Sunday, September 12, 2010

our weekend

On Friday night, we went over to our friends, Shawn and Jen's house for dinner. It was the first time that their oldest, Jude, and Jonah really interacted and played together. Jude is four months older than Jonah and I have high hopes that they will be best buds.

Jonah liked this Cars book. It was one of those with the buttons that make sound effects.

Any time Jonah has a play date with kids near his age, there is lots of yelling, squealing, and growling on his part. He just gets so excited he can't help himself. (See Exhibit A)

All the boys (minus Jonah... who was probably still growling on the other side of the room).

We love Shawn and Jen so much, and Jonah, Jude, and Cohen will all be so close in age. I'm glad Jonah will have some cool dudes (with some cool, and you know, Godly, parents) to hang with (with whom to hang?).

Today we took Jonah over to our neighbor's yard to swing again.

I think he could swing all day. He gets so relaxed and starts closing his eyes. It's so funny. I'm glad he loves it. Fall is on its way. It's still going to be a little warm for most of this week, but hopefully we are just one or two weeks from consistently cool temps.

I've had a really rough weekend. I started having severe lower back pain on Thursday. I have Scoliosis and wore a brace in middle and early high school, so I sometimes have some minor back pain. But I guess between daily lugging around a 26 pound 18 month old who can't walk, getting a bee in my bonnet and moving a heavy TV by myself last Thursday, and my painting job this past Tuesday, I overdid it. All of that to say that I've been in really bad shape. Finally, on Friday, to make it through the day and be able to care for Jonah, I took some prescription strength muscle relaxers. They helped my back pain but by the time we got home from Shawn and Jen's, I was completely flu-like achy from my legs to the back of my head. So I took more relaxers. They helped. But then, once several hours had passed, I would get the back pain back and would be aching severely. I was getting nervous wondering what horrible disease I had that would make my back hurt like that AND make my whole body ache and give me headaches. All day Saturday I was fine the couple hours after I took the muscle relaxers and then I'd start feeling HORRIBLE again. Today, we didn't go to church because, basically, I've been an invalid, and I went to Urgent Care. They couldn't make heads or tails of why my back pain would/could be causing the flu like symptoms and said it was possible I had a virus on top of my messed up back. Well today, I finally figured it out. This morning, I only took two ibuprofen because I didn't want to be doped up when I went for my appointment. The only issue I had this morning was the back pain. I felt better than I have in three days. Then, when I came home, I took the muscle relaxers again. I was okay for an hour or so and then got achey with chills again. I was on the couch most of the afternoon, feeling horrible. And then it hit me: I'M APPARENTLY ALLERGIC TO THE MUSCLE RELAXERS. So that's good news. grrr... At least I figured it out. I'd rather tolerate the back pain, which I hope will go away with time, than suffer through HOURS of flu-like achiness. I have been in bad shape. My back only really hurts if I'm having to bend over or if I'm transitioning from one position to another. I'm okay if I'm just sitting or just standing. So anyway, I know that was long and rambling, but I'm just so happy I figured it out. Geez. I'm a little slow sometimes.

My sister came for a visit this weekend, and we had a good time diagnosing me on the Internet. We were fairly certain I had Meningitis, Brucellosis, or a Pterodactyl bite. Seriously though, it was scaring me, so I'm glad I figured it out. And that it's not a Pterodactyl bite after all. That would have sucked.

10 comments:

Erin said...

I've heard Pterodactyl bites can be pretty hard to recoveer from....just sayin'....

Katie said...

Don't joke about pterodactyl bites. It could happen to you. ;)

Oh, and with the back pain thing... I've found a way to bend over and make it not hurt (though the way you look doing it will cause a serious dip in your cool points). However, after a few minutes of effort (including doing that bend several times and trying to get Nathan to help me come up with a description), I can't figure out how to describe it. I'll just have to come show you. But it works. It's part of my "Ima pretend I don't have a back issue so I don't have to go to the doctor" arsenal.

Sarah Crump said...

i still say it's brucellosis brought on by the pterodactyl bite. but whatever.

Nutty Mom said...

I'm so sorry about your back pain. Ever since I gave birth to our first child (of 3) I've had horrible lower back/hip pain. It gets really severe to where I can hardly walk. My sister in law introduced me to a power balance band, and quite frankly it's a miracle!!! It's just a bracelet, but it's hard to describe what it does unless you actually TRY one. See if there's a place in your area that sells them (Finish line sell them here), and go have them do the balance test with you. By improving your core muscles and balance, your pain may just vanish like mine did. Now if I remove my band, yes the pain comes right back. BUT it's a small price to pay to be pain and drug free!!! And for people who think it's just a placebo, it's NOT. I tried it on my 9 month old son who can barely sit. I had him sit without it, and he was wobbly and fell over. Then I had him sit with it and he was a ROCK. Totally didn't waiver or wobble or anything.

http://www.powerbalance.com/

amanda said...

I have been following your blog for a while. I just wanted to say I had scoliosis and wore a back brace in middle school too. I totally understand the random, and painful, back pain that come from time to time. It is annoying. Mine always hurts right where my curve is and usually it is because I have been carrying around my 2 and a half year old too much.
Praying your back pain goes away!

Laura A said...

Well, you know how dangerous those Pterodactyl bites can be...

So sorry your back is wacked out! Will pray it's better soon. Really glad you all had a good weekend otherwise, though.

Hope your Monday is good and your back cooperates! Love to sweet Jonah!!

Laura

Anonymous said...

When our oldest was almost 2 I had a back injury that put me out for six weeks. Since then it does come back once in a while--carrying toddlers over the years mostly on one hip didn't help.

I went to a fantastic chiropractor who gave me a few really simple exercises. I find if I feel it coming on, I do those exercises for a few weeks and they really helps.

(He also told me that putting kids in carseats, vacuuming (and any twisting motions) should be avoided when I have the pain. Yeah right...with four kids and a fairly big house, that wasn't very realistic...)

I'll bet leaning over Jonah during dressing change is very hard on your back. Be careful!

Wanda Wilkinson said...

My internet at home is OUT...I could hardly wait to get to work this morning to check on you.

Glad to hear you had a good weekend. Jonah's face looks so good. Looks like everyone enjoyed the weekend.

I am right there with you about the cooler/dryer temps. Fall cannot get here soon enough.

Back pain ugh!!:( major bummer, but hopefully that will be gone soon.

Hope you Monday has started off great...love & prayers

Shaina N said...

I hiiiiiiighly recommend going to a chiropractor. Even with scoliosis it could help a lot! You could have twisted when moving the TV, or when painting, or when lifting that gorgeous boy and just twisted a vertebrae a little. My whole family goes and we feel SO much better. My mom was almost wheel chair bound in 2005/2006 and with chiropractic care and some PT she is a completely different person. I used to not be able to sit down without my hips popping out of joint. Not pleasant.

It's super important to find a good one -- one that uses an Activator tool is usually a good bet. Ask around and see if you can get recommendations, or email me and I can ask my chiro for a recommendation. Mine was even at my daughters birth and adjusted me before birth, and my daughter afterwards!

I hope you feel better! It is soooo hard taking care of a little one with a bad back!

Jennifer said...

I have heard that Pterodactyl bites can cause lots of complications. Might even require massive quanities of chocolate and spa treatments.... Just saying.... However, more seriously, you NEED to see a doctor to get yourself some PT so you can do some exercises so that this does not keep happening. You are too precious to mess with. So glad that the big guy got to hang with some friends. Keep at the play dates. They get better with time and practice. Love to you. Jennifer in Southeast, NC (where Pterodactyl sightings have been noted)!