Back Spasms

I have now joined the thousands of people across the world who can say, 'My back was so painful I couldn't even move'. When you are in Canton, Ohio at the Comfort Inn, that is a terrifying situation.

I arrived in Canton on an August evening, checked in, wrote a couple of reports and went to bed. The next morning when I jumped out of bed to turn the air conditioner down and start a shower, the first step was uneventful. The second sent shock waves through my body and I stifled a scream as I crumpled to the floor. Now, I have hurt my back before--pulled a muscle or pinched a nerve. But I have never experienced this spasm stuff that creates virtual paralysis. I managed to crawl back to the bed to lay down and to figure out how to make it stop so I could start over.

So there I was in bed, not moving, and needing to get to the bathroom for morning activities. Every attempt to move sent waves of spasms through my back. Being the nurse that I am I decided to attempt to log roll off the bed, keeping my back completely straight. It wasn't completely successful, but I got to the floor, then on my knees, and finally was standing. Very carefully I walked to the bathroom which had lots of towel bars firmly secured to the wall. Thus was able to sit and rise without too many spasms, and then wash my face. I stood by the bed and weighed my options. I didn't want to try the bed again, so I gathered my phone, the TV remote, a pillow and a Diet Coke and sat down in the recliner. As long as I sat quietly I was okay, but couldn't get out of the chair without sliding forward onto my knees and pulling up with my arms.

So what to do? Obviously I'm not going anywhere right now. I called the facility and told them I was having some back problems and couldn't be there as scheduled at 8:30, but would try to get there by 10. I was supposed to check out of the hotel and drive to Columbus at the end of the day, check in there for the night, visit a facility in Columbus the next day and fly home the next night.

At 9 I decided to try a shower to see if I could get ready and leave. I managed to get in the shower and let the hot water run on my back for several minutes. I got out and dried, but was so miserable and exhausted, I knew the recliner was the most I was going to be able to accomplish. So I called the front desk to extend my stay there for another night, called the facility and said I wouldn't be able to keep the visit. So I sat, crocheted, and watched the Olympics. I had, for sustenance three granola bars, three bananas, and three Diet Cokes.

As the day wore on I found I could get up from the chair without sliding to my knees and could walk about the room without every step causing spasms. I was able to drive to Fazoli's between 4 and 5 and get something to eat. Then I laid down in the bed around 6 to take a nap and when I turned over about an hour later, it started all over again.

The good news it, I survived. I was able to get some sleep and drove to Columbus the next morning without a major problem and actually completed the visit at the facility scheduled that day. I had one more major attack of spasms in the early afternoon, there, but made my flight on time and sometime during the layover in Cincinnati, the spasms left and haven't returned.

I hope they never do.