Back out? Just shoot me now!

I decided the night before that I thought that Nathan might have and ear infection so the next morning I called the pediatrician, set up an appointment and called Daniel to let him know what our plans were. As I was on the on the phone with Daniel I found that I couldn't get comfortable on the couch where I was sitting. No matter how I sat, or adjusted my posture, this pain right under my shoulder blade kept getting worse to the point where I couldn't take a deep breath. I lay on the floor trying to stretch out my back or at least make it stop hurting. Nathan, poor baby, was crawling all over me trying to figuring out what was going on. Finally Nathan asked to watch something and I thought "That is a great idea!" I hate to, and have never before, used the TV as a babysitter but I felt out of options.

I posted a plea on facebook and then did the only thing I could think of. I took a bath, a very hot bath, shower curtain closed, door open so that I could at least hear what Nathan was doing even if I couldn't do much about it. I also sent a text message to my Dad, who has had back trouble before, asking for advice. After the bath, some vicks on my back, and 4 advil I discovered, once Nathan helped me get it out from under the sink, that a hair-dryer, carefully aimed, is almost as good as a heating pad. I finally found that I could sit and watch the end of Follow that Bird not in pain as long as I wasn't moving which is fine... for anyone without a two year old. The movie was over and I was racking my brain for what to do next. I was in luck, Nathan wanted to see another movie and who was I to complain when he even got it out of the drawer so my bending was kept to a minimum.

But all good things must come to an end and eventually is was time to go to the pediatrician. Nathan, who up until this point had been more than accommodating, chose the moment we are getting into the car to let loose a bit to twoishness. A two door car, a squirming child, and a pinched nerve is a recipe for disaster. Once he and I were both in the car I had to just sit in the drivers seat and try not to cry, or pass out, or something along those lines before I even started the car. All the way to the doctors office I tried to take deep breaths and remind myself that if I let the muscles get tense nothing short of powerful drugs would be able to help me.

Things went smoother after that and about the time we were shown into the back room at the doctors office I realized that I could take a deep breath without a sharp pain. I leaned back in the chair that I was sitting in as Nathan sat beside me calmly snacking on cheerios and thanked God for my wonderful son, my Dad with wonderful advice, and for the grace the Lord was obviously bestowing on me. I was very ginger with my back all the rest of that day and spent some quality time that evening with a rice sock from the microwave, a suggestion thanks to my facebook plea from Malia, may she be eternally blessed, and am back to normal. I just hope that I never have to do that again, but seeing as Nathan isn't getting any lighter and I really don't have a good idea as to what caused the trouble I think that I am in for disappointment. Well, now I know that Nathan can sit through a whole movie, and that, my friends, is valuable knowledge.