Here We Go!

 By the time we get to spring break there is a huge temptation to do something or go somewhere and have FUN! Over the years we've tried a variety of things-- renting a beach house in South Carolina with the family, staycation-style day trips, visiting friends and family out of state, and planning home improvement projects like painting the downstairs. They all had their advantages, but one of them was not rest.

This year? I stayed home while Heidi jetted off to Florida to spend some time hanging out with her college buddies. The demands on my time were few, made even more modest by the fact that I hurt my back on Thursday. But I did discover one thing-- 

Turns out 10 days off is actually enough to catch up on my sleep and work and return to school rested and ready for the fourth quarter.

A Crack of the Back

"So you've never been to a chiropractor before?" the doctor asked this morning as I stood for inspection after detailing my back woes.

"No," I shook my head.

She poked my back and then my hips. "Your spine is a little curved up here," she jabbed a spot between my shoulder blades. "Does that hurt?"

"No," I answered.

"Well," she sighed, "it's a combination of age, arthritis, and that bend in your spine. I can adjust you today, but you'll probably have to manage your condition on and off for the rest of your life."

I sighed. 

"But you do that by moving!" she said. "The more active you are, the better, and then when you need an adjustment you come on back in."

That was news I could live with. 

The adjustment, on the other hand? Was stunning in its vigor as she swiftly cracked my joints in four places, although not without warning. It didn't hurt, but the noises were a little gut-wrenching. Within five minutes, she was done, and I felt better already. Not 100 percent, of course, but definitely on the mend.

"Ice your back tonight, give it a few days, stay active, and come back if you need to," she advised, and I was on my way, happy to have her on my health care team.

Congregation

When I was a child, Easter was one of the big three of holidays. Along with Christmas and Halloween, the preparation and celebration were almost mind-blowingly exciting: new outfits, family from out of town, egg-dying, easter baskets, and egg hunts. What kid could resist such merrymaking? 

Over the years, perhaps as the contents of my basket and my connection to the Catholic church declined, so did my celebration of Easter. Oh, there was egg-dying for many years, especially when my nephews and niece were younger, and for many years we would gather at my brother's in-laws for white borscht and brunch, but they have been gone some time now, and nowadays Easter is often just another Sunday at our house.

And if I don't miss the hunts, or the candy, or the egg-dying (although that is pretty fun), I do miss the fellowship and family. I guess we often use kids as an excuse to celebrate, but as infectious as their joy and fun may be, we are fooling ourselves if we forget the real reason we gather.

Marathon Conversation

"We never left the house!" Heidi told me about her week in Florida with her college friends. "Except the last night for dinner. Before that we stayed in the pool all day talking, and we just talked all night, too. I usually didn't go to bed until 1:30 or 2."

"Wow," I said. "No movies, TV, reading, or even shopping?"

"Nope," she shook her head. "We didn't even go out walking."

"What did you guys even find to talk about for four days straight?" I asked.

"Oh!" Heidi shrugged, "That's just the introvert in you asking such a silly question."

Is it, though?

Hoping for the Best

The pain in my back was not much better today, and so after researching my options and consulting my insurance app, I made the first available appointment I could find with a chiropractor, which will be Monday morning. As a generally low-maintenance person (medically speaking) I just wasn't sure what warrants immediate intervention or even who to check with, but the fact that I am mostly functional despite episodes of intense pain, made me think that I could wait the weekend to get an expert opinion. 

The practitioner I chose is nearby and within my insurance network; her practice seems small, but well-rated, and I was asked to schedule the appointment online, which I did. A few hours later I got a personal and  responsive reply; it was clear they had considered the information I had submitted, and their questions were relevant. They also sent me a link to the intake paperwork, which I could also conveniently complete online. 

The questions were not hard, but they did require some thought in order to accurately describe the ailment I was experiencing. They were also redundant. 

Among them was How has this condition affected your daily living? 

I experience pain getting up, bending over, twisting, I answered. I can't exercise and it's hard to put my shoes on.

What specific activities does this problem prevent you from doing that you would like to do again? was the next question.

Uhhhhh... I considered. All of them?

Unexpected Twist

My back was feeling a little tight yesterday on the pickleball court, but a little stretching and the pain was gone. And I thought nothing of that experience this morning as I pulled weeds in the garden for an hour or so. Until the pain returned with a vengeance. 

I could walk, but I could not bend down again, and my lower left back really, really hurt. I had considered walking up there, but since I also had to go the bathroom pretty bad, I considered a win when I got the three lawn and leaf bags I'd filled out to the curb, and made my way to the car. Even so, just twisting to get in and out of the driver's seat was pretty painful. 

Back at home, I took an NSAID and looked for a heating pad. I found one by Heidi's side of the bed; unopened, the oversized device was weighted with heat and massage. And, I think it's helping? The heat and massage and some stretching feel pretty good, and although getting up from sitting seems to be bad, very bad, walking around isn't painful at all. 

A little research suggests sciatica, which I've never had before, and can have many causes. Those who know me know my next course of action: wait and see how I feel tomorrow. 

Acclimate

April has begun with record setting temps in the high 80s yesterday and today, and to be truthful the weather has been mostly pleasant. But still? Going from turtlenecks to tank tops in less than a week is a bit disconcerting. 

Not to worry, though-- it will be back in the 30s on Sunday.