Setback

I have been struggling with back problems since the week before Christmas. At that time, when attempting to maneuver my snowblower, I heard a loud pop coming from the side of my back. As painful as it was, over the next three weeks it did start to get better. But I felt my back muscles were getting even tighter. So I finally decided to join the YMCA and attend their “Young at heart” classes 3 times a week and the a spinning class on Saturdays. This went well for three weeks, although I still had trouble lying flat on the floor.

Getting cocky, I did a double workout one day, Young At Heart and Cycle. The next day I could not move my upper back and found it very difficult to get out of bed in the mornings. That is when I contacted my doctor and he gave me pain meds and a muscle relaxant. This at least took the edge off. XRays showed no damage to my spine. A bone density test did, however, show that I now have osteoporosis and a touch of arthritis as well.

Then, a week later we had another major storm. Once again I finished with the snowblower and was pushing it into the garage when I heard another loud pop, this time from my lower lack, Within two days, I was convinced I need to go to the hospital since I literally could not get out of bed. After a time, however, my wife helped me up, but I was in agony. Back to the doctor I went; stronger pain meds and stronger muscle relaxant. This time I went for an MRI and found out I have a compression fracture in one of my lower vertebras.

So, next week I go to a back specialist to see if there is anything more I can do besides meds and just plain wait for it to heal on its own. I also started physical therapy two times a week at least for the next month.

I was about to start an ambitious new photo allegory, but that will just have to wait until I heal more. I feel just a little incarcerated now.

If there is an upside to this, at least it happened during the winter and not during my planned photo excursions for this upcoming year.Now this gives me an opportunity to do more experimentation in Photoshop and see if an old dog like me can still learn a new trick or two.