Hope for the Best, Brace for the Worst...

Well yesterday was a day of turmoil. It actually started on Tuesday night, around 10 pm. We had just finished swapping some small valentine's things (we like doing things spontaneously sometimes), and after getting the lad off to bed, my wife and I were in the kitchen getting some Hot Apple Cider drinks, and she stretched up, only to be met by a pop and sharp stabbing pain in her lower back. She has had a lot of back problems, but not in the lower areas...

At first, we didn't think it woul dbe too bad, but then it became increasingly evident that it was very serious, and she could not even move. For the next two hours, I held my breath and helped her do everything. She couldn't even lie down yet. Well after midnight we decided to go in to the hospital the next morning, just to give it a night of rest and see. I had my fingers crossed that it was a muscle strain (as I have had from repetitive lifting and trust me, it hurts like a Mutha....) and not something more serious, like a slipped disc etc.

Finally got her laid down, and off to sleep we went. Come morning, I had to get up and make like I was getting ready for work. I had to drive the boy to school, and I knew from her reaction when I wolk up that I would need to take her in for sure. So after letting her rest some more, we had a tea and away we went. I hate driving with an injured person. Every bump in the road makes me feel like I am stabbing a knife in her back... Ouch... And with the snow on the roads, there were about a thousand strokes of the blade on the way there :(

After getting to Emergency, we had the obligatory "over an hour" wait in the waiting area. I had to park so away I went to find some parking. They have been working on the Hospital in Red Deer for years now, so it is always a mess of construction and visitors etc... At any rate, finally we got into a small curtained off observation room. Had to help get the clothing changed into those evil blue smock things, that reveal your buttocks perfectly when you are walking down the hall. Further waiting brought the nurse, who had a quick look and that was about it.

Finally the doctor, with some sort of european accent, came in and checked out the legs and other symptoms. Finally he deduced it was a "classic case of muscle strain" and he would prescribe some anti-inflammatories as well as some super pain meds. This seems very reassuring but at the same time, this is the latest trend in our province's health care system. Prescriptions... Garrr. Thank God I have a plan at work.

So we wait and wait for the doc to come back with the prescriptions, and finally we decide to get her clothes back on. I open the curtains to announce that we are ready to hobble out of there, and the nurse looks up and says "Oh hold on, I was going to give you a shot for the pain..." So back on the bed goes the wife, and she gets a super shot in the hip of anti-inflammatories and pain killers... So now she has to lie there for 10 or 15 minutes. Well, 25 minutes later, the nurse comes back, checks the blood pressure and away we go.

Once we got home, all she could do was rest. Back pain is so terrible. It is a chore to use the washroom, roll over in bed or do just about anything. I am glad now that the kids have the next two days off school. I have to work, but at least my son can look after her for a couple of days :)

I hope and pray that it gets better right away though. She is a very active hard working person, and seeing her in pain like this and unable to function is really heart-wrenching. I also hope it is nothing more serious...

*** UPDATED ***

Well it has been a week now. Not a whole lot of progress. She went to the doctor again yesterday and they sent her for tons of x-rays. There are some issues going on though not specifically this injury. I am hoping they can maybe do something this time other than give her more pills....