 2 days before mentioning the back aches.)  Foregoing the pre-stretch, I ran the furthest I have in a long time (and in record time too!).  I got back to the house, stretched a bit and then went on with my day.  My back ached, but I ignored it, chalking it off to being out of shape.

Monday morning – I am stiff as a board.  I can’t get out of bed without blurting expletives.  I get into the shower and let the hot water pulse on my back for a while, thinking this may help.  I get dressed, take 3 Advil, have my husband apply some Bengay (I smelled fabulous), grabbed an ice pack and off I went to work.

I lasted until about 3 pm.  For the 6 hours before that, I tried to sit down, then stand and type; paced the office, wobbled to where I needed to go.  When I pulled into my driveway, I didn’t know if I could get myself out of the car.  I called for the kids and my husband but no one answered, so I held my breath and eventually made it inside.  No one answered because they were either trying to catch minnows in the lake behind our house (kids) or sunning (husband) – working as he called it.

I slowly climbed the stairs, went to the bathroom and started laughing at myself that I couldn’t get back up from the toilet.  Sorry if TMI, but I was a mess.  Heat, ice, heat, ice, some pain medicine and I was barely able to get to sleep.

This morning when I woke  up I was afraid to move, but that was the only way I was going to get to the doctor to hopefully get some relief.  After a shot in the tush, two prescriptions and a lower spine x-ray, I am sitting up a bit better but wondering, “Why???  Why me?”

Posting my ailment on Facebook made me realize that back problems are sadly, VERY common.  I feel like I created a mini “club” by talking about this annoyance to my friends and learning that I am not alone (and I feel terrible for them as well).

It really just makes me realize more and more how much I take for granted when I DO feel good…when I am not hunched over in pain.  I made an appointment for this Saturday to go to a recommended massage therapist and CANNOT WAIT!

I am going to attend the 5K, but as a spectator and team leader, not the runner I wanted to be…I think I need to reassess my exercise dreams for 2014.  But that’s OK…as long as my back is healthy then I will be just fine!