Stopped Dead from Back Injury

Hi Everyone, its been over a month since my last post and Im not sure if I have any dedicated followers or not, but if I do, then my apologies for going off grid for a while.  Unfortunately I injured my back about six weeks ago whilst lifting a particularly heavy piece at a very odd and tight angle. 

I was aware of the pain the next day, and it got consistently worse over the following week and then really settled in like an uninvited guest.  Yes, it hunkered down on my couch, flicked the cork off a bottle of wine and even had the audacity to ask for some snacks.

I won't sugar coat this, it has been a really difficult and trying time.  Coming nose to nose with your own humanity is tough.  I completely took for granted what I do and how easily I do it -  the way a child might.  Never did it occur to me that I might succumb to an injury that could prevent me from doing one of the things I enjoy the most in my life.  I could hear my mother's voice resonating in my ears 'be careful dear, you will hurt your back and you are far too young for that.'  A wise woman my Shazza-Dazza.  I should have been more mindful of her pearls of wisdom while I still had the chance.

I have had to completely scale back everything I do over the past six weeks. Tennis, weight lifting, running, and most off all - refinishing furniture.  To sit and do very little activity has been a change that does not bode well with my 'go go go' mentality.  

Frustration saw me push my own boundaries on several occasions during these six weeks.  I started to feel a little better around the three week mark and took that as a sign that it was ok to lift weights.  One shoulder/arm/tricep workout later and my back was screaming with a new set of lungs.  The dull aching pain stuck around for another 5 days before it started to let up.   So again I scaled back all activity to the point that my bum was making permanent divots in the couch.

At around the four week mark I hit the tennis courts again because I was too impatient and a little inspired from Wimbledon to wait.  Again, the next day the ache was back with vengeance.  Forget lifting, moving, sanding and painting furniture, I could barely bend over to tie my shoes.  I won't pretend that I didn't shed a few tears of self pity.  All of you ladies who love to paint furniture and witness the transformation of something so unloved and bland into something gorgeous and sought-after can appreciate how soul-destroying it is to have it vanish with a snap.

It is now about the six week mark, Im starting to feel better slowly, and I have been for a couple of visits to my mom's osteopath who I think is helping to straighten things out again. He doesn't feel that I have any serious damage, just a strain to my lower back that will continue to heal with time.  I am cautiously beginning to work on furniture again, but I certainly am not the Duracell bunny I used to be, and I need to rely on Mr. Chuckles to do most of the lifting and maneuvering for me which slows things down and removes the usual spontaneity.

My biggest fear is that this will be an injury that will rear its head over and over when I push things too hard or lift things too heavy.  Hopefully it doesn't come to that, as its difficult to imagine to not be able to do this anymore.

So to all of you ladies who are breezily hoisting heavy dressers only to combat some mild back pain at the end of day with a glass of vino or a dose of advil, be careful and look after your back!  You don't want to be an old decrepit biddy like I currently feel and stare with welled eyes at all of those lovely pieces perched in your garage awaiting the strokes of your magical brush!

Play it safe and take care of your number one asset - YOURSELF!

;)