Down and Out

I am in a really bad head space tonight. After having a great day yesterday, I was tidying up and starting to pack for our trip next Monday. I have been working my ass off in the pool, stretching, walking a lot every day and avoiding anything that could possibly injure my back. I have been feeling awesome and was saying to Jenny two weeks ago that if I lost the two kilos I gained the last time I hurt my back, I would be in the best shape of my life. Then, at about 8'O clock last night I was cleaning the kitchen and completely destroyed my lower back.

I blew it out in the most ridiculous fashion. I was literally just emptying a small box of paper into our recycling bin when suddenly it felt like a knife was driven through my lower spine. This dropped me instantly. I caught myself on the table to stop from falling all the way down which might have made it worse and then I ended up on my back, where I had to lay for about an hour. How can pouring paper into a box destroy my back? It's kind of ironic as I was lecturing my students on Friday night about how important it is to recycle!


Jenny wanted to call the ambulance but I have played that game before and knew I would just end up getting an IV and an uncomfortable bed for the night while I waited for the spinal doctors to come the next morning.

I finally crawled to the bedroom and luckily had some Robaxacet that Gail had just sent me. I got in bed and there I stayed until this morning. I can't even take a shower or put on my shoes on my own. When I got to the back specialist today, I told her right away that we were flying out a week today. She kind of shook her head and said, "Well, let's take some X-rays and see." Hospitals here are really efficient. Chaotic but efficient. 30 minutes later I had my X-rays. She took one look at them, shook her head and said I have a compacted spine, sciatica, scoliosis and a small hernia. (I always have the hernia though.) My spine is totally twisted above my pelvis. She said that there was no way I would be able to travel with it like this and said the best case scenario would be a month from now. And that is only if I do physio every day for the next month and recover fast.

The muscles are spasming so much that the physio therapists won't even work on me. They said it will be three days before it is safe enough for them to start manual therapy. For now, I am just getting electric currents run through my spine. I am not supposed to work for three days and they gave me a huge injection to bring the swelling down. Then, sent me off with a huge bag of pills. (6 different kinds.) I absolutely hate lying around in bed. I don't watch TV and I can't get comfortable for long even when my back is okay. So three days of bed rest is anything but restful for me.
I have been writing this blog in 5 minute intervals throughout the day because I can't sit long.
So needless to say, I am really depressed. Today is Drai's 3 month birthday and I can't even pick him up. A year and a half ago, I was planning my move back to Canada. Then Jenny got pregnant, so I had to put off seeing my family. Now, for the last three months, I have been dying for my family to meet Draidan. It is so hard not having them be able to hold our baby. He has changed so much in the last three months. Even day to day. He will be like a different baby in another month and a half. He is babbling up a storm now and rolling around everywhere. It's really hard. I hate not being able to help Jenny with him and she has to help me do everything as well. She is awesome with everything as usual. She doesn't complain, stays calm and then tries to keep my mind off of everything.

So anyways, we will try and aim to get back (no pun intended)- to Canada by late May or early June. I am sorry I got everyone excited about us coming back and then pushed it back again.

Lot'sa love,
D