Ribs. Dr M. Misery.

I'm still in disbelief. And I feel awful. I'll try to keep this positive.

Yesterday I saw Dr M for ribs, using a tuning fork thingy and symptoms he confirmed broken rib. Two weeks of rest. If I really really really  need to do something I can do recumbent bike or elliptical. I might take what I can get.  He said (and recommended) that I take the hydrocodone at night so I can sleep and heal faster.

TWO WEEKS?! That's not so bad.

As some retail therapy I bought those bright cornbread-colored plastic Adirondack chairs TV and I saw at Home Depot after Saturday's run. They were light enough I could carry them upstairs with some effort. Sat out on them last night waiting for the rain to roll in. Sugar on her bed, me up in a chair. Hurting.

Yesterday my lower back started complaining. I though it was how I slept. I'm nesting in pillows so I don't roll over . Being reclined is right the remarkably painful, and the most painful position to be in. I end up sleeping on my right side all night. When I wake up, my left side aches (upper left arm and hip, my guess is from the impact) but loosens up as I get moving. So I didn't pay much attention to my lower back yesterday.

Until late last night. I couldn't sleep! I woke up again around 3:30 focused on taking some meds. But I'd need to eat something maybe? That's OK, I was hungry. So downstairs, some chicken, some pork, got munching (read NPR article today about how sleep deprivation increases munchies by elevating some hormone...). Took a muscle relaxant instead of pain med (major reason was that I had more of those pills, does that make sense?!). Decided to try a chair instead of my bed.

Lucky for me, the poofy leather chair is still here! I managed to sleep a few hours on that, the poofy pillowyness supported my lower back. Might sleep there again tonight if I can keep the exterior light from awakening me.

I'm now sitting miserable at work. Touching my lower back, standing up, walking, most anything is tight and pained. Sugar loves the sloooooow walk pace. I should go home and rest, might do that soon. A hot shower helped earlier, maybe a hot tub bath would? Use my 3rd floor tub for the first time? Would I want to get out of it?!

It's amazing to think that I don't even WANT to try running. Thought for sure that I'd be up to try it, even one block!! Nope. This lower back thing has me scared, worried, fearful of racing this year, fearful of running future. Not a good place to be mentally. Not feeling good about it.

Be patient. I've been in this state before, and look what I've done since then.