Over the past several days I’ve had one shower and worn two sets of pajamas. I let y’all know not to turn you on (though I bet it is turning some of you on, isn’t it?) but as a preface to what I’ve been going through.
The other day I woke up feeling as if I had a cold coming on. Immediately, the Viking went to the corner store and bought some vitamin C-infused juice as well as a bushel of oranges with which he could make naturally-vitamin C-infused juice. (The Viking has a fancy juicer he’ll pull out if the j-word is mentioned.)
He brought me juice. He brought me tissues. He took out the dog. He brought me water. He brought me more juice. I was very well hydrated. Unfortunately, I had to go to the bathroom myself since it was my bladder that all those fluids were filling.
He took very good care of me. I was beginning to feel better and thought that I might just have the world’s shortest cold thanks to rest, relaxation, fluids, and vitamin C. I’m a very lucky girl.
And then the next morning I felt yucking again. Oh, I should clarify, though I don’t know that it matters that much: “morning” in this case was about 3pm. That’s when I got up, so that was “morning” to me and my body. I had gotten plenty of sleep; I expected to wake up refreshed and healthy.
But it was not to be. Again/still, I felt snotty and coughy. The Viking brought me vitamin C-packed fluids in bed. He took out the dog. I was feeling ok cold-wise, but still not 100%.
Then I started to feel a sadly familiar twinge in my back. I get muscle spasms in my back, around my shoulder blades and up to my neck. They happen on one side or the other, never both (which is a clue if someone is faking back pain – nothing is ever bilateral with legitimate back injury). I stayed in bed, thinking it might go away.
No such luck. In the past I’ve gotten said spasms from washing my hair (arms up above my head), or other such non-activities. This time, I don’t know what did it considering I was taking it easy – in bed. Nonetheless, the pain was there and it was getting worse. I pulled out my heating pad, which I use specifically for this purpose now that I don’t get menstrual cramps. The heating pad has helped a bit, but last night while sleeping with it on the affected area, I still tossed and turned – painfully.
The heating pad helped, some, but as I write this – over 36 hours since the onset of the pain – it still hurts to move too quickly, to turn my head to either side, or to do much of anything with my left arm. This means I can’t wash my own hair, and it hurts to take my clothes off.
So I took some muscle relaxants. I’m not much for prescription drugs (or drugs of any kind, kids, save alcohol) but I’m in some serious pain here. I’m even considering mixing said muscle relaxants with some alcohol – which is not advised – just so I can have some relief from the pain. For now, I’ve not had any alcohol for a few days, and I took the muscle relaxants on a fully belly (of my damn yummy turkey chili) so it will take a while for them to do their job.
Because I really would like to take another shower.
I swear. True story.
