The Best Things: Less Back Pain

In the spring of 2010, I was laid up with horrible lower back pain. It was the kind of pain that made it hurt to move, no matter how small the movement was. I still tried to work because it was May and no teacher wants to have to deal with missing school in May. I spent my lunch period laying on tables in my room, with tears streaming down my face. The muscle spasms were so bad that when my class after lunch came in, I couldn't sit down without being in agony. They were actually the most well-behaved they had ever been because they had never seen me in such bad shape. It was the worst way to end a school year. My doctor told me to reduce stress because it was probably irritated by stress. Summer definitely helped lower my stress.

In the spring of 2011, I had a replay of the same lower back pain and I had to miss more school. It was miserable and horrible and I essentially missed the entire month of June because I was laid up with back pain. I spent the first month of my vacation alternating between laying on the floor and my bed and took so much medicine that it was crazy. We found out that I have two bulging disks in my back that will never go away. I controlled it most of that summer with medicine, ice, heat, and rest. It flared up again in the fall and I finally had an epidural steroid shot, which made a huge amount of difference and actually had me pain free for a while.

Flash forward to spring of 2012, I hadn't been on my journey for very long and I was so scared that I was going to be set back by back pain again. I think it was a combination of many things (being more physically active, walking, losing weight, taking better care of myself, a forceful husband who wouldn't let me lift anything as I moved rooms again), but I didn't have the back problems to end the school year. It was amazing to end a school year without multiple visits to the doctor and lots of medication.

I don't think I'll ever be completely pain free in my back. As I said before, my bulging disks aren't going away. They will always be a part of my life. I will always be careful lifting, reaching, and bending. However, even at my worse during the summer, I just had to slow down and take ibuprofen and stretch. I haven't had to go to the doctor for back pain for over a year now. With the debilitating back pain that I used to deal with, this is such a huge step for me. I know that is a direct result of carrying less weight and being more active. Just another reason why I won't go back again. I'm going to keep going on my journey.