So last night I was sitting on the couch reading (my default activity) and turned to get up when BOOM! The pain hit me.
It’s hard to describe. It’s like a bundle of nerves and muscles all clustered in the center of my back decided to bring themselves to my attention. It hurt so much, I thought I was having a heart attack.
But then I realized the pain didn’t go that deep, and figured it had something to do with my massage treatments. So I called Angelo, my massage therapist, and left a message.
He called me back this morning and I described the pain. “That’s just great! This is good news!” he said. “This is what needed to happen next.” He laughed.
“I live to amuse you,” I said.
He told me my spine was all out of whack from limping for so long, and it had exacerbated a curve in the upper back to keep me tilted when I walked. “Think of this as a hunchback, unraveling,” he said. “Because it is.”
“Okay, so how long will it hurt like this?”
“With me, it was about seven months,” he said.
Oh swell.
So I’m unraveling. But it hurts, and it makes me cranky.
I hope the process doesn’t take too long for you and that you’re free of the pain very soon.
Well, you’re unraveling and it hurts. But the bright spot is that it will last only 7 months. It’s these small blessings that make life worthwhile. What was it my grandma used to say? It’s a great life, if you don’t weaken.
“I live to amuse you,” I said.
I can’t tell you how much I admire your presence of mind. I’d have said “You Mofo, this hurts! Don’t make fun of me!”
He wasn’t making fun of me. That’s just how he is. Really, he’s a wonderful person.
Best luck with your back. When I had terrible back pain (L5-S1), could only walk stiffly, couldn’t lift things, lots of continual pain, I had orthos tell me I would never get better. Without surgery and then perhaps not.
First real relief came from a physiatrist (doctor specializing in physical therapy). The relief was so great, I thought I was cured. But I wasn’t. Then, a woman who had back pain in pregnancy recommended I see her chiropractor who specialized in controlled stretching for back pain. Since this woman was also a doctor, I made an appt ASAP.
After a few weeks, I realized one day I was walking normally. I had literally forgotten what a normal stride was like!
I credit both approaches for my current usually pain free back.
I also got about 3 mos of PT along the way, which I couldn’t have done without the progress from the first two. The exercises were meant to create a “muscle corset” around my trunk. They also took about two hours a day to do thoroughly…. And pool work was part of it, which cost lots of money to gain access to. Guess what I’ve slacked off on.