Strangely and Wonderfully Evolved

The other day I fell.  I have balance problems and I have almost become used to toppling over suddenly and randomly.  Only this time, I didn't fall over and to the right as usual.  I fell under.  I landed on my back.  And it hurt.  Like a muther it hurt.

I did hit my head but that blow was cushioned by my hat, my winter coat which is rather puffy, and the automatic straining of my neck muscles forward.  If my neck muscles hadn't instinctively pulled forward, I could have found myself with a whiplash.  But they had.

The dog came and stood very still next to me, allowed me to shove my face into her coat and hold her until I was ready to get up.  She also allowed me to pull up to a standing position using her harness.  For that I was at once both grateful and impressed by her actions.

I went home, swallowed a couple of o.t.c.s and took a hot soak.  I did go for a nap.  I spent the rest of the day being quiet.  The next morning was the onset of hell.

Hell came in the form of strained muscles.  I had strained muscles in my back, my gut and of course in my neck-- the neck muscles which had acted to prevent a whiplash were now suffering for their heroics.  Another hot bath was drawn and then a long walk with the dog.  I know from past experience that the worse thing that I can do for my aching back is to sit or lay still for any length of time.  Movement is healing.  In a general way, the act of walking keeps us walking longer as we age.  In a very specific way, walking elevates my mood and keeps my dog happy.

It is several days later.  I am signed up for a bit of physical therapy to start in a few weeks.  Meanwhile, I keep on walking with the dog.  I've started my own routine of stretching and flexing various muscle groups in order to prepare for p.t.  I've got both ice in the freezer and a tens unit in a case should I need either to manage the pain of the strained muscles which acted to protect me from more calamity.

sapphoq n friends