Physical Setback

Well, although I'm just getting started, I've experienced my first set back.  Several years ago it was discovered that I had a reverse curve in my neck.  While everyone else's neck curves backwards, mine curves forward.  My chiropractor and I have become friends over the years and I go visit him every couple of weeks.  Before I started this plan, I consulted him about it and he said "Go For It!"

So last night I was at the gym doing delt exercises.  It was my first exercise.  I felt a slight pain in my neck.  No problem, I thought, I'll just go get readjusted tomorrow afternoon.  My neck continued to be a little sore during the workout but it was nothing major.  After working out, I even went to a Zumba (latin dance aerobics) class. My body and I were good and I was able to shake what my mamma gave me.

Once I got home, my neck started to stiffen up a bit.  I applied heat to each side and knew I'd call the chiro first thing in the morning.  Well, morning came earlier than expected.  Around 3:00am I woke up with sharp pains in my neck.  It hurt to roll over on any side and there was excruciating pain to sit up.  I almost felt as if my neck were paralized but I had full use of my body.  My neck would not move.  All sleep ended there.  

My chiro didn't open until 3:00pm today so I left a message with my doctor's office to see what to do.  I listened to the voicemail on my chiro's office and he left an emergency number.  I called him.  To me, this is an emergency.  He told me to meet him in 20 minutes.  When I got there, he popped me, popped me and popped me some more.  He said I pulled something good and it will take several days to heal.  He said that as we get older and we start working out harder this can sometimes happen.  (he didn't tell me to quit).  He suggested I not go into work, keep ice on my neck every hour and come back again this afternoon to get readjusted one more time.  I will be sore for a couple of days, but it will get better.  He also suggested I now sometimes put heat on my neck before working out.  Life is all about challenges and finding ways to solve them.  I can either sulk that I'm down for a minute or instead take pride in the fact that I can read John Grisham's latest book and get some much needed laundry done!