Maybe Laughter IS the Best Medicine

Almost 2 weeks ago I was going throughout my day and suddenly, out of nowhere my back started hurting (more specifically my upper back started having painful spasms). I had an orchestra rehearsal that night that I needed to go to, so I went. About halfway through the rehearsal my back was hurting so badly I couldn't play anymore. I couldn't figure out why it was hurting so badly. I figured I must've pulled something while doing my Turbo Jam workout 2 days before (2 days before with no previous signs of any problems...suspicious??? YES). Anyways. I'm not very tolerant of pain. Especially when it hurts to do one of my main jobs. Every time I open at 5 Buck I have to fill a 5 gallon bucket with flour and other ingredients and make a batch of dough. I have to lift the finished (heavy) dough from ground level to a table close by. I get to do this 2-3 times every day. I also get to lift containers with 10 or more complete pizzas multiple times a day as well. It's not a good feeling.
Anyways. A week ago I decided that I wasn't going to mess around with this. Nothing ever really cured the pain. So, I was referred to a chiropractor's office about a month ago on a previously unrelated subject. I still had the card and decided to call and see what would happen. The first appointment was a free scan. The scan revealed that a lot of the nerves in my back are not in a good position (pictured above...any line that isn't green is bad...I'm on the right). When the doc had me stand for a posture test, he instantly asked if I had ever been diagnosed with scoliosis. I said no. He proceeded to point out that my shoulders were not the same height and neither were my hips. So, we decided to get an x-ray. In the process of taking the x-ray, he also asked if I had ever been diagnosed with TMJ. That scares me more than scoliosis. Anyways. The x-rays were taken and I had my follow up appointment this morning.
I was taking ibuprofen all weekend for my monthly installment of pain so my back pain was definitely lessened. But, as soon as I stopped the pain meds, the pain came back. The weekend wasn't horrible, but it wasn't comfortable. I hate taking pain meds (especially a lot of them). So, I've chosen to just deal with it. Anyways...
Today I met with the other doc. I didn't need him to tell me that I had scoliosis once I saw the x-ray. So I officially have scoliosis. It's not a huge deal. Really. Thousands of people have it and have perfectly normal lives. It just so happens that mine is getting to the point that it's causing problems. Another thing he pointed out to me is the starting of some bone spurs in my neck. If you look at a picture/x-ray of a normal neck, it has a curve to it. Mine doesn't. He thought I had been in an accident...which I haven't. I hurt my neck a long time ago when I was in tumbling going into a back bend from a standing position for the first time (my hands didn't know what to do so my head and neck broke my downward motion). I had to have been in 4th grade when that happened. I also hit my head on the diving board in 6th grade while doing a back-flip. They mentioned something about an S-shaped spine at that time, but nothing more was ever said about it.
So, who knows why my neck is so screwed up. And, who knows how long I've been living with an S-shaped spine. All I know is that now it is causing some serious problems. The spasms in my back are painful. It's hard to sit for long periods of time, it's hard to turn around, it's hard to do anything really without some sort of twinge or other painful outcome.
After getting an official diagnosis on my crumbling spine (over-exaggeration). I was sent to get my muscles relaxed so I could be popped. That was the weirdest sensation I've ever felt. Electro-shock therapy is quite the invention. The doc then used a handheld massager to further loosen up my ever so tight muscles. He made my back and neck pop a few times (WHO KNEW MY NECK COULD DO THAT?!?!?!), rubbed some menthol stuff on my neck and sent me on my merry little way.
I felt so good. My back barely hurt and I felt taller. By the time I got to work (about 10-15 minutes later), the pain was back. And...not only was it back, but it was worse. Sitting an hour at the piano was almost torture. Thank heavens for those sweet little girls that I get to watch dance. They always put a smile on my face.
So, the day was not comfortable for me at all. My neck and back have been popping with every movement almost. I'm not sure if that's a good thing.
So, I went home, rested... (I understand now why people with back pain like to lie in bed all day) then went back to work. Came home, and a couple of hours later I went to institute. Came home from institute and my roommate's boyfriend entered. He's a nice guy, just so you know. Haven't found a thing wrong with him yet. :) Anyways. He offered to give me a massage. The next thing I knew, I was giving another roommate a massage afterwards. Then, she gave me one in return. I was in HEAVEN. I haven't felt that relaxed in months! So, I just collapsed on the couch. My back started hurting almost instantly. Then, out of nowhere I started laughing.  I haven't laughed that hard ever. Tears were rolling out of my eyes and I was almost ready to break down in a real sob after a few minutes of laughing out of control like that. My eyes still burn actually. I finally got up and noticed my back didn't hurt. Seriously. The therapy I had received this morning, the double massages gave me a very short-lived relief. This outrageous laughter kept me from hurting for about a half hour or so. It was WONDERFUL! As I sit here typing about it, I don't know if I can stay much longer since I'm hurting pretty badly. But, at least I know that laughter really is the best medicine. Who knew?!

Brokenhearted???

So, today I had that ill-fated 'just friends' conversation with someone.
I was the one that started it because I was confused after a more than casual time we had together over a week ago. We had originally agreed that he wasn't dating for anything other than friendship. I made it clear that I was in no position to be in anything serious. So, why is it that as soon as we went our own ways that I felt horribly crushed?
I was more than ok with the thought of being just friends with him. He flirted with my roommate right in front of me (and her date). Why do I feel this way? Is it possible that I actually liked him more than I thought? Or, is it just like every other time where I feel like I'll never get close enough to something real and this was once again shoving it in my face? Ah...
Anyways.
That's all for now.
Yay for being single :)