[Girl♥Health]: The Tough Decisions

Earlier this week I talked about how one of the focuses of my Girl♥Health plan for the next year is to build and nurture a healthy back.  I want to be able to move, to accomplish the goals I set for myself, to do what I want.

This was never more true than it was over this past Labor Day weekend.

On Tuesday of last week, my back went out again.  When it does this, there's little I can do besides be in bed.  I can't sit for long periods, I can't stand for long periods, I even have a hard time rolling over.  If the movement has anything to do with my hips, lower back, or my entire friggin' spine, chances are I can't do it.

The big problem was that Nate and I were heading to Seattle over the long weekend for a wedding.

Seattle.  My favorite city in the U.S.  College friends, old haunts, PNW weather, water, mountains, EVERYTHING I LOVE.

So you can see my dilemma.

Do I stay in bed, where my back can heal, where I'm not pushing it to do more than it can, where I can be comfortable and in as little pain as possible?  Where I'll also be alone and bored and without internet (it went out on Friday, not to return until Monday) or boyfriend?

Or do I chance it?  Do I pray that my back is better by Friday night, or Saturday morning at the latest?  Do I get on that plane, sit for TWO WHOLE HOURS, get out and leave myself at the mercy of the group, hoping that our collective itinerary has enough time built in for me to lay down regularly and stretch my back out before I collapse?

The smart, back-health-conscious thing to do would have been to wish Nate a good time, stay home and rest up.  Sure, I'd be miserable (I'd probably cry a lot, as I do), but it's responsible.  It's reasonable.  It's what an adult would do.

So.  What did I do?

...

I said, screw it, packed my bags, and hightailed it up north.

On a scale of one to ten -- one being the base level intelligence of a dirt, and ten being the base level intelligence of a baboon -- my decision to go to Seattle probably places me somewhere in the vicinity of -15.  Because, as it turns out, I have a slipped disk.

Let me put this another way.  I spent an entire weekend walking, sitting, standing, moving, NOT LAYING DOWN, on a SLIPPED DISK.

And now I'm in pain.  Staring at my ceiling.  Again.

But (and this is a huge but), I would do it again.  In a heartbeat.

Why, you may ask?

Well, because I have this to show for it:

Sometimes, it's just worth it, you know?