I dare not assume I have the Crone's wisdom, but she has lent me her back for a time. A dull ache brought on by the last, and fluffiest of snows this past winter finally turned and twisted and pinched a nerve in my lower back a week ago. It isn't surprising that it should happen, though. Stress of work had been mounting, and Monday of that week we saw all nineteen alpacas sheared. Tuesday came and went with the usual dull ache, if not only slightly aggravated, and Wednesday morning had me in such a state! Of course, I still went ahead and did what I must to feed and water all animals, and clean all but the most difficult of paddocks. Oh! Did I mention I also helped handle and restrain our four sheep for shearing that very day? No? I am remiss!
It is true. By the end of that day, while feeding the second-to-last barn, I sneezed and promptly began to cry for the pain.
I am slowly recovering, and I will recall details if one is so curious to ask after them, but I can easily share a few main points in my early treatment. That Thursday, I visited Urgent Care and was diagnosed with Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction, prescribed an NSAID, a steroid, and a narcotic muscle relaxer (which I refuse to take - unless, that is, if I should sneeze. Haha!) One week's "rest" from work was also urged by the doctor. In tears, as the pain and stress of barn coverage had utterly exhausted my nerves, I resolved to call my boss and explain in full. When I was finally able to call her, I was calm (read: I was no longer teary), and incredibly apologetic. How could this situation be any different from that of years ago when my then co-worker hurt her arm, was long out of commission, and eventually unable to work? I likened the scenarios, but was soothed by my employer as she assured we would cover the barns, that I am too important to her to lose, and I must mend.
Having stomach upset, and worried of the NSAID's possible side effects, I returned Saturday morning, was assigned a different doctor, and was found having not the dysfunction, but a pinched nerve. The NSAID was removed from my medicinal arsenal (replaced by a generic form of Prilosec to repair possible damages), the steroid dosage modified, and a non-narcotic muscle relaxer added (to take every 6 hours, as needed.)
Monday and Tuesday were spent in the farmstand, as I had agreed to trade posts with the woman there (who had been trained months before, and knew the barns.) Tuesday saw me take one of the non-narcotic pills before bed. How could I not? I hobbled from farmstand to car, car to my door. My back was not ready for even the slowish pace of the store. Her days off concluded, the other main worker of the store was scheduled Wednesday through the end of the week, and barn coverage was settled. I am taking the opportunity to heal these last few days, and will be back in the barns either Sunday afternoon, or all day Monday.
For those of you of curious scholastic mind, I achieved an A in both my Latin and 3D Design classes - my GPA is slowly recovering from the A- of previous semester, and I am at 3.9.
How have you all been enjoying your Spring, now that Summer is nearly come?
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