BUMMER BACK!

When I was in about the 7th or 8th grade, a note came home to my parents, and the next thing I knew we were visiting my uncle, the Chiropractor, in the city. He took alot of x-rays, and then the adults "talked". After that, I wasn't allowed to take gym anymore. The diagnosis? I had SCOLIOSIS . . .oooooohh. I felt fine. Nothing really changed much at home, but now my Grandmother did believe me when I said that I was crooked, and she would need to pin both sides of a skirt or dress when she hemmed, or else one side would hang longer that the other! I still walked barefoot whenever I could, did all the things I always did. Every now and then, we went to my uncles house in Valley Stream. He had a home office there. After everyone had coffee, I would go into his office, and get an 'adjustment". That was about the care I got for my scoliosis.

After college, and after childbirth, that's when the pain really started setting in. I started wearing a "lift" in my shoe . . .to straighten out my crookedness. By the time I got to Florida, I was under regular Chiropractic care. The size of the lift increased, so much so, I can not walk barefoot any longer. I really feel the difference if I'm without the lift. It's gotten to the point, I don't wear a lift, I actually have to take my shoes to the shoemaker and have the heel raised on my left shoe.

I'm telling you all this to lead up to the most recent "incident" with my back. Last Saturday, got up as usual, took a shower, and BAM!! This lightening bolt from God came down and struck me in the back. It was BAD. I couldn't sit, stand, bendover, lie down, NOTHING made the pain ease up. I spent the rest of the day trying to find some way to be comfortable. Some way to ease the up to the point it was bearable. NOW, I do have prescription medication for these "incidents". I started a little at a time, because I would like to remain fairly coherent! Well, the pain was so bad, I started slowly, but by the time nighttime came, I was drooling out of the side of my mouth from the doped stupor I was in . . .BUT, the pain was still so bad, I was walking with a walker!! (And, yes, I am sad to admit, we do have spare walkers "just in case".)

By Sunday, the pain localized itself (thank God!), and although it was very painful, it was much more bearable. I was waiting for Monday to go to the Chiropractor. Now Monday morning I had to do Payroll at work. No problem, Kenny and I work together, so he drove me to work, and, yes, I DID take the walker! I went to work, figured I'd do Payroll, then I would have either one of my two friends, that are always available during the day, take me to the DR, and then home. NO ONE WAS AVAILABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!! I finally got a hold of someone around two o'clock in the afternoon. I was in so much pain, I can't even remember the afternoon. I know she took me to the DR, and I felt so much less pain when he was done. My hips were close to 2" off kilter!! Does that tell you the type of pain I was in? I made an appointment for WED, and went home, took drugs, and went to bed. Got up Tuesday morning with the alarm, grabbed the walker, and proceeded to the shower. Got as far as the kitchen, and decided "this is ridiculous!". Got back into bed and told Kenny I was not going in today. I spent Tuesday on much less drugs, but putting a lot of ice on my back, and just taking it very easy. By WED, I was without the walker, and feeling more human. Another DR appointment WED afternoon, and I was on my way back to my "normal" self!

Today being SAT, I had visions of a lot of things I need to do. Well, I tried. Went to a swap meet, then to Pier One and another store, because Robin is looking for some chairs. By the time we were in Pier One, I was taking little "sit down" breaks, throughout the store. My back is better, but very weak. June 26th I am scheduled for a Lumbar Epidural . I get them, every so often. As I get older, more often than before. They may sound creepy, but they really help!

So, there is the whole boring story of my "Bummer Back".