My F$%@!*# Back

That’s right…another guy complaining about back pain…get in line, right? As someone who has dealt with back problems on and off for most of my adult life (I'm 6”4) I can say that its one of those afflictions that, while specifically located in the small of the back, affects virtually everything you do. It slows you down…makes it difficult to move…and when your job requires you to be on your feet for 9 hours a day in constant motion…well, it makes for a very uncomfortable day. Basically, back pain can be very debilitating and is (almost) enough to bring a grown man to tears.

My back started acting up a few days ago after the longest time with little to no trouble. I’m pretty sure the combination of stress, poor diet and sleeping on the couch is responsible for my back turning into a twisted up phone chord. I’ve been popping the Tylenol to numb the pain, stretching, twisting and cracking my back 3…4…5 times a day trying to relieve the stress…but the relief is only temporary. Also, the constant drug use needed to fight the pain has resulted in me being groggy and crabby when I wake up in the morning…and for a good couple of hours afterwards. I was feeling so shitty this particular morning that I almost blew off work again…but I sucked it up, went in, and while the pain was pretty bad, I was kind of glad to be ‘doing something’ other than sitting on my couch and feeling sorry for myself. Like I said in my last post…its been a rough week or so.

So to all of you out there suffering with back pain…who know the feeling of a spine shaved down to the width of a toothpick…I feel your pain!

And then some…