The BIG Ouch... (what I wish I was warned of after baring children)

Remember how I mentioned a couple of months ago about some 'not so serious' back pain I was dealing with? Well, recently, things got serious...

The pain has fluctuated between feeling fabulous, to 'take me to the hospital, PRONTO!!' over the past couple of months, and last week it took a bit of a turn and became something I needed to take seriously. Well it was either that, or be riddled with pain so bad that I wasn't able to move. And that happened.

Last Wednesday I was at work, sitting at my desk and working through the niggling pain as I did most days. But the pain intensified and I couldn't work through it any longer - I left work to come home and continue my day from bed where I found comfort. I didn't make it home and instead detoured to the local hospital as the pain was growing as I was driving. I needed stronger pain relief, fast.

After waiting in the ER for about half an hour, I was seen by a doctor who wasn't aware of my issues, so I had to tell the story from the beginning (don't you hate that?!). He assessed me, asked me to bend forward, backward, etc and then proceeded to put pressure on the areas I was complaining about. And then it happened. I fainted. I went suddenly dizzy, covered in sweat and was carried to the bed to recover. My obs were checked, I was given some stronger pain relief, but seeing as I was already booked in for a CT scan the following day, I was sent home to follow through with my original plan.

On a side note: Pain relief was awesome!!

I felt great the next day. Still in pain, but not to the same extent as the previous day and was even joking to my girlfriend that my CT scan wouldn't show anything now as I felt 'fine'. That perhaps the drugs would hide whatever was going on and everything would come back normal... but it didn't.

If anything it came back a bit 'worse' than what I was expecting: 3 buldged discs, some osteoarthritis and a couple of other issues that meant that as a combination I had to take things seriously.

Fast forward to Sunday - I went for a walk in the morning and felt great throughout the day. Still tender and not willing to risk anything, but ok. I was getting Ryder undressed to hop into the bath in the afternoon, went to lift him up and MY GOODNESS!! The pain that shot up my back was SO intense I couldn't move. I was ushered to the bed, and the paramedics were called. I was in such an amount of pain that I couldn't move, I couldn't raise my legs...

I had an amazing Paramedic (thank you Bronwyn!) who stayed with me and helped me as much as she could so I didn't have to be admitted to hospital. After a plethora of drugs I was able to get off the bed and walk (and stay home!) and was put on bed rest - turns out I pinched a nerve, a pretty feisty nerve!

So here I am, 5-days post nerve pinch and I am back to feeling 'ok'. Not free of pain, but I have been able to lower my pain medication - and now await seeing a specialist to deal with the problem at hand.

To say I am scared is a bit of an understatement - when it comes to my back, I don't think there's anything else above that I'd rather not have in pain (easy to say that when I'm in the pain though, right?!). The thought of having a needle (steroid injections have been suggested, no thanks!), or surgery on my back just give me shivers. It's not something I want, ever. Other than when I am in the throws of labour... but even then after the experience I had with Ryder I don't think I'd go there again!

I just didn't realise how much my core has taken a beating since having children, and it's something we take for granted so much... as mothers we are constantly lifting/carrying/picking things up and more than likely not looking at HOW we do it. I've always been someone who's thought that whilst I've had a little bit of a 'spare tire', and a little bit more of me to love, that I've been relatively fit - I would never have thought that my core (including my pelvic floor) would be this bad, and it is.

So to all those yummy mummy's out there, PLEASE look after that precious pelvic floor. It is SO much more than bladder control!!