Saturday, February 21, 2009

welcome to the middle of the road

the comedian dana carvey said it well when he pointed out the as one enters middle age you can get hurt doing absolutely nothing.

last year just before thanksgiving towards the end of my shift i was careless about body mechanics and strained my back while transferring a not-so-small brain injured marine back to bed. luckily i had requested friday off so i had 5 days to recover...i never said a word to my employer. i returned to work after my holiday cautious but able to resume my duties. the incident was however a wake up call that i really needed to get myself back on track with exercise and especially core fitness.

not long after i discovered bikram yoga. i've been to 10 sessions since i started in mid january and the 90 minute sessions are tough. the running is still not where i want it to be but but about halfway around ceasar chavez this morning i caught a glimpse of hope that i'm still a runner and just have to build up again.

so back to my opening comment, on monday about 15 minutes into my shift i was at a patients bedside and as i reached to adjust his pillow my right upper back seized up and a sharp knife like pain swept along the my intercostals.......wtf! i was in agony and all i did was extend my right arm, no lifting , no twisting, again wtf!!!

i had to speak up this time and make the walk of shame to occupational medicine and get checked out. the most obvious limitation was trying to twist to my left side ...it hurt allot! my doctor, who looked about 20 and more like a model than an MD was despite my immediate disdain for her quite sweet and after a few other choice moves that hurt like hell gave me a slip for modified duty and a bottle of ibuprofen...800 mg of course.

so i iced and ate ibuprofen the next 2 days, on wednesday morning i woke up at 5 am in pain and decided to go the 6 am yoga class and it totally blew. i forced myself to stay the entire session and i just did what i could. after wards i wallowed in self pity for a few hours and then i re-read some of my past blog entries and a few others and before i knew it i was picking myself up and dusting myself off. i've always said a shitty workout is often better than no workout.

friday i awoke pain free and when i went to occ. med for a check-up i was given a clean bill of health and am back on regular duty. i went for 3 miler this morning and took a few walk breaks with no weird ego issues, just glad and grateful than i can move and work and be active.