theswordsman's Diaryland Diary

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first wave of help

Yesterday was soda and ice cream day, because they didn't require me to stand and cook or anything.

Tuesday evening when I got up, it was time for Hell's Kitchen, Master Chef (made me really REALLY want Egg's Benedict, and to discover Spaghetti Carbonara) and Pretty Little Liars.

I killed time watching other stuff, then headed to bed for a "nap" before cycling coverage. Before I slept, I begged St. Anthony for help with my back, so I can stop worrying about breathing and use the scare to help motivate me to turn things around. He's not the go-to guy for that sort of thing, but he's helped me find things for years, and he's the only one I'm sure both pays attention to me and helps.

I had the alarm set for six, but was awake two minutes before, so I turned it off. I sleep in the position I told you about, which takes the pressure off my spine and makes sure I keep breathing. At one point I rolled over, grabbed the clock, and saw it was eight! Tour de France coverage had been going for an hour, and it was meant to be a big day.

Then I realized that when I had rolled over onto my back, the bedding was scrunched up into the perfect position so that my body weight and time could get me that chiropractic adjustment I need, or at least loosen up the area. It was a strange situation. I could get up and watch the Tour, where I have five days of cycling I'm going to watch before possibly eight months off, or maybe being done with the sport forever, or I could stay in bed in a very comfortable position and maybe end the health scare.

I stayed down for an hour, rolled back into the stretched position, then got up. It worked out OK, as I was up watching the coverage just in time to see the stuff that mattered to me.

I'm not sure how much physical relief I got yet, but when I turn my upper body to stretch, things are making crunching noises and stuff. I'll keep making changes, and working at it.

To be honest, that area of my back was never the same after the crash. There were enough other areas of my body for Dr. McShady to focus on, and then he switched to that godawful painful treatment that was supposed to release the area or whatever.

I guess I'll see later how my breathing is. But it was a positive morning, and I feel like my plea for help was heard. We'll see. Take care.

10:46 a.m. - Wednesday, Jul. 20, 2011

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