Back Pain at 40

I have been afraid of a strained, pulled, ruined back for years.  I have seen how it debilitates people and forces them to stop doing activities they once loved.  I have always been conscious about keeping my core as strong as possible (not easy after 4 c-sections actually), varying up what I do for exercise so as not to use a few muscles all the time, and trying to listen to my body, which has been yelling a little louder the last month.  So part of me was not surprised when yesterday I was doing something I have probably done hundreds of times....."jump shots" from P90x.  On the 3rd to last shot, I jumped and my back froze, seized, stopped mid-air, and my heart sank.  I had no time to deal with it right then, so I forced myself to move to get into the car to get Caleb to his ride for school.  The worst part was getting back out of the car after sitting, so I kept moving, which seemed to lessen the pain.  I had to leave in one hour to teach two classes that would include 20 minutes of exercise each.   I was not sure how I was going to pull this off, but somehow I managed with two naproxen and slower movements and an exercise routine that was only focused on strength training......no jumping, twisting, or quick movements involved.

But it was Wednesday and that meant that from 2:30-5:30 I was sitting in my car doing the drop-off, pick-up dance for two cello lessons, one group piano lesson, and one band rehearsal.  After I made the last drop....Caleb to Jared for band rehearsal and was driving back home with a now screaming back, Jared called me and said, "you'r going to kill me, but do you think you could bring the djumbe to rehearsal, I forgot to grab it?"  When I laughed out loud with that "are you kidding me" kind of laugh, he got the picture and told me it was fine and they would make due.  Thank you Jared and a good thing as I'm sure I could not have handled another 20 minutes in the car.

Then the blessing that kept me hopeful and sane during the 3 hours of Wednesday routine:    I was at the middle school waiting for Caleb to come out early ( he forgot, again) to get to cello and a mom was there who I have never seen at that time.  She is a good friend...a great 40 year old friend :)  and I told her about my back because she is a PT and I was hoping for some advice.  Well, she gave it in the form of her own PT appointment that morning for her own pulled back!  We have the same GP doctor, who is fantastic and told me the PT she went to was a specialist in back problems that that after the two hours they worked on her, she was feeling significantly better.  So, I'm off to see Doctor Bruce and hope to leave with a plan that will result in a respite of pain and a guide for the future as I have always seen myself as one of those 80 year old mall walkers I spent time with on my mission in MN :)