Tim Samoff // Weblog

It was such a surprise. One minute I was walking to the bus stop. Then next, I was completely taken over by the most excrutiating pain I think I’ve ever felt. My body arched back. I almost dropped everything I was holding. I hunched forward and waited until I caught my breath.

What is going on?

A cramp. It’s just got to be a very bad cramp.

I continued on, sure that I would start feeling better. I arrived at the bus stop and still no relief.

The next twenty minutes were almost unbearable. I clutched the hand rail on the bus seat in front of me and stared out the window so that no one could see my contorted face.

Something is seriously wrong.

Finally, after one transfer, and another few minutes awaiting what I thought was going to be my death, I was walking toward the building where I work, praying that God would alleviate whatever it was I was going through.

At the building. The waves of pain were only getting worse.

When I got to my office, all I could do was lay down on the floor on my back. It didn’t help, but at least I wasn’t moving.

I didn’t know what was wrong. I kept checking my pulse to make sure I wasn’t having a heart attack or something. The tears were rolling down my cheeks at that point and it was still an hour and a half before anyone else was going to arrive at the office.

Call Julianna. I have to call Julianna.

On the phone. Julianna only had a few more minutes before she had to leave for work, so, through my hysteria, we decided that I would wait until someone got to the office. Only a minute after saying goodbye, though, Julianna called back to tell me that she was coming to get me.

Friday I was all but bedridden. Julianna was able to get me a prescription to Flexiril, but it wasn’t working too well (I later found it very effective). I made an appointment at the chiropractor’s for Saturday morning. All I could do was wait it out.

At the chiropractor’s, I had some X-rays taken, was told that I had a pinched nerve and that my muscle spasms were being caused by that.

By late Sunday, I was feeling a hundred times better, but the pain was still noticeable. But something happened as I was sitting at the computer that afternoon. Something loosened. I felt it loosen. And I felt much better afterwards.

I went to the chiropractor again today. He went over my X-rays with me and popped a few problem vertibrae. I instantly felt better.

I still hurt, but at least it’s getting better.

I’ve broken a few bones in my life. I’ve had over sixty stitches sewn in over the years. Still, I don’t know if any of it compares to the pain of this pinched nerve.

If you’d like to see a picture of me shortly after being driven home from work by my wonderful wife, click here. (My friend Sco gave me the shirt I’m wearing — oh, the irony!)