Pain in the Butt

No, literally. Sciatic pain. In a BIG way. For the past 7 years, about every 6-8 months I wake up with stupid, crippling pain in my lower back and down the back of my right leg. It usually goes away after a few days so I just hobble around, down handfuls of ibuprofen, and occasionally seek chiropractic care to make it feel better faster. But today is…different. I can’t hardly move out of bed, I can’t stand, I can’t walk, and yet being Heidi, I can’t sit still.

In my pain I was forced to change my plans. I had to ignore all the work I was supposed to do today. I had to cancel plans with friends. I had to stop and do nothing. Well, not nothing: I’m supposed to apply ice, apply heat, stretch, and rest.

One of the great things I did was admit that I had to let my work sit for a while. I’m already terribly behind, so what’s another day? Truthfully, though, being able to admit that the world can go on without me is HUGE. I don’t think I have that big of an ego, but occasionally I let things get disproportionate and I behave like I’m indispensable. I’m not.

Cancelling plans with friends was disappointing because I was really looking forward to kayaking and visiting the Aquarium this weekend. But the beauty of friendships is that they endure things like back pain. The ocean will still be there to explore another day, too, whether by kayak or by reaching out to its misunderstood cartilaginous inhabitants.

Another thing this pain forced me to forego is a date opportunity (or whatever it’s called these days – I still haven’t figured out the terminology, so he’d probably call it something different) – just someone who finally reciprocated in the right way…but when I was lying flat on my back and couldn't do anything about it!

So tonight I’ve got a date with myself, catching up with my DVR before I return it next week and cancel my cable. And I remembered, I make a pretty good date. With the help of the Domino's app, hot gluten free pizza was delivered right to where I am sprawled on my living room floor. Microwave popcorn drizzled with doce de leite is a killer movie snack.

And thus I am kicking this pain in the butt, in the butt.