So, around October 2, I started having some pain in my lower back. I assumed it was from sleeping wrong or something. It's happened before a couple times. When it has, I just get some heat packs for a couple days and it goes away. Well this time it didn't.
After a week, I called the doctor, whose first appointment was a week away. I went to the appointment, and some X-rays were ordered to see what was causing the pain. I had those done the next day. That day was Halloween. I waited to hear the results on those tests. The pain didn't really get better or worse from when it first came on until this point. I found that sleeping in our glider rocker helped make it better, but still it hurt to sit, stand, or walk. I was on an Aleve regimen until my doctor appointment, when I was switched to Tramadol. Then around 6:30 on the morning of Wednesday, November 5, I slipped on the first step from our main level downstairs and fell down on my rear. That's when the real pain started.
I was up because Megan was awake and wanted to watch a Dora or Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. I had taken my medicine for the morning and was headed downstairs to get her situated. When I fell, I was able to roll over and crawl to where the remote was. Then I laid there for a while, hoping the pain would go away. It didn't. Katelyn eventually woke up and joined Megan on the couch. I had her get the phone so I could use the intercom and get Cassi to come help. She got ahold of my mom, dad, and sister; and called 911 so an ambulance could take me to the ER.
My brother-in-law came over to help and the girls were shuffled to school and Amy's house. My family all stepped up, and with the big ambulance parked at our house, our neighbors and ward members called to see where they could help too.
At the hospital, they took more X-rays, and I was diagnosed with "acute chronic low back pain." It seems I may have had something from birth, where a few of my lumbar vertebrae aren't lined up exactly straight. It's not to a degree where surgery is an option or would do much. When I eventually got the results from the first set of X-rays, it listed the same thing, including "mild scoliosis with minimal degenerative change." The minimal degenerative change just means that I've aged since birth, so that's ok. :)
I was discharged after only about 4-6 hours in the ER, with a prescription for Valium, Vicodin, and Naprosyn. After a day on those medications, I started feeling much better. I spent the rest of the day in bed, and felt better enough the next day to wander to my office and get at least half a day's work in. Within a few days, my back has felt TONS better. I have sciatic nerve pain, I think aggravated or caused by my fall.
I've seen my doctor since. She told me that walking would be a good start for therapy. I took that as an ok to go ahead on a quick vacation to Disneyland this past weekend. (Look forward to a post on that soon.) I've also started real physical therapy. I am learning exercises and posture skills from physical therapy to let the nerves heal and strengthen my back muscles. I'm walking with only a slight limp now instead of a much more significant one I've had. So, this LONG story made only a little longer, I'm feeling about 80% normal and looking forward to making it all the way back.
This post wouldn't be complete without a HUGE thank you to my family, friends, and all who have helped out, thought about, been concerned about me.
