I’ve always had this crazy macho idea that one does not let a little thing like sickness or injury stop you from doing your job.
For 23 years, I never missed a day of work for sickness or injury. I worked with the flu, with sprained or broken limbs and any other affliction.
Three years ago, I broke my foot by stepping in a mole hole on the first day of FloydFest but hobbled through the next three days with the foot wrapped tightly. I thought it was just a sprain. I played three innings of a softball game with a dislocated shoulder before a team mate forced me to go to the hospital.
But as I get older, I find it harder and harder to play with pain and I realize now that such macho stunts were stupid.
Lower back problems forced me to abandon an assignment to shoot a football game at Floyd County High School. I fell twice on the way back to my car and drove home with pain shooting down through both legs every time I used the clutch or brake.
On Saturday, I couldn’t move either leg. I tried to stand and fell flat on the floor. Amy went to work with me laying on the couch in a stupor from double doses of pain medication.
On Sunday, I felt a little better and thought about visiting my mother at her assisted living facility but when I stepped out of the shower my legs buckled and I landed on the floor, unable to get up. Amy was at work so I managed to drag myself into a sitting position and stayed that way for two hours until I could finally get up.
The pain meds were downstairs in the kitchen — bad planning on my part — so I knew I had to get downstairs. I was able to make it downstairs by taking half steps and stopping twice on the staircase to sit and wait for the feeling to return to my legs so I could make it to the kitchen for double doses of pain meds and coffee.
Spent the rest of Sunday in that nether region somewhere between conscious and unconscious. By evening, some feeling returned to my legs and I was able to walk but each step sent sharp pains up with leg.
This morning dawned with pain but it had been nine hours since my last dose of pain meds and muscle relaxers so another dose gave me the ability to walk with a pain level of about 8 on a 10 scale.
The next two days are busy ones: An important trip to the dentist for my mother and a presentation to the Floyd County Rescue Squad on Monday and the monthly meeting of the Board of Supervisors.
With luck and medications, the pain will not prevent me from getting through the next two days. By then I will have time to go back to the doctor.
The last time this happened, the pain stopped on the morning of my followup visit to the doctor. Let’s hope it happens again.
5 thoughts on “Playing with pain”
So sorry Doug….my prayers are with you for a speedy recovery.
I wish you well and I’ll toss in a stupid comment about how you will get here and there.
You say you learned something but apparently not if you are still in damn the torpedo mode with the BOS and Rescue Squad. Neither are that important whether it’s for money or sharing wisdom.
Please don’t endanger the innocent to satisfy your machismo.
Thanks.
Hang in there Doug. I understand your pain….well kinda….I’ve watched my husband crawl from room to room because he couldn’t stand up because of the back pain. Good luck when you go to the doctor. Keep us posted.
“For 23 years, I never missed a day of work for sickness or injury. I worked with the flu, with sprained or broken limbs and any other affliction.” …extract from article
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“But as I get older, I find it harder and harder to play with pain and I realize now that such macho stunts were stupid.”…extract from article
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“The next two days are busy ones: An important trip to the dentist for my mother and a presentation to the Floyd County Rescue Squad on Monday and the monthly meeting of the Board of Supervisors.” …extract from article
You’re pushing the envelope with your back situation and the root cause is you are a “workaholic” which is no different than alcoholism. You’ve met the enemy and he is “you”…good buddy. : ) When you mentioned your inablity to walk, numb legs etc. along with a program of masking pain while continuing to “show up” as you’ve done for 23 years and beyond impresses no one other than you along with the self-affirmation of your ego; ie., an illusion.
I suggest you stow your current activities, thenconsult a physician with a referral to a specialist or if no referral required then contact such a physician. Necessary MRI’s and CATSCANS need to be done so the damage to your back can be assessed.
A woman friend of mine went the same path as yourself; ignoring the need for professional assessment. Eventually the pain was simply too much to bear. The end result was the need for lower back spinal surgery which didn’t turn out well as most of them; now she has to use a cane and aluminum walker at age 56…ouch!
Get motivated, get some professional help. Painkillers are hazardous to your liver and kidneys too.
Carl Nemo **==
Good advice there, Doug, from Carl and Jeffrey. Listen to your body – it’s the only one you’ve got. Nothing is more important than your health!
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