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Sep. 23rd, 2012 09:30 pmAs I moved away to Duluth to attend University in the summer of 1995, my back went out for the first time. I can only barely remember the hell that was having a 9 month old child, truly alone in a new city with no friends and be laid up with a spasmed back. I'm glad my memory fails. I cried a lot that year. I don't remember my back ever hurting as much as it did then.
My back has gone out a fair number of times over the years, and usually stress or activity changes bring it on. I've been fairly good about doing my core strengthening exercises and about 6 months ago (??) I started seeing an RMT (oh the joys of getting ones financial house in order!). Steve is an incredible RMT and has been doing wonders for my body. Nonetheless, my back went out again a week ago Friday (and actually, it is my hip that went out, my spine is fine!). I shouldn't be surprised, as my activity involves a great deal of sitting, which is not great for my hip flexors. My right hip flexors are incredibly tight. This allows my right sacroilliac (SI) joint to seize, which creates hypermobility on the left side. Eventually my muscles seize (or so it feels) and all I can do is wait for the inflammation to go down and gently ease into my exercise regime once again. Steve, my massage therapist, referred to this as facet lock. Ok. OUCH!
As the pain starts to dissipate, it's sort of like a dull, though ever present toothache. Or annoying elevator music always playing in the background. This gnawing at my nerves makes me edgy. Cranky. Quick to snark.
Last weekend I had Thursday to Monday afterschool without my kids, and I spent it more or less laid up on the floor with bolsters. I accomplished very little. This weekend required me to get my massage (which never makes it feel better right off the bat, it takes a few days), go to a stressful bank appointment to submit what I hope will be a successful professional student line of credit application and visit Karen's family. None of these things was unpleasant, quite the contrary, but with that annoying noise in the background, so to speak, I plastered on a smile and waited to get home.
No rest on this Sunday for me as it is the time for the month's big grocery shop. And of course this also means it is the time for the great monthly cook. As someone with a proclivity for takeout and yet a strict budget, it is important to have many meals available in the freezer that can be easily heated or prepared. I'm happy to say I have:
Sloppy joes
The makings for a curried spinach cashew pizza (who knows when I'll be invited to a party and asked to bring an appy)
4 hamburger patties
3 frozen pizzas (bought from the store)
frozen italian meatballs
2 meatloaves
18 burritos (10 cheese, bean, rice with pumpkin seeds and 8 meat, bean and cheese)
2 side dishes of german red cabbage and apples
5 lunches of chicken fried rice (ok, to be fair this is Chinese delivery from tonight....I was given a free fried rice, so now it is lunch!)
My shopping stocked my pantry and the rest of the freezer and there are more convenience foods in my house than I ever remember having; but again, in order to feed myself and my family and not spend my school money on take out, it seems necessary.
Another thing that seems necessary is a big freezer. I would love to put together a lasagna or two as well as a couple more main dish meals....but my freezer is completely filled!
It will be interesting to see how everything changes for me nutritionally again when I am in clinical placements next year and the following years. I refuse to be the midwife who hasn't eaten for 8 hours. My brain just doesn't work that way. I foresee a lot of oatmeal/nuts/yogurt/dried fruit in my future!
Now I lie in bed. My body is exhausted and my mind is starting to let school back in. I am supposed to attend an Interprofessional workshop of some sort tomorrow, but I was unable to secure childcare for Soren. Zea was going to stay home with Soren tomorrow, but she's got an impromptu soccer game tomorrow at 5:00 and I don't get home until 6:30 or so. Many in my class aren't going already, but some are, and we'll all be filled in. I'll miss making connections, I imagine, but I know I'll have more opportunity for this in my future.
I need to take care of myself, and this means leaving tomorrow free.
The kids have conference week this coming week, so no school.
My back has gone out a fair number of times over the years, and usually stress or activity changes bring it on. I've been fairly good about doing my core strengthening exercises and about 6 months ago (??) I started seeing an RMT (oh the joys of getting ones financial house in order!). Steve is an incredible RMT and has been doing wonders for my body. Nonetheless, my back went out again a week ago Friday (and actually, it is my hip that went out, my spine is fine!). I shouldn't be surprised, as my activity involves a great deal of sitting, which is not great for my hip flexors. My right hip flexors are incredibly tight. This allows my right sacroilliac (SI) joint to seize, which creates hypermobility on the left side. Eventually my muscles seize (or so it feels) and all I can do is wait for the inflammation to go down and gently ease into my exercise regime once again. Steve, my massage therapist, referred to this as facet lock. Ok. OUCH!
As the pain starts to dissipate, it's sort of like a dull, though ever present toothache. Or annoying elevator music always playing in the background. This gnawing at my nerves makes me edgy. Cranky. Quick to snark.
Last weekend I had Thursday to Monday afterschool without my kids, and I spent it more or less laid up on the floor with bolsters. I accomplished very little. This weekend required me to get my massage (which never makes it feel better right off the bat, it takes a few days), go to a stressful bank appointment to submit what I hope will be a successful professional student line of credit application and visit Karen's family. None of these things was unpleasant, quite the contrary, but with that annoying noise in the background, so to speak, I plastered on a smile and waited to get home.
No rest on this Sunday for me as it is the time for the month's big grocery shop. And of course this also means it is the time for the great monthly cook. As someone with a proclivity for takeout and yet a strict budget, it is important to have many meals available in the freezer that can be easily heated or prepared. I'm happy to say I have:
Sloppy joes
The makings for a curried spinach cashew pizza (who knows when I'll be invited to a party and asked to bring an appy)
4 hamburger patties
3 frozen pizzas (bought from the store)
frozen italian meatballs
2 meatloaves
18 burritos (10 cheese, bean, rice with pumpkin seeds and 8 meat, bean and cheese)
2 side dishes of german red cabbage and apples
5 lunches of chicken fried rice (ok, to be fair this is Chinese delivery from tonight....I was given a free fried rice, so now it is lunch!)
My shopping stocked my pantry and the rest of the freezer and there are more convenience foods in my house than I ever remember having; but again, in order to feed myself and my family and not spend my school money on take out, it seems necessary.
Another thing that seems necessary is a big freezer. I would love to put together a lasagna or two as well as a couple more main dish meals....but my freezer is completely filled!
It will be interesting to see how everything changes for me nutritionally again when I am in clinical placements next year and the following years. I refuse to be the midwife who hasn't eaten for 8 hours. My brain just doesn't work that way. I foresee a lot of oatmeal/nuts/yogurt/dried fruit in my future!
Now I lie in bed. My body is exhausted and my mind is starting to let school back in. I am supposed to attend an Interprofessional workshop of some sort tomorrow, but I was unable to secure childcare for Soren. Zea was going to stay home with Soren tomorrow, but she's got an impromptu soccer game tomorrow at 5:00 and I don't get home until 6:30 or so. Many in my class aren't going already, but some are, and we'll all be filled in. I'll miss making connections, I imagine, but I know I'll have more opportunity for this in my future.
I need to take care of myself, and this means leaving tomorrow free.
The kids have conference week this coming week, so no school.
