Learning the Hard Way
I threw out my back a few weeks ago. It seemed like such a harmless moment – lifting a small suitcase – and in an instant I was frozen. Couldn’t bend, turn, barely even walk. Hugged my now-very-worried parents goodbye at the airport, tried to make it look like not such a big deal, eased myself back into the car with a grimace and grunt, and gingerly drove back into the city in search of the closest friend with ice & homeopathics.
I was in town for 3 very busy days – I had meetings scheduled, activities planned – and instead found myself dreading the moment I would have to move. I’m known for working a little too hard on these trips – not enough breaks for food, no exercise, limited sleep… Sometimes, it seems, we need to be forced to take care of ourselves!
An early morning acupuncture session with the brilliant Brownyn Melville allowed me a dramatic increase in mobility and decrease in pain. The next day featured a very deep & productive massage from the talented hands of Erin O’Riordan, RMT. A meeting with 8 loving friends & colleagues with Dancing Star Birth featured them laughing at me each time I tried to do something for myself, ordering me to SIT & let them care for me. During setup for a community festival we were co-hosting I was ordered to hold the door open while the rest of the Birth Lounge members carried all the boxes (the agony of not being able to help was worse than the pain in my back!)
I so wanted to be better, and while I was significantly improved over the following days, it took a circle of wise women to make me stop trying to push through it & simply be vulnerable. Having worked with families for some 20 years encouraging parents to ask for & receive help, well, you’d think I’d be better at this by now. The reality is we’re all finding our way. We all need reminders, nudges & prods. And sometimes we need a great big in-your-face challenge (hopefully yours doesn’t come in the form of a back injury) to help us slow down & learn the lessons all over again – the hard way.
**************
click here to comment!
Subscribe to RENEW • Follow us on Twitter • Join our Facebook Page
Thank you for this honest sharing of self. There have been times that I have been the “injured” and other times when I have been the “care giver”. Both roles are exemplified in women, I think. We are such great nurturers, yet we sometimes are not that great at nurturing ourselves. Thanks for the reminder.
[Reply]
[...] the course of the evening I became increasingly clear that I had my own No to say. With a back injury that has now migrated into shoulder & neck I am needing to be very careful with my movements to [...]
Good for you for asking for help. Back pain can be so debilitating. It is humbling to ask for help getting dressed or even to roll out of bed. I threw my back out recently and it was a good reminder of how I can ask others for help.
[Reply]