Life is a Swollen Excitment

A few weeks ago I took some of my junior high kids from Church on a mission trip to San Antonio. The last day I took them to Six Flags where the sun is bright and the sugar high...in corn syrup. Their favorite. I thought, "Great, this will give them a reward of serving the community since they are still children, in a way, and benefit from rewards." True, but I didn't think it would've taken the turn it did...for me.

One of my girls wanted to ride all of the "most scariest" roller coasters, so we pretty much raped / took advantage, whatever, Six Flags. I thought I would just watch her on the sidelines, and congratulate her for attempting suicide afterwards. Well, it didn't end up that way at all. Turns out she was too scared to get on any of them unless I was with her. Cute, I know. I love that feeling of being needed, who doesn't? But it cost me. We'll get to that later.
                                       
The rides were AMAZING. I would've ridden them all day. Seriously. And between me and you, they weren't that scary--just exciting. BUT while getting off of the rides a few of the kids said they blacked out for a second while on the ride. Red flag, right? Maybe that's why this theme park calls themselves Six Flags instead of Seven Flags--because six is the imperfect number and seven is perfect...according to Greek philosophers and theologians. Luckily I didn't black out but I did get whiplash (which can be a lifelong injury). Yay for us all!
                                  
I know, seriously, kid. So, three days pass and I'm back in my own bed and not sleeping on the floor in a dated sleeping bag. The thought process in my head upon awaking was, "Good mor...AHHHHHHH! I can't get up! Why can't I get up?! I'm still young!!!" Yep. I had taken a pretty bad whiplash that also made my previous spine injuries service. So put them all together and what do you get? Agony. Excruciating pain. Temporary death of the spine. Every movement, a slight turn of the head, a centimeter head lift, it all felt like agony. My spine was a limp noodle. Thoracic to cervical. Gone. Lumbar was good, though, PTL! Went to the Doc, got an x-ray, she didn't show it to me, whatever, and received a prescription for muscle spasm and steroids (to reduce the swelling of my discs, not to get bulky or a soprano voice, y'all). The x-ray below isn't me, clearly, I'm not a man. But it'll show you, if you don't already know, the curves of the spine...which will help you read this article.
                                                                                             
Medication didn't ease the pain. So I ended up going to a chiropractor for the first time, and I thank God I did. The man is a genius. He relieved my cervical pain. I can turn my head now! I'm super excited about this little movement, dudes and dudettes. It's crazy how much you turn your head in a day. When it's gone, you think you might die on your car drive to the grocery store that's only 2 seconds away. He realigned my spine so my discs can heal properly and I can move freely. It's a marvelous feeling to move again.

Fast forward to a week later and I'm doing better. I'm still not 100% pain-free but every day it lessens, so this Hope is hopeful! My cervical (neck) is pain free, but my thoracic (upper spine) still has pain. Had a massage that released so many knots, and therefore toxins, in my upper back. The knots were irritating my muscles, hindering movement, and pushing against my vertebrae...which isn't good if you have swollen discs. Between the masseuse and chiropractor my spine has a bright future. God is UH. MAZING. Now if only my thoracic pain will die...