We’ve all experienced some sort of pain, whether it’s a
broken bone, headache or something more severe, we’ve all suffered from
something that hurts. Unfortunately for me one of my ailments causes me a
massive amount of pain. So much pain that it makes me physically sick to my
stomach. As I’ve mentioned before, I have disabilities, but I was certain that
I could work through them for this catering course.
This week I am facing my first serious challenge…back pain.
Not just some minor pain, but major, uncontrollable, debilitating pain. When I
fell down the stairs a few years ago it caused some serious back injuries that
have never gone away. There isn’t much that can be done about it. Simply put…it
flat out hurts. I take pain medication, have a machine that sends electrical
currents through my back, a back brace and I even have some yoga balls. Everything
you could imagine a person could use to relieve back pain, I’ve got. Sometimes
it works, but most of the time I just have to suffer through it until the pain
eases. This usually takes a few days. I’m on day three now and I’m truly
tempted to go to the ER to see if they can relieve some of this pressure on my
spine, but chances are they’ll just drug me up and send me on my merry way.
After spending years on heavy pain medications, the ER’s solution just isn’t a
pleasant thought.
I tried to keep my mind off of the pain this week by
watching movies, I Love Lucy and anything else that came on TV. I was so
desperate I even watched Legally Blonde the Musical on MTV. Eventually I pulled
out my next study unit, Introduction to Catering, thinking that I might be able
to take my mind off of the pain by reading. Too bad that didn’t work. For two
days I’ve been reading the same section of my study unit and none of it seems
to be sticking. I simply can’t work through the pain. Thank God Penn Foster is
a self paced school or I’d be up the creek without a paddle.
At the end of this week, my partner Faith and I have two
parties we’re catering and I know that there is some valuable information we
could use in my next unit, but I simply can’t get my head together and focus. I’m
not really sure what I’m going to do about it. I just may cave and go to the
hospital, but what I’m really hoping for is a miraculous recovery.