I must have rolled over in bed and the pain had woken me.
Whichever way I moved the pain was so intense that I fully expected to need to go to hospital, with the added indignity of needing to be carried out of bed by an ambulance crew, with me only wearing a pair of striped shorts.
I was thinking gas and air would be really good right now –after all, it helps when having babies, which must be almost as bad as this.
After a while, I slowly and carefully made it on to my stomach, after a bit more effort I moved my legs so I was kneeling at the side of the bed.
I reached for my phone and Googled “back pain”, “kidney problems” and tried to work out what it could be – in other words did I need an ambulance or not?
Slowly I pushed myself up. To my surprise if found I could move around on my knees. Using the radiator I pulled myself up – I was standing and I could walk.
After a careful visit to the bathroom (probably why I had stirred in the first place). I rubbed in some pain gel and headed down stairs.
I was able to take some pain killers and carefully walked around and stretched my back until it eased.
Not relishing the challenge of trying to get out of bed again, I made myself comfortable on the sofa and managed to sleep sitting up.
I made it through to the morning and the drama of an ambulance at 2am had been avoided. The simple thought struck me. “Not all of our problems and pains are visible”.
Only I knew how bad the pain in my back was, there were no outward signs apart from the expressions on my face and strange noises I made as I attempt to move.
There are many people who are in all kinds of pain. We cannot see what is wrong, but the problems, agonies, pain and embarrassment are just as real as my back pain.
The good news is that the treatment is similar: medication, rest, exercise, support, prayer and a bit of sympathy.
