Pass the Prune Juice

I don’t know how I did it but last weekend I hurt my back. I was drying myself off after my shower Saturday morning and I turned to the left and felt a twinge. I didn’t think much about it and went about my day, including going to Edward’s party. I took a couple of Tylenol Saturday night when I went to bed and that was that.

Sunday morning it was achy but not terribly painful. I took a couple more Tylenol and again went about my day, including Ambrynn’s birthday party (watch for that post next week) and dinner with friends. I was a bit uncomfortable but it was sort of like an earache – don’t think about it and it won’t hurt.

Until I went to bed. Then the pain was awful. I couldn’t get comfortable and I couldn’t get to sleep. It hurt to move my legs but it hurt not to move, too. Monday morning was awful and I called in sick to work. Every step I took was agony and there wasn’t a position I could find that didn’t hurt in one way or another. I finally broke down and called the doctor and got some drugs. Nothing fancy, just some muscle relaxants. And they helped a bit. I got a full night’s sleep on Monday and figured I’d be better on Tuesday.

Wrong. I got up Tuesday morning and it was Monday all over again. I took my drugs (and some more Tylenol) and called in sick to work again. That’s two sick days before a mid-week holiday. Oy.

The good news is that by Tuesday around 4:00 my back was mostly feeling better. I suddenly realized I was leaning over to put something away and it didn’t hurt. Isn’t it funny how pain is all you can think about when you have it but when it goes away you barely even notice?

It’s gotten better each day although the mornings are still rough. I just wish I knew what I did to make this happen so I wouldn’t do it again. And don’t you dare tell me it’s old age.

The rest of the good news is that this didn’t affect my knitting too much. Lace and muscle relaxants are not a great idea but simple sock knitting was just fine. Behold:

two_different_socks.jpg

A finished Whisper Lace Sock I Feel Good Sock. These are my first socks for Summer of Socks 2007 and their mates are already on the needles. I may be getting old but I still think sock knitting is better than bingo.

Related Posts

About That Eclipse

Yesterday was the solar eclipse and I was in an area of 92% magnitude which…

This Post Has 56 Comments

  2. Sock knitting is better than many things! Including a trip to the supermarket on a motorized chair;) Glad you’re feeling better!

  3. Glad you’re feeling better. Try Advil the next time– it’s more effective than Tylenol for muscle strains.

  8. Ouch! Back pain is the worst, because it hurts to do anything. I’m glad you’re feeling better, though!

    Pretty socks. I love the colors of the handspun sock. Did you have any trouble with the Whisper Lace pattern? I’m looking for any suggestions to improve my pattern-writing, because I’m not very good at it. Thanks!

  9. OUCH! I’m glad you’re feeling better. Don’t you just hate not knowing what exactly you did. I hope it never returns.
    The socks are lovely. I’m glad you could knit through the pain.

  12. Oooh, back pain is no fun at all. Definitely take motrin or ibuprofen instead of tylenol….in my opinion. And you can take up to 800mg every 6-8 hours. Hope you continue to feel better!

  13. So sorry! I threw my back out occasionally when I was in my very early 20’s – it had nothing to do with old age – I think it was the very heavy backpack I was carrying around all day! Not old age!!

    I find Alleve a marvelous invention. Muscle relaxants too. I can’t imagine trying to do lace while on them though!!

  15. Back pain is just the worst thing in the world. Glad you’re feeling better.

    Love the socks. They’re gorgeous!

  16. Funny – someone here is dealing with the exact same thing. I made him go to the doctor since it’s been going on for quite some time. I just wish I could get him to sit and knit to relax his back for a while. I’m happy that your’s is feeling better. Beautiful socks will always help too!

  18. Back problems can happen to anyone, any time, anywhere…you don’t even need to “DO” something, they can ‘just happen’. It’s the pits. Take care, keep the pain at bay..socks are a good cure all!

  19. I just hate that when I go to the doctor and they tell me that I’m getting older and my symptoms are to be expected! Grr…

    Your socks are beautiful!

  21. yikes! take care of yourself!

    i’m keeping sharon and her son and his family in my prayers. my son’s best friend is being deployed to iraq in september. i’m glad mine is home from the mid-east.

  22. God-any problems with back pain are just scary. You never know what single movement it is that throws the back out, but it just happens. Not to me, but I’ve seen lots of people with back pain! I hope it doesn’t happen to you again anytime soon!
    (On a side note, Dale and the Duds sounded great at the parade!)

