Irony: Getting a hot tub hoping that it will help ease the pain of chronic back pain, but hurting your back so badly while cleaning the area the tub will go that you are in constant pain.
I was diagnosed with a herniated disk in my lower back 7 years ago. A month before JJ came. I have come a long, long way since then. There have been years when I hardly have any pain. I have learned what I can and cannot do. I see the chiropractor regularly, do traction regularly, and see a massage therapist. I know there are a lot of things that I cannot do - like garden. But I do the canning so my husband doesn't mind the gardening. Mostly I can't lift or twist.
Last week, after 15 years of talking about it, we bought a hot tub. It is some kind of "circuit therapy" hot tub that has 5 different seats in it with different jets that I am supposed to spend a few minutes in each of the seats to get pain relief. We will see if it helps.
15 years ago when we were buying our house and remodeling it we built on a cement room. The roof of our addition is our deck that comes off of the main level of the house, and the addition is off the walk out from the basement. It was specifically built with over 8 foot commercial doors to be able to fit a hot tub through.
But then we weren't done having children like we thought, and had 4 more kids so the plan was put on hold;)
My back pain has been, for an unknown reason, getting worse again on and off since February. We decided on the hot tub. I went to clean the addition out thinking I was feeling pretty good that day.
Bad idea.
I haven't been in this much pain for a long time:(
I feel guilty that I can't be the mom who jumps on the trampoline, runs with, plays ball with, etc my kids. I have learned that I can't sit or stand for too long at a time. I have had to learn how to sit and how to stand so that I am not sore. Most of the time it isn't a big deal. If I am sore it is for a day or so. But today I am on day 5 and it is getting worse. I go in for traction tomorrow so am hopeful I will feel better by Monday. It usually isn't too bad since I can find a position sitting or standing that is pain free and just stay in it. But this time I can't find a pain free position. Just positions that don't hurt as much, for short periods of time. Sometimes I just sit and tear up because the pain is so bad. But, it could be worse.
I can still work. I am thankful I have a job that is not strenuous labor. I am thankful for an able bodied husband who is able to finish preparing the addition for the hot tub (we were working together that day, I was not doing it by myself. Although if he would have seen my lifting what I was lifting he would have stopped me right away... I tend to stubborn to the point of my own detriment. I wonder where my children get it from????)
Anyway, I have children who are no longer toddlers like when I first herniated the disk. That is a huge help! I am no longer nursing an infant so can take pain meds if I have to (I try not to). I have access to a great chiropractor where I can receive traction and adjustments that help a lot.
I am really wishing the hot tub was here already and am really, really hoping that the hot tub helps. REALLY hoping.
Thankfully I can also still home school JJ while I am sitting still. It helps me to feel productive since I can't do much else lol! He just sweetly asked me to snuggle and watch a movie with him now that school is done for the day so I will take my ice pack, try to find a comfortable position, and take this pain-enforced down time to just "be" with my kiddos.
