zowie!!!...

Tuesday morning I awoke after the seventh alarm and clawed my way over to my dresser to shut it off. And then I realized I could not move my head. It was stuck in a downward and to the right kind of way. And the second I attempted movement my neck screamed otherwise. I could barely walk, I definitely could not lay down. In fact, I could hardly hold still enough for it not to zing me with pain. Always a procrastinator, I still had a paper to finish that morning before class. Dang. I finished it up with little head movement, as typing is, obviously a fairly low contact sport. But my morning had just begun. I scheduled a massage immediately, but doubted they could help something so severe. My head would not have even been able to lay properly on the head rest. Getting dressed was basically out of the question. Okay, I suppose I'll wear sweats today, and just forget the desperately desired shower I had planned on taking. Bridge put my hair in a ponytail, and I attempted mascara, also a lost cause. I was still going to try to go to class, but after realizing how far I would have to walk I would have been late anyway, and probably not even be able to see the projection screen as messed up as my neck was. So I skipped. Yippee!

Anyway, I talked my mom into letting me see a chiropractor (finally!). Since about July or August I have had a chronic neck pinch that comes and goes in severity. But because my family is a bit of a critic when it comes to such doctors, I have had to settle for massages (okay, I'm not complaining) but the problem has never gone away. And this day was above and beyond ridiculous.

Still in my kinked position I drove five blocks down to a recommended chiropractor, thanks to Bridge, who was generous enough to squeeze me in for an appointment. I did not know what to expect, hearing mixed reviews and outcomes of various treatments. But my doctor was wonderful. And understanding of my situation. I think he felt sorry for me. Heck, I felt sorry for me. The first thing he asked was if I slept with the fan on the night before. I had, but saw no relevance to the current situation. "What about your window," he asked. Yep that was open too. And he said that was what probably did it. Huh? Umm... am I missing something here doc?

Apparently it got pretty cold in my room (the temp had dropped a lot), because I woke up freezing, and my entire body was most likely very tense during the majority of my sleep trying to keep warm. Therefore my shoulders were scrunched into my neck all night. And the strange thing is I'm pretty sure he was right. Who'd have thought. All this pain could have been avoided by shutting a window four inches. Are you kidding me?!

He finally got me loosened up - not all the way but enough to let me face straight ahead. And then I was hooked up to those little electric pulsating thingies, which I am not sure I'm a believer in yet. Only time will tell.

Moral of this story? Well, there really isn't one. But if you wake up one morning cursing about the pain and your lack of movement, don't say I didn't warn you. Keep those windows shut!

Oh - and on a completely different note, I wanted to thank thank thank Brian and Ashley for visiting during the spring game festivities. It was so good to see you and I can't wait for the wedding! Bring on the foxtrot. : )