Blessings in Disguise

Yesterday I read an article about being more happy, laughing, and enjoying life. I thought to myself upon completion of the article "Suzanna, you could stand to be a little less serious all the time. Relax, have fun, enjoy your 'youth' (or what's left of it I thought)". So, just before leaving for work I recalled this vow of being more fun and less serious. I took a brief moment to goof off with my kids. We were doing somersaults and I decided to teach them to do a backward one. Not such a hot idea for someone of my age to go do! I have decided that it is not such a hot thing for any age to do one of those crazy things. Seriously what on earth possessed me to do one? I hadn't done one since probably 12, I can't believe I thought I was in any kind of good condition to do one at 31! So, upon completion of this insane move I was in incredible pain. I quickly rubbed on my neck and shoulders, giving enough relief to convince myself to go to work anyway. Unfortunately over the next 3 hours my condition worsened to the point of my left arm going numb and deep breathing was all I could do to keep from crying every time I answered the phone at work. I went and cried to my boss that I couldn't do it anymore, and I just had to leave. She recommended a chiropractor to me, the place stayed open an extra hour just for me. I was in worse shape than I thought. He laid me on a table to do some tests and when he was finished he helped raise me up and I almost blacked out. He was very concerned and at first felt I should go to the ER. He was worried about a slipped disk or torn artery. Just my luck! When he told me that I had a serious panic attack. Which needless to say did not help the light headiness at all. So, I calmed down and he consulted with another doctor. They both felt it would be alright to proceed there with x-rays and if anything in them alarmed them they would send me to the ER. The x-rays were worse than I could have ever imagined. Nothing the Dr. felt needed ER attention. That was a huge relief, I don't have insurance at the moment and we could not afford a $5000 ER trip, that is what brought on my attack.

Just over 10 years ago I had a really bad four wheeling accident in Colorado. It was just 2 months before I was to go on a mission for my church. I refused to be taken to the ER for fear of being rejected the opportunity to serve a mission. I never even went to the doctor. At the time my hands were what was in the worst shape, yes, I hurt all over but my hands were swollen and black and badly cut up. No other injuries were apparent to me at the time. Almost 2 years ago I was having a lot of back pain. I couldn't twist turn or even sleep with out pain. If I sat for too long I became stiff as a board and had to lay down to relieve the pain. I couldn't stand it any longer so I visited the doctor and they took x-rays of my back. I had arthritis on my spine, right smack in the middle of my back...T12. The Dr. asked me how on earth I managed to do that at my age in such an odd location. So, the effects of my accident years before were beginning to be more apparent. My hands have outwardly healed, but at times, especially in the cold, they hurt at the wrists and lifting becomes painful. They put me on all sorts of drugs for my back because the stiffness in the morning and the pain the rest of the day began to interfere with my routine. And then one day I talked to him about all the drugs and I asked him what I could do instead of all the dope. So, from then on the pills were flushed and I rarely have the pain since.

So, back to my neck. After my mission I visited a chiropractor I had worked for years before my mission. He took some x-rays and asked me if I had been in an accident because my neck looked like I had whiplash. I then told him all about the accident 2 years prior. He chastised me for not getting it checked out sooner. I saw that Dr once. I had not been back to see anyone for my neck until last night. When I saw the x-rays last night I was reminded of the accident once again, except this time the x-rays were much worse. The Dr. said he had only seen two other x-rays even close to being as bad as mine. My neck had gotten worse since the visit 8 years ago. It wasn't has bad as it could have been but it was definitely in need of serious attention. I was actually quite scared when I first saw the x-ray, I thought, "how on earth did that happen to my neck?" It really freaked me out. I have an opposite curve to my neck and all sorts of other misalignment's throughout my shoulders. No wonder I have been so uncomfortable lately. I couldn't even lift my head upward without discomfort, before the somersault injury. I had also been experiencing off and on numbness in my left arm. As you can probably tell, I tend to neglect my body. So, again my accident and failure to get medical attention has come back to haunt me.

Today Kevin and I went back for another adjustment and to talk about a plan. When we decided to go with the fix rather than the "band aid" we were given an estimated cost. Remember back to a few posts ago I mentioned getting an eye exam for Lasik? Well, I decided against it for now. For some reason it was all wrong. I did not understand why. But now I do. The chiro. bill is the exact same as the Lasik bill would have been. Kevin and I both just looked at each other and could not believe what a huge blessing this has all been. First, I canceled the eye surgery, every time I thought about it I felt incredibly uneasy. Second, I do a silly somersault, causing incredible pain, and thus going to the chiropractor to fix my neck before arthritis could set in on it, just like my back. I know it sounds odd to be grateful for the pain I am in, but if I had let my neck go and never get attention I would end up with bone spurs just like on my back. I regret not having gotten medical attention a decade ago, but like they say, "better late than never".