149/366: WORST MEMORIAL DAY

28 May 12

 

FML! Last night was unbearable. The pain running down my leg made sleep impossible. I just rolled from one side to the next, popped some ibuprofen, and tried not to go crazy. That didn't work, so I ended up finally falling asleep awkwardly on the couch. Morning comes, and I regretted that sleep position because now I had a limp on the left side. It bloody hurt to do anything, so I eventually stumbled into my guest room to try and sleep there. At the time, the only way I could get any relief from the pain was to sleep with my leg bent, so I did. Worst mistake I could have made. I woke up about 2 hours later and I cannot express in any words that do not involve me using loads of expletives what I felt. I tried to put my leg down or roll to the side or sit up and I was frozen in pain. I clenched at the bed something fierce, but then forced myself onto the floor and onto my knees hovering against the mattress. No joke, I reached for my cell phone and right there in pain on the floor, googled my symptoms and it became clear this was something called sciatica.

 

So I'm wincing and reading this thing and I'm like this describes what I'm feeling to a t. Excruciating pain, check! So after ten minutes, I finally manage to genuflect and stand up, but it hurt and took all my energies to do so. I start hobbling toward the freezer for an icepack when my mom sees me and is like, OMG, what can I get you, are you okay, what's happening. At that same exact moment, my blood sugar spikes HARD. I'd basically been awake all night and hadn't eaten anything in probably 14 hours or so, so then it starts: I get flush, I'm sweating, my hands are shaking, and my eyes start rolling back and I know this is bad and I'm going to pass out soon if I don't get some sugar in me. So I'm hobbling to the fridge and my mom is looking at me in that terrifed look. She thinks its just the leg pain, but I grab at the freezer wildly to steady me and I managed to get out the tiny icepack, but then I fell against the counter. My mom is trying to ask me if she can get the other icepack and at this point, my speech had begun to slur so I got out the word ice or something, and I forced myself to get to the couch because the world was starting to tilt.

 

I felt the ice on me, but I couldn't open my eyes. I came to a bit later and the ice was still on me, and I guess my mom didn't see my face because it was down in the couch, but it was so surreal. I'm glad she didn't see because a long time ago, while on vacation, I passed out on a street corner. I remember telling my dad, I don't feel well, and then collapsing. From that day on, it was no joke, like 2 years of my mom asking me every meal if I was eating enough or needed more vitamins, or getting enough sugar in my system, or getting my exercise. Granted, I'm an idiot, clearly from reading the above, but it was still very annoying having someone monitor your every move and meal.

 

So after the whole debacle, I went back into my room and googled some more and found stretches that were allegedly supposed to relieve the pain in my leg. I have never been more greatful to stretch in my life. It was almost an immediate relief. The pain still came back a little while longer, but it was more of a twinge then anything else.

 

So that my friends, was the worst memorial day. Now having said that, I have to say, petty in compared to what our soldiers go through and dedicate their lives for. It amazes me how these men and women voluntarily go over to a place with hostile environment and people and risk everything for what they believe in. That must e honored and respected.

 

Done