I'm BACK!!!!!

Hi all!
Sorry for the silence, things have been so busy.

I hurt my back just over a week ago and was WAAAYYYY to embarrassed to tell anyone that I actually hurt myself drying myself after a shower! Of course, my chiropractor is right, and it wasn't that time that really did it, that was just the final straw. It had been coming for a long time. Anyway, I went from normal, going to Bible study, then heading to work, to on my knees outside a gas station, unable to move.

It was horrible. I would compare it to labor, at least the level of pain and being unable to move. I was able to get to the van, get in and call my dear hubby - who was working an hour away from where I was. Crying and trying to make sense. Ugh. Well, we decided that we would both head towards each other, as long as I could hope to manage to drive, and decide where we were going to take me. The question was, either ER or chiropractor. I hurt so bad, I knew that if I went to the hospital, they would give me tons of drugs, which at that point sounded good, but was so afraid they would then only want to do surgery. All that ran through my head was the people I know who have had back surgery, another back surgery, and then hardware placed and basically end up disabled.

Oh, my lord, that picture just ran through my mind over and over. How would I raise my kids, live on our farm if I was disabled?? Oh, my goodness, I just couldn't do it. I want my kids to have more, and that means that I really need to not be disabled! That was my hugest fear.

So, we opted to run to the chiropractor, a dear friend of ours. Steve called him from the road - he said he would take me as soon as we could get there. Steve met up with me when we got to the same area and took over driving while I basically just tried to breathe through it and survive.

All I can say is that it was horrible. I know that we got in, I know that I somehow very slowly walked, that I cried a lot, and that the first treatment really, really hurt. Dr. P told me that it would. He took xrays immediately and determined that "boy when you do something, you do it big". I had a bulging disc in my lumbar portion of my back. Now I can tell you it is just behind the top of my hipbone. At that point, the pain was so far and extreme that I couldn't have localized anything - the pain was huge and all over. I was told that I would be in to see Dr. P daily for a while. He agreed with my concerns as far as treatment routes, we needed to try to fix it this way and avoid surgery because the route was much as I imagined it. One of the things I remember telling him was that we had to get things better and then he had to give me things to do to make sure this didn't happen again, that I didn't just want the pain gone, but I had to be able to do things to improve my health and function so I didn't do this again. He laughed and agreed - that was his plan too. Works for me.

Now, looking back I cannot tell anyone too much about that first day or so. I know that one of the rules was that I had to do things under my own power. Things were bulged such that if I was moved the wrong way, the bulged disc would rupture. So, my dear hubby could not carry me or pull on me to help, I had to do it on my own with support. He assured me that the pain would stop me before I could hurt myself as long as I moved slowly (like I had any other choice). Poor Steve could only support me as I just bawled and moaned trying to get into the house. I passed out on the porch - we had been warned that I likely would. Ugh. Pain overload. Scared the kids silly. That is what bothers me the most.

I spent the next several days in bed, getting up only to go to the bathroom or the chiropractor, ice on my back and no anti-inflammatory meds (the inflammation is part of how the body heals itself by bringing blood to the injured area). Ugh. With each treatment, things dramatically improved. By Monday I was able to be up 15 to 30 minutes with then several hours back in bed, but the pain was down from a ten to a three, and when I pushed it of course it was higher. But I could move!!!!

I have been skeptical about chiropractic care, you hear so much and just know so little. But I have to tell you, when I look back, this is nothing short of a miracle and as Dr. P explains it, it makes perfect sense! God created our bodies in amazing ways, and we need to work with them! (I learned that with carrying and birthing my kids) I am now up and around, with rest periods in bed (NOT my usual mode of activity!!!!), no lifting, but slowly getting back to even work (yeah, as a speech therapist working with the elderly, I don't have a lot of physical work, but with a lumbar injury is that the weight of my body puts pressure on that injury spot, so laying down is really needed, upright is bad), and able to experience such less pain (soreness maybe, aching when I begin to overdo it). I am still in the acute phase, and looking forward to the next phase of strengthening myself and doing things to improve my health (and make sure that this NEVER happens again). Dr. P has promised that he will not just stop with getting me through this particular injury, but will help me get to a point of staying healthy! Yay!

So, being a mom of eight on bedrest - it stinks!!!!! AND we had workmen at the house all week!!!! Our second bathroom is just about done!!! In fact, we need to paint tomorrow so they can put in the toilet and sink!!!!! There are more outlets, TWO sinks (and cabinets and mirrors) - one outside the bathroom!!!! It worked out perfect with a little alcove created by where the shower had to go so we have an extra place for kids to brush teeth, do their hair, wash hands and faces!!! It actually is cute and makes sense logistically! So anyway, I was in soft pjs for most of the week with workmen in the house, and kids helping me with basically everything! I was in too much pain to be embarrassed.

Anyway, we are thrilled at having a long weekend together, with me up and around again, though taking breaks!!!!

God is so good! He brought us these amazing workmen, the lead guy who is a great Christian, and they have come up with ways to make it better, to add in things we need while they are already working within walls, ceilings and floors (and little to no added cost!), and a rapid completion of the project! All I need is a photo of it done and a note signed by the plumber that it is done and our homestudy can be signed off on!!!!

If I could dance (and maybe I could but am a chicken to try it!) I would. This is awesome! And to top it off, all these guys live nearby! We discussed a laundry room expansion (and our contractor Dave, who after living with us for most of the last two weeks - in and out anyway, insisted that it would be designed for two washers and two dryers, space for my ironing board, a counter for folding clothes, cabinets for storage, and even listened to us about our ideas about a family closet in there) and Dave had great ideas. That may be the next project!!!! Now to pray for funding! But the guys are busy on other jobs for a while, so when they get slow again, they will call us and that will give me time to work on getting the money or see what God has in mind! LOL! Happy dance!

Anyway, God has certainly taught me a lot through this, humbled me, and taught me to not count on what I can do. I actually got some more written on the book/s that I am working on - what else can you do when you are confined to bed - tv and reading (even good books) get really boring after a while! So, we shall see where God takes us, but I am so grateful to be functioning again! Have a great Memorial Day weekend! I have now been down my prescribed time, so am getting out to the garden!!!!!!