Saturday, September 06, 2008

pain in the ...

I want to write ass project '08, because that would be so cute. But really it's my back...it started on Sunday, it was beautiful sunny, there was a breeze was blowing, my husband was going sailing, I wanted to join him, but my back had other ideas, the spasmy painful kind.

How did the back pain occur, I'm thinking Mr. Bowflex, might of had something to do with it, but I'm denying that for now, even though I know I'm probably right.

I find at 45 years of age,I do something physical, that my body protests about, it's 2 or 3 days later, I get the soreness, well this time I got the pain....grrrr.

So I spent Sunday icing my back , and taking Motrin every 6 hours, I can be such a good patient/nurse when I want to be. It helped, and then later that night a hot shower, and my arnica shower gel helped too, along with more Motrin. I was able to go to work, and I thought I was on the mend until my 5am rounds, at work, and my bra began to feel like a vice grip , as it was trying to become one with my back. So I took more Motrin, and I tried not to breathe too deep. As much as I wanted to rip my bra off, I can't really let the girls fly at work. Though the pharmacy tech, that always looks at me at boob level, might have liked that.

Thankfully I could drive home with my bra unhooked, and by the time I reached home, my Motrin was working, and the ice packs were ready. I went to bed feeling less pain.
Well I maybe went to bed like that but 6 hours later my back muscles had had enough, and wanted out of the bed, no more sleeping, and the spasmy pain was back full force.

Needless to say, I wasn't handling it very well, I was weepy, and pissed at myself for being a baby, I was worried I might have to call out sick, and then my tired mind, started saying "what if it never goes away, then what will you do then?!?!"
Luckily my body ignored my mind, and the Motrin began to work, so I got on my hands and knees, and did cat stretches which started to help, in a way that made me glad I'm still able to remember yoga stretches .

By Tuesday my back was in much less pain, and no more spasmy muscle feelings, though I still stopped myself before I sneezed , or coughed, that was more fear based, because over the weekend it hurt alot to do those very thing, I even went with out Motrin, but I didn't go with out doing my cat stretches, which evidently amused the dog, because she gets playful every time, I'm kneeling doing them.

I also was really good about resting my back, no heavy lifting, and I took a week off from Mr. Bowflex, and I walked a few days instead.
Next week I'm planning on going back to Mr. Bowflex, but I will decrease the weight by 5 or 10 lbs. And I'll stretch before and after, something I've been being stupid about.

I'll also get right on treating this pain, if it comes back, instead of thinking it'll just go away.

5 comments:

Keetha said...

GOODNESS. Nothing about that sounds like fun. Hope you're on the mend.

Tracy said...

i am, thank you,I am feeling much better.

Joy! said...

Owwww. I feel your pain. I've felt variations of your pain several times. :) Hope you mend quickly.

Joy! said...

Thank goodness for ice packs and Motrin! I go through this sometimes too. I think part of the pain and aggravation is that it's damn hard to adjust to our new and aging bodies. I get all pissy about the fact that my body does not bounce back the way it used to. WTH do I have to suffer this? Whyyy? It's an emotional adjustment as well as a physical one.
I'm glad you are finding yoga to be a way to keep yourself on track through injuries. I love it too (when I can get myself to do it!).

Tracy said...

i hear you joy, it really makes me crazy the commitment I can put into avoid exercise, the yoga is a better bridge to me actually doing it daily