Health » Stop, Drop and Blog

Mommy, When Can You Pick Me Up Again?

Jul 192011

I’m seeing a chiropractor.

I’ve been experiencing some debilitating back pain since December. Yes, I realize that’s a really long time to experience such awful pain. At first, it was intermittent. And then it got progressively worse. To the point that three days before we left on our visit, FireDad took the kids out of the house with him for the day so I could just rest and weep and read and weep and sleep. I was basically immobile. We still went on our visit, but I fell down twice and almost fell in the parking lot of a rest stop on the way home. I just couldn’t even hold my weight.

I did schedule an appointment on that first truly immobile day, but I couldn’t get in until after the visit. Turns out that my L 3, 4 and 5 are jammed together. My chiropractor asked me if I had fallen; I hadn’t. But they’re jammed something fierce and wearing on one another. Swell. I have no range of motion, which is frustrating for someone who is normally pretty flexible.

I’ve had two appointments that actually involved adjustments. I’m feeling better, though I’m learning not to push myself right now. On my first appointment, I kind of broke down into tears as I told the doctor that I couldn’t pick up my kids anymore. I mean, I haven’t really been able to lift BigBrother for awhile now. But I had to convince LittleBrother that he could climb into our SUV and into his car seat by himself because I couldn’t lift him anymore. And every time we got into the car on the trip, he would ask, “Is your back feeling better?” I would reply that it did not. And he would ask, in his teeny-tiny voice, “Mommy, when can you pick me up again?”

I wanted to say, “Well, kid, you’re four! You’re big and tough and it’s great to be independent!” But my mommy heart just shattered all over the place every time he asked. I haven’t been able to run or play or even bend over the tub to bathe them as of late. I’ve been feeling twelve kinds of useless.

I have hope though. I don’t know why it took me so long to schedule the appointment. I mean, I know why; I’m stubborn as all get out. And I usually believe that things will get better with time. Turns out that crazy back pain doesn’t always get better on its own. Sometimes it needs some help.

Unfortunately we’re traveling twice in the next two-and-a-half weeks, so I’ll not be getting my three-times-per-week in until after BlogHer ’11. But I’m hopeful that someday soon I’ll be able to pick up this little guy again.

Because there’s only so much time left for me to pick him up anyway.

Eat Live Be: I Need a Go-To Snack

Goals, Health 9 Responses »

Feb 212011

Eat Live Be We’re supposed to be talking about our healthy go-to snack. But… I don’t have one.

With my kidney disorder, I’m supposed to limit salt. Anything I want/crave is salty; even a lot of so-called healthy stuff has too much sodium for me. I have to avoid a lot of processed stuff. To boot, I don’t like sweets. No, really. I don’t. So even the protein bars/etc that are supposedly good for you and may contain less salt that other things simply don’t appeal to me. I love fruit and veggies, but they all taste horrible right now. Minus oranges and grapefruit. So maybe I’ll just stick with those right now.

Snacks make me nervous and stressed out. So I just don’t snack. Which makes me eat too much at meals. Sigh.

Anyway, I wanted to tell you a few things as I purposefully missed last week’s Eat Live Be. (Apologies to other participants.) I needed a week off from talking about all things healthy. Why? I just needed to be doing all things healthy. I really stepped up my workouts last week and logged a total of 25 miles (see me at Daily Mile). I am now into week 3 of my second year of Couch 2 5K. I had to restart this year as I had an injury late last year that ruined all of my training. I’m doing well; my ankle hates the treadmill but I’m working on it.

And tonight I start a new session of classes at the YMCA. I’m not just doing one yoga class per week now. Tonight is Zumba (what? oh no!) followed by Power Yoga. That’s right, two hours in a row. Wednesday will be Hip Hop Cardio (no video, kthx) followed by Yoga. That’s right, two hours in a row. I think I might be slightly insane, but it’s okay. I’ll be keeping up my running and elliptical as well. Thursday will remain my definite day off from the gym with options to go on Sunday if I feel so inclined. Or not if I don’t.

I feel great as of late. Physically. I have more energy. I’m sleeping better. My pants fit! I’m not seeing a huge difference on the scale, but my face lost its post-holidays puff. I know you know what I mean. I am super proud of myself — not for the weight loss aspect but for a photo I shared last week. I pulled the wagon with both boys — both of whom have gained weight — and I was not winded. I was not sore the next day. In fact, I felt amazing afterward. I am getting back to the healthiest version of me.

And it feels great.

Now if only I could figure out my snack issues. Hmm. What do you snack on that is low-or-no sodium?

Don’t forget to visit the Eat Live Be Facebook page and check out the other participants. I’ll be scouring their posts for healthy, sodium-free or sodium-lite snack ideas today!