Learning to Be a Patient Patient

I have a lot of free time on my hands right now. I had back surgery and will be off work for the next six weeks for sure. All of this came on at once. I injured my back which lad to numbness and tingling in my right leg and progressed to my left leg. By this point, I couldn't walk without support and not very far at that. The results of the MRI led my doctor to call the neurosurgeon and before I knew it, I was admitted to the hospital.

I am a real go-getter. I have a full-time job and I go to the gym 3-4 times a week. I am a single parent to a wonderful 15-year-old daughter. My grown son has his own family now, so it is just the two of us at home. She and I go mall walking (translation: shopping!!) on weekends. I am a very active 40-year-old.

I am not used to laying in bed most of the day. I have been given orders to not sit more than 20 minutes 3 times a day. The rest of the time is spent in bed. I can't bend over and I am frustrated with being so dependent on my daughter, my best friend and of course my boyfriend, OlderMusicGeek. I pride myself on taking care of business and accomplishing all I do.

So now I have to learn to be patient. I have to give my body the proper rest to heal strong enough to support my spine. It has been stressed to me that if I don't follow the doctor's orders and I hurt my back again, I am stuck. More surgery is not an option in my case.

It is easy to remember not to bend or twist, but it is hard to remember those little things we do not think of. Not to life the full jug of tea because it is more than the five-pound limit I am allowed to lift. I tried to help my boyfriend and my daughter make dinner and I lifted the casserole dish from the counter to the table. I was banned from the kitchen! It is just that those things are so automatic that you forget and do them.

I am trying (my boyfriend says yes, very trying). I do not want to mess up my back. I am just so used to doing everything for everyone else. I am not used to having people do things for me. This is all so new for me to be the invalid, to need to lean on someone else. I am the strong one. I have always had to be the strong one.

I am grateful to my boyfriend and all my friends and family. I appreciate their support and love. You never really realize how truly blessed you are with friends and family until there is an emergency and the chips are down and they pull together to be there for you.