A Pain in My Back

Yesterday was really a pain in my back! LITERALLY!

I worked yesterday from 6 am to 3:30 pm for Black Friday. It was really crazy busy at the outlet malls but it wasn't horrible. The bad part came after I got off work! We had decided that Nate would just drop me off at the Overflow parking on his way to work and I would ride the shuttle over to the mall so we didn't have to fight the crowds or anything. It was perfect that it dropped me off right at work. My plan was to ride the shuttle back when I was off work and walk home from there. However, I was not aware for some reason that the shuttle stopped that morning and I would not have a ride after work. Nate was working until 6 pm in Lake Oswego and so I decided it was time to start walking!

I know, you are probably all thinking I'm a wimp! I think it's only 2-3 miles from the Outlet mall to our apartment. On a normal day I wouldn't mind. But, the fact that I stand and walk all day at work is definitely not good for my back. Even if I only work the five hour shift at work I always come home with my hips and back in pain. It's not just simple pain but it really hurts!

(If you don't know I was in a car accident which herniated a disc in my back about a year and a half ago. I went to a chiropractor regularly for seven months, sometimes twice a week, until he told me there wasn't much more he could do for me. I am usually okay if I'm not sitting or standing for more than two hours but after that two hour mark it usually starts to be an issue and it doesn't help that I haven't been to a chiropractor for four months!)

When I found out at about 4 pm that the shuttles weren't coming anymore, I called Nate and told him that if he didn't promise to give me a massage when he got home I might start crying right there and now on that overpass. He promised so I let him get back to work and I continued on my walk home. I got a couple blocks closer to our apartment and had a thought; a very disturbing thought! I did NOT have my keys to the apartment and it would still be two hours at least until Nate got home. So, here I am standing there, wanting to collapse from the pain in my back and hips, calling my husband in complete discomfort and I had an idea. I was right across the street from the apartment building that our friends Kristen and Chase Montague live in and so I decided to go ahead and call Kristen, pray she was home, tell her my sob story, beg for her to let me in to her apartment, and crash their Friday night! Guess what!!! IT WORKED! That was the best news I had heard all day! I really didn't want to walk any further and I really didn't want to continue freezing outside!

THANK YOU! THANK YOU KRISTEN AND CHASE! I seriously might have considered having a breakdown, tears and all, right in the middle of town if she had not answered her phone!

Anyways, the point of this story is not to complain forever (even though it kind of helps a little) about my bad streak of luck yesterday! The point is more to say what I am so very grateful for yesterday!

1. Good friends to rescue me from possible humiliation caused by a mental breakdown in the middle of our neighborhood!

2. Nate's promise and follow through to give me a massage when he got home!

3. Deep Relief and the fact that it helped immensly! I think I might have used half the tube!

4. We ordered pizza and I didn't cook dinner last night!

5. I fell asleep around 8:45 pm last night!

I might get the motivation to be somewhat productive today! I have plenty I need to get done before tomorrow! Wish me luck!!!