Ow. I mean really, ow.
Oops. Maybe “happily ever after” was a poor choice of words in my last post. Yesterday was not an entirely happy day.
Yesterday at the produce terminal, while doing the produce thing, I hurt my back. Not in an “ow” kind of way, but in a “keep calm; don’t pass out on the concrete” kind of way. I was moving 3 crates of grates (18 lbs each) off the top of the celery - not lifting, mind you, but sliding and turning and twisting and lowering them, as I squatted on the concrete.
Whaaaaat? No commentary necessary on this part, please. I wasn’t technically lifting. I’m not listening to those of you are shaking your heads in disapproval, wondering why a pregnant woman wouldn’t wait for help to move 54 lbs. of seedless red Chilean grapes, or at least why didn’t she do it 18 lbs. at a time. Lalalalala…not listening….
And so, at exactly the expected moment, my back did something new and horrible. Something over my right hip popped and slid made a squooshing feeling, and I froze in sudden agony. If the pain had been in my spine, I would have simply assumed that I had ruptured a disc. If I were in any condition to think, that is.
I paused there on the floor to see if the pain would subside, then finally eased to my feet, stood swaying for a moment, and headed slowly for the door 8 paces away. Once through the door, I leaned against a chair and a counter and breathed slowly and deeply waiting to feel better. I didn’t.
My friend entered the lobby and I tried to chat as if nothing were wrong, but after one sentence I had to tell her. I was shaking all over from the pain and didn’t know if I would make it to the van, so I held very still while she took care of our order. Thankfully, it took far longer than usual, because 10 or 15 minutes later I was lying with my head and upper body on the counter, struggling to stay conscious. I had broken into a cold sweat, and the voices around me sounded faint and far away. I hate that feeling.
When our order was finally finished, I was feeling a little better. Still shaking from the pain and barely able to move or walk, but at least I wasn’t going to pass out. Did I mention that I hate passing out?
Somehow I made it back, and I spent the rest of the day as an invalid. Nobody expected me to work a bit, and I was waited upon hand and foot. It was really rather restful once the shaking stopped.
I was grateful to find that the pain did subside over the next several hours, and by late last night I was walking slowly and stiffly but with minimal pain. I slept well and woke feeling much closer to normal. I can’t begin to imagine what happened in my back, but I am oh-so-grateful for God’s healing hand and the care and compassion of my friends and family. I really, truly, expected to end up in surgery this weekend. And I would have hated that, because I hear it involves needles and unconsciousness.
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Filed under: gone awry, pregnancy/labor
Yikes! Please consider seeing a doctor…even if that involves needles
Wow, Kim! It sounds like you might need to slow down a little for a while. I am thankful to God that you are feeling better. Now, take it easy!
Love,
Jody
Glad you are starting to feel better. Take care!
Oh my. I hope you feel better soon.
Now don’t try to tile a floor, place a toilet, re-tar the driveway or build a fireplace, at least for a few days, okay?
Find a GOOD chiropractor, key word is good! Pregnancy makes the joints loose and one can easily pop sometihing out of joint!
Esther,
I think that’s what I’ll do. I’m very nearly back to normal already (just some minor stiffness and limited range of motion) but I could use an adjustment anyway and this certainly seems like a good time.
A reader sent me an email saying it sounded like my sacroiliac joint was the problem and after some research I think she’s right. It’s where the pelvis attaches to the spine. I learned that it generally moves very, very little but during pregnancy it becomes looser and can actually *slide*, which sounds like the rather large movement I felt where nothing normally moves.
The pain must have been some of the many powerful ligaments attached to the joint, either strained or torn, though it seems likely that I didn’t do any significant damage since I’m feeling so much better already.
Yow, Kim. I am glad that you are feeling better! This is a good excuse to put your kids to work instead, then?
Youngsters are much more flexible!
Did you have trouble breathing too? If yes, it sounds very similar to something I have done. The last time it happened I went to my physician and chiropractor on the same day. The chir. told me I had torn some rib cartilage. All I did was reach over and turn off my alarm clock that morning. It is bad when it happens. I have to lie down immediately-well as fast as I can move, because if I don’t I’m afraid I’ll pass out.
It has happen to me twice. The other time I was helping a two year old little boy up, not really lifting just helping.
On both occasions it got better in a few hours, and I was fine the next day, but it was NO fun during.
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