The holiday hangover is in full effect. Credit card bills are coming in complete with minimum payments. Did I forget to mention the regular bills? Gas payments, electric payments, phone bills all coming due. It’s a damn good thing I paid cash. I always pay in cash, less hassles that way. Of course, my method comes with sacrifices. Long hours, working through back pain (seems to be a bit better, not much, but some), and plenty of hamburger helper. (made with deer meat…mmmm). Oh well, the joys of being out of debt.
Well here it is the 5th day of the new year and I still live with pain. Yes, I threw the ole back out...again! If you have never experienced lower back pain, then let me describe it for you. You bend or twist or try to stand. I don't mean a large movement like bending over to tie your shoe (Thank God for my wife...She has been helping me get dressed...I just have to stop her from double knoting the laces.) but small movements like breathing. Imagine a hot knife thrust into your lower spine then slowly twisting. The pain makes my knees buckle and tears well up in my eyes. I have remained doped up on Pain Killers and Muscle Relaxers for the past 8 days, only making me a junkie not relieving the pain.
About 10 years ago, I slipped down a flight of deck stairs. The hard wooden step pounded into my spine. I lay on the stairs paralyzed for about 2 minutes. When I finally caught my breath, I crawled up the stairs and laid on the floor. After about half an hour, the pain subsided, I went about my business. Well, the next day, I bent over to pick up a box from a coffee table...Wham! My back seized, locked in that painful position. To speed this history up,...Blah, Blah, Ambulance...Blah, Blah...demerol...Blah, Blah....Ever since that episode, my back goes out from time to time...
This morning, I felt great! I decided not to wear the back brace. I even decided that I would tie my own shoes for a change. NOT...As I was standing at the sink about to brush the ole teeth, I made the crucial error...I coughed...Wham...Hello Pain. Only now I think I'm starting to like it.