I'm half way through the fourth day since I slipped on ice and banged up my back, and I thought I'd end the week with a status report.
When I arrived home after the accident on Wednesday, I hobbled upstairs to my bed and watched a DVD of Santa Clause 3. When I tried to get up from the bed, I couldn't. My back muscles were having severe spasms, one after the other, as I tried to rise up from the bed. My wife had to help me get up. I was pretty sore for the rest of the day. The only way I could keep the spasms and pain away was to stand or sit with my body perfectly balanced over my feet. I knew I'd never survive the bed, so I tried to sleep in a chaise chair. That didn't work, either. I had four extra cushions on the chair -- two for sitting and two behind my back to keep me from leaning back. I couldn't tilt the chair, because I had to keep my body aligned with the vertical. I ended up with 45 minutes of sleep that night. I didn't have much pain when I walked, stood still, or sat straight. I was just so full of stress that I couldn't go to sleep.
Things improved during Thursday. I had fewer muscle spasms, and I was able to get by with two extra cushions on the chair, one for sitting and one for my back. Thursday night was another bad night for sleep -- 2 hours between the night and naps the next day. But, I was able to see improvement in my condition, and that gave me hope.
Friday was a much better day. I was able to walk normally, climb stairs faster, and sit for longer periods of time. Friday night was a big improvement. No extra cushions on the chair, and two hours sleep during the night and an hour the next day in naps. As an experiment I tried taking a nap in my bed and did get half an hour, but when I tried to get up I had several mild muscle spasms due to trying to lift my body off the bed. Later in the evening I actually got sleepy before I tried to go to sleep that evening. In the two previous nights, I wouldn't be sleepy at all until just before the sun came up.
I felt pretty good today, and helped my wife put up our two Christmas trees, and I vacuumed the needles off the floor after we were finished. Tonight will be another night on the chair. I got two hours sleep last night, and my goal is a new PB tonight with three hours sleep :)
I've been worried that I might have a bone fracture. However, I have no tender spots anywhere on my back. When my wife rubs the ointment on my back, she does so with significant pressure, and I think if I had a stress fracture, I would feel pain from her massaging.
I'm very grateful that I didn't have bone fractures or broken bones. At my age, a fall like that could be serious. I'm grateful for the effect of running on my body, and I'm grateful for the supplements that I take to insure that I have proper nutrition.
Until I get more sleep at night, I don't think I'll do any walking or running. My body is suffering from hight stress, and it doesn't need more from walking or running.
I'm half way through the fourth day since I slipped on ice and banged up my back, and I thought I'd end the week with a status report.
When I arrived home after the accident on Wednesday, I hobbled upstairs to my bed and watched a DVD of Santa Clause 3. When I tried to get up from the bed, I couldn't. My back muscles were having severe spasms, one after the other, as I tried to rise up from the bed. My wife had to help me get up. I was pretty sore for the rest of the day. The only way I could keep the spasms and pain away was to stand or sit with my body perfectly balanced over my feet. I knew I'd never survive the bed, so I tried to sleep in a chaise chair. That didn't work, either. I had four extra cushions on the chair -- two for sitting and two behind my back to keep me from leaning back. I couldn't tilt the chair, because I had to keep my body aligned with the vertical. I ended up with 45 minutes of sleep that night. I didn't have much pain when I walked, stood still, or sat straight. I was just so full of stress that I couldn't go to sleep.
Things improved during Thursday. I had fewer muscle spasms, and I was able to get by with two extra cushions on the chair, one for sitting and one for my back. Thursday night was another bad night for sleep -- 2 hours between the night and naps the next day. But, I was able to see improvement in my condition, and that gave me hope.
Friday was a much better day. I was able to walk normally, climb stairs faster, and sit for longer periods of time. Friday night was a big improvement. No extra cushions on the chair, and two hours sleep during the night and an hour the next day in naps. As an experiment I tried taking a nap in my bed and did get half an hour, but when I tried to get up I had several mild muscle spasms due to trying to lift my body off the bed. Later in the evening I actually got sleepy before I tried to go to sleep that evening. In the two previous nights, I wouldn't be sleepy at all until just before the sun came up.
I felt pretty good today, and helped my wife put up our two Christmas trees, and I vacuumed the needles off the floor after we were finished. Tonight will be another night on the chair. I got two hours sleep last night, and my goal is a new PB tonight with three hours sleep :)
I've been worried that I might have a bone fracture. However, I have no tender spots anywhere on my back. When my wife rubs the ointment on my back, she does so with significant pressure, and I think if I had a stress fracture, I would feel pain from her massaging.
I'm very grateful that I didn't have bone fractures or broken bones. At my age, a fall like that could be serious. I'm grateful for the effect of running on my body, and I'm grateful for the supplements that I take to insure that I have proper nutrition.
Until I get more sleep at night, I don't think I'll do any walking or running. My body is suffering from hight stress, and it doesn't need more from walking or running.