Friday, February 4, 2011

I GUESS I WASN'T CAREFUL....

It's taken me a while to write this post. Yesterday I was either too upset and sounded like a whiny baby or I was too drugged to write it but here we go! Maybe I won't delete this one...
I hurt myself shoveling Wednesday. I hurt my back years and years ago and always have to be careful but I really hurt it shoveling out my driveway and then getting to work and shoveling the end of that driveway enough to get in and then shoveling to get in the boarding door. Only Doc, and a vet tech that lives blocks away from the clinic and me (who lives in another state) made it in. After caring for the boarding pets I went up front to the reception desk to answer phones. I was sitting on the high stools in the office and when I stood up my back locked up and really hurt. I couldn't stand up straight. Only a couple of people showed up for their appointments but luckily the afternoon appointments cancelled. Well....actually I called and asked if they were going to come in and one of them screamed-
 "Are you kidding!? I can't make it  into my garage!"
 to which I politely said "Well I didn't think you would be coming, but I just wanted to check. Now you stay safe inside! Be careful out there" I said this with a smile. I have learned if you smile while you talk it usually translates into your voice.....then I hung up. HOW RUDE! If they weren't coming, couldn't they call and cancel!? Anyway I was able to leave work a little after noon. I had only taken Blue with me. I didn't want to get stuck alone but I definitely didn't want to be stuck with my crazy terrier boys. The streets were deserted. I only passed a few cars. Most sane people had stayed home. I drove past the library and it wasn't open or even shoveled out. Coming down my street I passed families in their driveways snow blowing them out.
I wish I had a snowblower but where would I keep it? I don't have a garage.
Finally I got home and then I realized that I had left my shovel at work! I tried to clear my front steps with a dirt shovel and then...I fell down them. I felt like a big baby as my eyes stung with frozen tears. I hurried inside. I was hurting. I took some over the counter pain pills
and by evening I realized that I might not be making it into work the next day.
In morning I was in such agony that I couldn't stand up. I literally had to sit on the steps and slowly slide down the stairs. Then I had to hang onto furniture, hunched over to make it across the house to the backdoor to let my dogs out. It took me FOREVER to make it across the room and the little ones started peeing and pooping.  I was sobbing in pain.  I think ONLY Blue didn't pee or poop. I have a Swiffer wetmop always at the ready in the laundry room and I pushed it around alittle as I screamed that I hated them all. Ruby came up to me as I was crying and I told her that I didn't mean HER.
HPIM0125
That made me cry even harder. I feel so OLD and decrepit.

 I had to text Doc rather than call him because I was crying so hard that I thought he would think I had lost my mind.   I text that I was in agony and wouldn't be in. He text me back and said to rest, take inflammatory painkillers and to ice it. So I did. Then my sister came over and went to the grocery store for me and took my library books to the library so they wouldn't be late and she gave me some painkillers with codeine in them...and I was groggy but they definitely helped. I felt so stupid being so upset that morning, crying and feeling old and alone. But one of my best friends kept calling and checking on me and then she talked to my other friend who called me to say that I needed to call in sick again for the next day, she said I need to rest and not stress my back again...to give it time to recuperate. That  made me feel so much better and not so alone and  my sister, who usually has such a no nonsense attitude about stuff, kinda like my Dad always was... Ya know " Buck UP", "Get a stiff upper lip and get to work!"....and it was nice to have someone take care of me a little bit.
So I decided...next year I'm hiring a lawn service to shovel me out.(I'm not sure where I'll get the cash but I start saving now.) I hate feeling old and not strong.
And if I'm not shovelled out, I'm not going to work.....actually all this has made me sit and think about alot of things....
One of my friends from work emailed me some photos from her journey into work. Here's one of them:
She asked if I STILL wanted to move to the country and I emailed her back and said NO!
I'm not moving. I'm 10 blocks North from the Fire Station and 6 blocks from the grocery store.

and 5 blocks West from the Hospital. So unless I suddenly become rich, I'm staying put.
(If I ever become a little rich...there is a house I'd love to live in 2 blocks away...LOL!)
So, sorry about the downer post. At least this morning I was able to stand up and walk down the stairs and let the dogs out. I could still feel pain and I put ice on it again and took a pill which is starting to kick in as I type this. I'll keep icing my back and try to catch up on some blogs

before I get too loopy.
Oh, and yesterday my 2 year old washing machine stopped working. Out of warranty of course but....Hey, at least I'm in a warm house! I am more fortunate than many others.

