Rotten Night

Well, just when you think something will be a breeze... or at least, that you've done it before, so it will be simpler the second time around. Nope. I'll reiterate one of my posts from last year: these projects ain't for sissies. Parts of them are fun, but other parts are uncomfortable.

Yesterday, I only had a bit of mild tingling in the legs... no numbness or "hot spots" as I've heard others report (though that doesn't mean that won't show up over more time). My back twinged many times, particularly when I tried to breathe deeply.

The same was true last year, so I expected another acclimation period. Any change in circumstances or environment takes adjustment, but when any symptoms become acute, predicting that adjustment doesn't make it any easier!

The backache didn't interfere with my normal activities yesterday... instead it waited until the middle of the night to flare into fire! I woke up just after 3:00am, unable to find a comfortable sleeping position. I tossed and turned for awhile, and you know how it is when you cannot sleep -- you start thinking how drowsy you'll be the next day, and every tiny noise seems amplified. The ticking clock in my room started to sound explosive and sinister. I became frustrated that I just couldn't close my eyes. For the first time, I called for a nurse in the middle of the night.

Luckily, responses around here are always immediate, sympathetic and geared toward swift resolution. The only problem is with ME, in terms of not asking for help sooner. Perhaps that's true for many women -- we are not used to being taken care of -- certainly not accustomed to smiling nurses waiting on us hand and foot! It's difficult to deal with the guilt of "bothering" someone until I feel desperate. Within a few minutes, I had two Tylenol in hand, along with a heating pad and earplugs... and another half-hour later, I was fast asleep.

I slept so deeply, I experienced another "first" here: I didn't even hear the wake-up music! Part of it was the foam earplugs, but I was honestly still knocked out and didn't blink into consciousness until another nurse was wrapping a blood pressure cuff around my arm for morning vitals!

Backache gone. Adaptability in action. And today, I get to do it aaaaaaall over again... going into the "standing" tilt any moment now...