Average Jane’s Bad Back

I scooped the foster kitty's litterbox this morning and when I bent down to put it back on the floor my back spasmed so bad that I thought I was going to pass out from the pain, right there on the filthy floor of my basement. It hurt so much I felt like I was going to throw up, and I got all hot and sweaty.

I couldn't help but moan my distress until my husband came to find out what was wrong. He brought me an Alleve and a glass of water and eventually had to come down and open the back doors so I could walk all the way around the house to get upstairs, because there was no way I could make it back up the basement stairs.

I spent about an hour on the floor working my muscles with the foam roller and a tennis ball, then slathered Bio-Freeze over a large percentage of my body, and now I can actually stand upright. I'm not so sure about driving, though.

For those of you keeping score, this is the second time I've had this happen this year. The last time was in the spring, and it took two deep-tissue massages before I was fully functional again.

The underlying problem is that I am not in very good physical shape because I don't exercise enough. Clearly, that's something that needs to be addressed sooner rather than later.

For now, I'm trying to get to the point where I'm pain-free and flexible enough to get dressed and go to work. I seem to be sitting fairly comfortably, but if the last time is any guide, it's the standing up part that's the problem.

When I think of someone having a "bad back," I always think of my grandfather. Then again, it's possible that he was about my age when his back started "going bad." Isn't that a sobering thought?