Ouch!

Sometime last week I was thinking how great it was that I haven't been sick in SO long! Sure - I've had a little tummy trouble here and there, and I burned my finger and had a bit of a cough, but it was nothing, really. I was skipping to work every day feeling pretty GOOD! Even little Jesse sneezing right in my face a couple weeks ago didn't even make me sick!

But then Friday before work, just as I was almost out the door, I bent over to pick something up and there was a pop in my back. Or maybe it was a snap. Definitely not a crackle though. Something had happened in my lower back, and walking to school made me feel all crooked, like I was simultaneously sticking my butt out while tilting my pelvis inward. I don't even think that's possible, but that's how it felt. By the end of the day, the pain had wrapped down and around so that it gripped both my thighs in a strong "charley horse."

I laid pretty low all weekend. I did go downtown to meet C. and his friend on Saturday night, but I'd had a few "wobbly pops" so wasn't feeling too bad at all. We had some soju and then some beer and then a bit more beer at a noraebang, and I was ooooookkkkaaaayyy. When C. went to get the car, though (he had stopped drinking after a couple shots of soju way early in the night) I asked if it was ok if I waited for him and he came to get me. Even through the haze, I could feel my back protesting.

Sunday I really took it easy, spending most of the day lying down. I was still sore, and moving made me go "Aaaaarrrrggghhh" so I took it easy. This morning I initially felt quite a bit better, but the walk to work killed me. I had no idea my back was so bad! My legs were like jell-o, and I was shaking and dripping with sweat by the time I got there. I looked up "spasm" in the English-Korean dictionary and had my boss write a note I gave to the doctor after my 1st class. (I had a 40 minute break then.)

The doctor said "I think you'd better bed rest."
"Amen to that, doc!" I replied.
"Why do you cry?" he asked me.
"Because it hurts!" I explained.

I wasn't really crying as much as I was leaking. Water was just spilling out of my eyes a bit because my brain was ordering me to lie down, and repeating a mantra of "Ow, Ow, Ow, Ow!"

I scuttled back to work and sat down for a couple minutes before I told my boss I thought I had to go home. She let me. And here I am.

I hate taking a sick day. It's hard on the other teachers, and the kids whose classes I'm supposed to teach get all upset. I lingered a bit, wondering if I could hack it, but after looking at my pink pained eyes in the mirror I gave in.

I've gotta lie still now.