11 comments:

Nita Stacy said...

Oh...no...but don't start talking like your old just because of this. A young person would have been hurt through all of that activity. I feel terrible that you were out in all of that and hurt yourself.

I hate to tell you but I have not left the house since Sunday. I am starting to run out of food. I'm down to rice and a little spaghetti. I'm going to wait till tomorrow to get out.

I totally understand how you feel sometimes it seems you are the only one snowed in alone. And I know when you have a pain...it seems like you will never feel good again.

Take it easy...let that back recuperate. And yes, pay someone to shovel for you.

I hope the next time I hear from you that you are doing much better.

Myself...I'm thinking about going back to bed with the dogs...it's soooo cold here...I'm freezing.

sassypackrat said...

MAJOR HUGS TO YOU! And I know the feeling! I injured my back at 19 and have to be very careful with it now.

My daughter is sick & has asthma so can't shovel and my mom is 70 next month so snow stuff falls to me and I'm not as young as I once was. Even though I'm not physically alone I sure felt like it while I was out shoveling and hurt my back too. Fortunately for us my Brother who actually lives in Indiana but works near by borrowed the snow plow from work to dig us out cause even he couldn't shovel us out! We are seriously thinking about hiring a service next year.

I'm sorry you had such a bad time of it! I hope you continue to rest and that your back is better soon. I'm so glad your sister was there to care for you. We all need to be taken care of sometimes.

Much love and hugs!
Jennifer

Linda said...

Super blog--you captured this misery we all feel in this weather and more--Linda

1 Funky Woman said...

I hear and feel your pain! I injured my back years ago and then 2 summers ago again. A disc issue but it will never be the same. I still over-do everything because I don't want to wait for my husband and frankly it is much easier to do it all. I just came in from shoveling for almost two hours and I feel beat.

You are very fortunate you have a very understanding and caring boss who wants you to take care of yourself.

My little dog looks just like yours!

Megan

carla said...

Oh Goodness!!! I am glad you didn't get hurt worse...shoveling in snow and ice is dangerous...no matter the age....try to take care of yourself and get lots of rest...I do admire you for going in to work when not many others did...shows you have a great heart...but I could already tell that!!! Now be sweet to yourself!!! hugs

Sandy Mastroni said...

oh I know that pain , I have had that many times
going down the stairs sitting , can't even brush your teeth
I know that pain
It's awful
we all need a little love and attention when we hurt
we all need a good mommy !!!!! to make us tea and say go back to bed honey .... ha ha
I hope you are feeling MUCH better now !
you find VERY funny photos to go with your stories !

denise said...

glad you are feeling better, physically and emotionally.

Check on that Swiffer Jet Spray...I've always heard it's bad for animals. bad bad.

yoborobo said...

Oh, Cindi! OMG. I am so sorry, sweetie. I have been busy with family stuff and just saw this. I screwed my back up a few years ago and it hurt so bad. I could not move! You might need to go to a doc if you aren't feeling a lot better in a couple of days. Rest, rest, rest! Sending you hugs and hugs...gentle ones that don't hurt! lol! GAWD. Well, I think I don't look half as cute as the old ladies you have posted. I think I will be a scary and grumpy old lady. Wanna come over? haha! xoxox Pam

Anonymous said...

Shoveling snow is dangerous, lots of people gets their first heart attack when shoveling snow. So I keep it at a minimum. But that+s easy to do at my place.

I only have a few yards to the road from my entrance so I just walk there so many times I need to make a path to the road :-) :-)

My car stands just beside the road on the other side and the snow plow man always makes sure I have no pile of snow in front of the car so I easily can get out.

I always falls down the stairs a couple of times every year and so far no bigger injuries :-) :-)

Take care now and don´t do more than You absolutely have to!

Christer.

Cindi Myers said...

THANK YOU EVERYONE!!!!!
TRULY. You have no idea how much it means to me to know that you are all out there, checking in on me, being my friends and sending me well wishes!
XOXO - Cindi
and Denise....I'm checking into the WetJet Spray to make sure it's safe before using it again....I'll get info and let you know! Thanks!

Unknown said...

Oh NO!!!
I hope you are on your feet and back to no pain quickly!
bad backs are bad news. got one myself, so I feel your pain. eek!!!