The Dangers of Bowling

"Hey Mom, remember that time you took us bowling and a bowling ball fell on your pinky and smashed it all up?"

Monday Morning

This morning when I woke up, my left achilles hurt for no apparent reason. If I were say, training for a triathlon, at least I would feel really cool about it. But no. Every step I took shot an achy pain right through the back of my heel. I limped around the house for a few minutes, drinking orange juice, brushing my teeth, getting dressed. I went walking, and wearing my sneakers helped alleviate some of my limp. When I got back, I did a few stretches and the pain mostly worked itself out.

Brian Regan talks about getting older and discovering new aches and pains each morning, like waking up and immediately clutching your lower back. "Great! Well, I guess I'll live with THAT for THE REST OF MY LIFE!"

Anyway, it's the little things like that I'm starting to notice. Actually, I've been trying to ignore them, like they don't exist, but sometimes they yell really loud -- or hurt really bad -- as it were. And they're really bugging the heck out of me.

Ribs, Anyone?

The last 8 or 10 days have been a whirlwind of craziness here in the Stagg household, but it all came to a head yesterday, when at 2:30 a.m. I woke up in agony. I pretty much diagnosed myself with having a heart attack, until I realized that the pain was on my right side. I stayed in bed hoping for the sweet relief of sleep or death, whichever came first. I probably slept for a sum total of 30 minutes - and it was the first day of school. After describing my symptoms to my physical therapist/husband, he said, "I think you should call a chiropractor."

So I got my kids out the door for their first day. Aren't they cute?

Thankfully, kindergarten doesn't officially begin until September 7th, after placement testing, which did begin yesterday. Also thankfully, placement testing means sitting in the same chair with one kid at a time (standing at this point was not an option). And by the time lunch rolled around, I had an appointment with a chiropractor. After a few simple tests he said, "you have a subluxated rib."

If you've ever had a searing, white-hot dagger hooked to electrical shock wires piercing you through your back to your chest, then you know what I'm talking about. Ouch.

Dr. Froggley did his thing and I was able to walk out of his office more fully upright than when I went in. It's still a little tender today, but I'm more willing to move, walk, bend, breathe, etc. Also, due to the aforementioned whirlwind, I ended up with a day off!

So the question is, do I clean up the whirlwind's effects or do I chill on the couch with the Rachael Ray Show? Hmm. That's a tough one.