Part 1 - The Downward Spiral: Until It Fails You
You never ever think about it.
You take it for granted.
You’re carefree, and full of life
and then…
Your health, it fails you.
It might not have happened overnight, or maybe it did.
But it’s a slap in your face when your faced with the stark reality of a limited life, a more restricted life.
I enjoyed physical work, laborious work. My hands, my body — I wanted my job to keep me fit. I was working in a large bookstore and my job was receiving. I’d be climbing ladders, lifting heavy boxes and most of all I loved books. Everyday, it was like opening presents.
I was seventeen at the time and I ripped a muscle in my lower back, at work.
I didn’t think to much of it at the time, sure I was in pain, I couldn’t move because of it. I labored to the front of the store and I was called a Taxi by my work. I was sent to a Chiropractor.
I don’t know if that was my first problem, that going to a Chiropractor was the best idea. But, it was what I knew, and my parents were big advocates. He saw me, examined me and determined that I would be fine with a few exercises. What they didn’t get, or maybe I didn’t get was that these exercises were literally excruciatingly painful. I tried to do them for a little bit, but I seemed to get worse, not better.
Even still, I didn’t think it would be a life-long issue. I was on compensation due to being injured at the job, but they kept asking me to come back and I said I couldn’t. The physical pain and the emotional after effects made me feel like I was being the one with the problem, that I wasn’t strong enough to push past the pain to work.
I ended up quitting. If only I had known.
I can’t remember how long the initial recovery took, but I do remember nights I couldn’t walk to the bathroom or I couldn’t sit on the toilet. It’s not to say I didn’t, I was too stubborn. Let’s just say, any obstacle to getting to the bathroom was like a mountain to overcome. I’d be in a crying heap of pain, trying to get there.
If I thought going pee was bad, well, I was in for a surprise. Who knew that taking a crap, uses some of the same muscles I injured. Holy Cow!
I never recovered fully, but I can say that for at least ten years it was a major pain, in my ass. I ended up with something called Sciatica. Some describe it like a toothache, with sharp pain upon slight movement or twisting that didn’t allow you to put pressure on that leg. I’ve have never given birth to a child, but I have read accounts where women have stated that this pain — this type of pain was worse then childbirth. I can’t compare, but some have.
I’m in my mid thirties now, and I mostly don’t suffer from it. But I can’t use recliners for a long period of time without causing a mild episode now. No slouching, and no pushing out my lower back as this seems to be what causes it to flare up now and again.
But this — this was just the beginning.