dramatic back

[elegentry]

Yesterday my back decided to be a drama queen. With no consultation or prior warning something shifted while I was looking at stuff in a big department store in the city. I felt it move, thought "oh here we go", tried to straighten up and take a step or two. It hurt so much I fell down in a faint- in the middle of the lingerie department!

This was followed by an amount of rolling about the floor trying to move with screaming pain and trying to get up. The one first aider on staff in the store happened to work in lingerie, lucky me, not that she could do much for me but she sure tried and was most supportive. By the time I managed to stand, a wheelchair with attendant security man had appeared. So I got wheeled off to the first aid room which seemed to require a tour of much of the store. I rolled about a bit more while another guy filled out his incident report. By this stage I could stand and take a couple of steps. Managed to talk them out of calling an ambulance. Friend A**, turned up and by dint of a borrowed wheelchair got us the lunch we were supposed to have earlier* the absence of which was part of the cause of the fainting. Then to a taxi, home, and a marvellous emergency osteo appointment. After that I can walk a bit and move some but it is still very painful. The joint in question is very lower back, sort of pelvis/sacrum rather than spine I think. I do wish that pain that can be caused so quickly, could as quickly be healed but no such luck.

So no new bras for me for a while. I had hoped to have new ones for going away. I was trying to find my size on the rack of rather pretty sale items when my back went out. Should I not buy sale bras? Is something telling me to save my money until I get access to Marks and Sparks in Britain? Not shop in department stores? Not bend over (maybe this one)? Work on regaining some core strength? (Maybe this one too). This latter might have to wait until I can actually move. My main aim for now is range of movement without pain, wonder how long this will take?

I was going dancing this afternoon. Not now I think. Today I shall work on getting a functioning, loaded  ipod in between bouts of lying on the floor. I shall not be undertaking any tasks that require extreme movement*** or that I cannot abandon without notice. So my inclination to turn stewed apricots into apricot sauce will be firmly quashed. Might take up some jeans for the travelling wardrobe.

*a poor substitute it was. The State Library cafe is fab. The department store cafe was limp, microwaved ham and cheese croissant.

**from out of town as well! was fabulously helpful. Big thanks to her.

***extreme movement in this case can be described as that required to don one's knickers.

Comments

[villana.livejournal.com]

Holy Cow! That is a dramatic little shopping trip, hope you're mending OK. Give me a yell if you need anything - I'm not far away.

[montjoye.livejournal.com]

Thank you dear. Actually what I would like is a bottle of wine and company for dinner if you are free. I can provide food but don't feel I can walk to the shop and driving is a bad idea. In fact I am at home sewing, putting music into itunes if you feel like company.

[hometime.livejournal.com]

wow, that is a fairly spectacular "I put my back out" story. Take it easy for a while, and when you are better maybe look into something like pilates.

p.s. this is surely a sign that you should buy new bras at Marks & Spencer....

[lurextoga.livejournal.com]

Crikey Montjoye. That sounds awful. Sounds like it's a good thing you were in a place where there were some first aiders and that your friend was there.

May your knickers be easy to don sooner rather than later!! (get well!)

[baggyt.livejournal.com]

I have this comedy image of bras flying through the store, knocked by your flailing arms, one extra lacy one landing on some poor man's face...
I'm so sorry you hurt!
And buying bras from UK sounds excellent.

You meeting up with J and Scruff while you're there? Could be fun!

[montjoye.livejournal.com]

Hey, good image. I wish it had been that funny. In retrospect, writhing around on the floor of the lingerie dept is pretty funny, it wasn't remotely amusing at the time.

J and Scruff in Bristol?

[baggyt.livejournal.com]

They're in Brighton, so way south. It would be mad to travel that far and not see them, when you're in teh same country, but then again holidays = tight timelines. Drop them a line - they might be able to come to you!

[baronsnorri.livejournal.com]

Be strong, Ko-Hai! Pain is your friend (although it seems a little gratuitous stretching may not go astray...).

Enjoy the wine & companionship: it may go a long way towards alleviating your distress.

[doushkasmum.livejournal.com]

Oww! I didn't realise you had had quite such a dramatic attack. Thank you for coming to my party any way, I hope you recover quickly. I seem to recall, when I did similar damage to my back, that I had full movement in about a week. I did mine *after* my big OS trip, not before.

Be well!

[quatrefoil.livejournal.com]

Oh dear, that really isn't good.

As a veteran of this kind of experience (although fortunately the last time happened when I was getting out of bed, so not nearly so dramatic), I can give you a few hints about what the universe is telling you. It's telling you that you need to take muscle relaxants. Mersyndol is a good option because it has a pain killer and a muscle relaxant in it, but you can up the muscle relaxant bit by taking just doxylaminine succinate by itself - it's sold over the counter as a sleeping tablet called dozile. It's fairly effective. You can also treat the muscle injury like you would a sprained ankle - alternate 10 mins of heat and cold packs. Not fun, but it does help. And when (and only when) it's better, the universe is telling you that you need to do some regular stretching - pilates or yoga or tai chi. In the mean time, lower stress levels - a holiday should help. But it's really important that you rest - don't push this kind of injury at all. I'd reckon you need three days flat on your back. This is God telling you to slow down. And be warned, next time he'll drop the piano.

Lots of love, hope you get well soon.

[cthulu-for-pm.livejournal.com]

Ouch!

Get well soon, is all I can say.

(Back problems are no fun, though I've not had anything that extreme happen to me. Healing thoughts and such are winging their way to you!)

[giddyaunt.livejournal.com]

You poor thing! If it helps, I have just had the beginnings of a root canal, after being on four-hourly painkillers whole time I was in Perth, so I feel, if not quite your pain, fellow pain! If you need anything done before you go, give us a hoy. i know I am not close, but that doesn't stop me doing stuff, if it is needed.

Love, I

[montjoye.livejournal.com]

Oh poor you. I hear painful things about root canal. Hope it goes ok for you. I am improving. If I wasn't a week away from international travel I would not be too worried. But hey, will cope somehow.