  24. Lovely socks lovely socks you always make such lovely socks! Sorry about your back, glad you’re feeling better. A friend was over last night, and he said about the same thing (but he has recurring back problems). After not getting hurt doing some heavy work, he was sitting in a chair, turned his head, and twinge. Our bodies are so amazing and resilient, and so fragile!

  25. Glad your back is better. Back pain is awful! At least you had your knitting to keep your mind off it. The socks are pretty!

  27. Hey, did I read correctly? Are you doin the Run for the Cure walk? I’d love to join the team – just have to check into the feasibility of getting there for Saturday AM or maybe having my daughter spend the night at a friend’s and trying to get up there Friday night? Would be fun and I hear there are plenty of walkers 🙂 which is a good thing!

  28. The answer is that we were not built to go upright. If you go on all fours, you won’t have such troubles. 😉

  29. I wouldn’t dream of mentioning your age, because you would remind me that you’re younger than I am. Hope things continue to improve.

  30. Sheesh, take care of yourself Carole! I hope your back is completely better and you NEVER make that movement again!

    Maybe Morgan caused it? 🙂

  31. Ouch! I had a session almost exactly like what you are describing a few weeks ago after tilling the garden. Thankfully a few muscle relaxants and some rest helped.

    Glad you are feeling better!!!

  32. I’m so glad your back is better, Carole. I once through my back out after getting out of the shower; I was naked (of course) and put my leg up on the sink and got stuck that way! Thank God my hubby was home; he had to come in and move me from the bathroom. Not fun.

    Great socks; much better than bingo.

  33. I was told post-shower back injuries are very common due to the rapid change in temperature. I’m glad you have found some help for your back and are on the mend! Keep taking care of yourself!

  34. Excellent observation about how we don’t notice when pain is gone, even when we’ve thought about almost nothing else for days. I am amazed by that. I’m also amazed that our bodies just fix themselves on their own. When I have pain I always assume it’s because something has gone horrible wrong, and that I will continue to exacerbate it, and that I will have the problem for life unless I have extensive surgery or something. And then, within a very short time, my body has repaired things with no help from me and I’m fine (and then don’t even really notice!).

    All that rambling to say: I’m glad your back is feeling better! I hope it doesn’t recur.

  35. Treasure your back and take good care of it. My back pain has been constant for over 10 years now. You learn to live with it, but there are days when it just wears you down.

  36. ah, yes. well. meds. rest. socks.
    And no. Probably NOT “old age”
    (except that it does seem to happen when we’re older)

    I’m more inclined to say that the older we get the less “in shape” we are, and THAT’s the issue.
    (my own mind-games, I know…!)
    Glad you’re feeling better…
    (((hugs)))

  37. Oh, dreaded back pain…just finished two weeks of physical therapy myself…got to strengthen those back muscles, they say!
    Hope you continue to feel better and better, Carole!

  41. Getting old definitely sucks. I have a sneaking suspicion my doctor will call me and say “your lab results are normal, you’re just getting old”. I guess I better “belly up” to the bar and join you in that glass of prune juice.

  42. Oh no! I’m glad you’re feeling better. I have chronic back problems and have found that Motrin works much better than Tylenol. If I get on back pain right away with a heat pad, and Motrin, I can ward off the worst of the pain.

  44. Eep! Glad you’re feeling better. I’ve been watching one of my co-workers suffering from something terribly wrong with his back for about a month now. He comes in in the morning relatively normally, but by the end of the day, he’s aged about 30 years . . . so painful to watch. Glad you’re so much better!!

  46. oh sweetie – I so totally hope that your back is all healed by now. thank goodness you could still knit – your socks look awesome.
    there is just nothing as rotten as chronic pain (trust me , I know) many gentle hugs to you.

  47. Are you really super-hydrated? I’ve had back pain, and it is a nightmare. I can’t take anti-inflammatories, so it’s even worse. But one thing I’ve learned is that keeping extremely well hydrated makes a difference in the disks, etc. Drink your water! (not your mojitos….although one or two of those probably wouldn’t hurt, either.)

  48. Lovely sockies! Sorry to hear about your back issues… long-term strategies may be needed as the years go by, and some of our fibery pursuits don’t really help, but you are so right – better than bingo any day:)

  49. Glad you are feeling better and back to your old self! And that you were able to get some knitting done. I had a procedure on Monday and some part of my stoned subconscious thought lace knitting would be a brilliant idea. Wrong, wrong, wrong.

Comments are closed.

Back To Top