Sixteen hours ago, sitting @my computer, I couldn't get in a standing position. I had no hope of making my long planned trip to South Dakota on friday morning, but oh, the miracle of medicine!
About a week ago I was walking across the room & felt a little twinge in my lower back...just one of those 'gotcha' pricks. Hmmmm? what was that all about? Sunday morning, while bent over putting lotion on my feet, I feel it again as I was straightening up. Vicki comes over monday evening & I tell her I've been getting a little hitch in my getalong for a few days. 'Where does it hurt mom'? 'right here', showing her the location. 'Oh, I know, I get those every once in a while too' she tells me. Tuesday I'm reaching for a cookbook on top of my refridgerator and let out this loud grunt and a lot of #&!*%@&#. 'What happened Taotao'? says Lauren......'oh, nothing, a pain just shot thru my back, I'm okay'. Yesterday (wednesday) I could tell all was not right with the world & taotao when it was time to roll out of bed.....and, I mean ROLL. I could not stand erect for a few minutes. Lauren & Rileigh arrive & she offers to go to her house & get me some ibuprofen. My God! I don't even have ibuprofen in my empty medicine cabinet (meaning a corner in my kitchen cabinet IF I did take medication). I take the medication & within thirty minutes, the pain subsides.
Taotao, will you drive me over to my friend Sara's house, we're going to hang out today.....sure. After lunch, I put Rileigh down for her nap around 2:30 & I fall asleep as well. I wake up within thirty minutes to use the bathroom......OUCH! my ibuprofen is wearing off...OUCH, OUCH...I don't think I can get up! I have to get up! I hobble over to a straight back chair @my computer, I'm in severe pain & crying. I have a very high tollerance for pain, folks, so I know I'm in big trouble. I'm sitting with my back to the phone & can't turn around to reach it! Shit!, I can't even take a deep breath. I look down @my feet & legs......oh good, I can move them. I sit here helpless. Miss independant me is helpless! Finally I realize I can use the computer, so I email Papa (John's dad) with a SOS & I forward it on to Sindi, just in case they are on their computers. They were not. I take my stapler & knock the phone out of its stand, so I can reach it & call John to leave a voice mail because I know it's not time for him to get up (works nites). Then I leave a voicemail on Vicki's phone (can't receive phone calls @work), I call Lauren to leave a voice mail...(she usually just text messages)...Of course, I don't know how to do that.....Oh, I know how to type the words, I just don't know how to send them........Then I called Brittany and she saved me. She texted her mother, offered to come over (lives 40 miles away) & she called Jim & Sara (John's folks, who live about 3 miles away). They came over immediately, woke up John, Sara brought more ibuprofen to put in my system so the guys could get me up off the chair. Not a pretty site, guys....
Sara makes some phone calls, Vicki will meet Jim & I at the hospital ER, Sara stays back to watch Rileigh as John has to get ready for work. Jim transports me to a brand new community hospital....I was very impressed with everyone we came in contact with (sorry about the preposition @the end of my sentence, Mrs. Anderson.)
Xrays were taken as well as one of those fifty question history inquiries.....The good Doctor's diagnosis: Arthritis....my #1 & 2 lumbar vertibra are bone to bone. But, he said since I've had no problems with my back since 1995 (when I lived on Guam & was told then that I needed back surgery)is a good sign & the fact that (4) ibuprofen gave me relief earlier in the day was a good sign. So I will make an appointment with my Orthopedic Surgeon & take from there.
The good Doctor said he was prescribing steroids to reduce the inflamation, loritabs for pain, & a muscle relaxer......and, that I should be good to go on that SD trip.....use my own good judgement 'Good judgement' is something new to me...........where was it thirty years ago! I'm anxious to show Lauren Mt. Rushmore, The Badlands, the Corn Palace & the little town where I was raised.
So, the moral of this story: 'Here's Your Sign'
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