That’s a classic rock song by Humble Pie. I just love classic rock. I find song titles to really describe my life.
When my back went out on Dec 30th and wasn’t doing any better by early January, my whole plan for my closed January at the restaurant fell completely apart.
I had plans to go away to a war, sunny clime, but Mitch’s work was insanely busy, and I was bedridden, so that went right out the window.
I wanted to take all the decorations down at the rental and get some work done there. That didn’t happen.
I was spending all my time except for the daily hike for the bots which was ridiculously painful , in bed. Ice/heat, repeat, 7 adjustments from the chiropractor, massages and I was STILL miserable.
This felt so cruel. I also had so many plans to get things done away from the restaurant and rental and instead, the days were passing in excruciating pain. It hadn’t been this bad for a couple of decades honestly.
Was this my body’s way of saying, stop this Energizer bunny crap way of living and REST? So I gave in, but I worried.
When two weeks into the month garnered barely any relief, I began to really worry. If this didn’t get better, how was I going to work? The restaurant is a very physical job.
Our bodies hold stress very well and when it sees a break coming, say to all your cells, ok, get ready, we are going to strike and make this body STOP. It is time you have to pay attention to us, so prepare for neediness.
I have a relative who has an autoimmune disease and after a particularly stressful situation alleviated, she went into a flare that seriously put her life in danger. The mind body connection is REAL and not to be ignored.
So, I binged several shows, I ate and drank tea with tequila which I call Teaquila. I gained 5 pounds and slowly, very slowly, found some relief. I have these pain patches that Mitch puts on for me and the animals all cuddled up with mom, confused about my innate laziness, but grateful for the extended cuddle time. The fur therapy also helped my mood.
In an attempt to do more self-care, I had a reflexology and a regular massage, I sat in a salt cave and I tried a couple of devices that a friend loaned me with trigger points to help myself.
We own a vibrating gun thing that is good for massage and Mitch used it regularly to help me get some relief. The chiro visits have lots of different therapies. I listened to meditative podcasts and tried to will away the pain. I stretched. I ordered some new anti-aging miracle creams, did several masks to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and scheduled self-care tasks for the whole year. What gets written, gets done!
By the third week of January, I was feeling decent, so I went to the restaurant to start taking down Christmas and up went the Valentines. I moved slowly. I was deliberate and careful about lifting and moving things and did accomplish some. I was again being productive, albeit not like usual or what want I wanted, but I was grateful I could DO even trivial things. My mental health is very much tied to my physical health. I made efforts to feel extra gratitude.
My car radio hadn’t been working for months, and it started working again here and there which made me extremely grateful. I loved hearing a song it two before it shut off again. Good things!
I was grateful when I saw the Lone Goose I have written about hanging out with her donkey friends.
I am so grateful that it is no longer crazy painful to get in and out of my Jeep. I delight in the work my body can accomplish. I am looking forward to getting back to the work of feeding people.
While it was really nice to be home, get housework done, cook dinner for my husband, to be still and not have to run run run constantly to the store to gahter ingredients, I am excited to get back to work.
What a strange time it has been to kind of STOP. I’m definitely not used to his. I feel like my system has slowed and is out of shape, but maybe it is just reset. It is going to take some time to get back into the rhythm that was my normal.
So, this is short and sweet but it got me writing a bit again and I’m grateful for that too!