Step Up to Setbacks

In the summer of 2007, I had the privilege of going on a mission trip to China. It was a wonderful, incredible experience. As an amazing surprise, I also got to accompany my husband on a business trip to Italy exactly one week after returning from China. I'd never been out of the country before, and then I have two back-to-back trips!

When I returned from Italy, my back was a little sore. I had a hard time doing simple things, like getting in and out of my car because I felt so stiff and sore. That fall, I started going to a chiropractor, but it only gave me temporary relief from my pain.

In February, I quit my stressful job, and since I had time on my hands, I thought, "Well, I'll do the workouts the chiropractor asked me to do." After three days, I was in terrible pain, with nerve pain running down my left leg. I went to get an MRI, and, sure enough, I had ruptured a lumbar disc. And not just ruptured; it was the worst rupture that any of my neurosurgeons had seen. And I was only 28!

And the next day, I found out I was pregnant.

What to do? I was in agony every day, but the baby's delicate health was so important in the first trimester. I did physical therapy three times a week until I entered my second trimester, and then I had major back surgery to remove the ruptured parts of the disc.

Did I mention the surgery was on my third wedding anniversary? Yeah, we spent the evening watching the finale of America's Next Top Model and eating hospital food. Mmmm!

Because I was still pregnant for six months after my surgery, I couldn't do the typical recovery exercises. I wasn't allowed to lie on my back or on my stomach, which were the two most common positions used to build up the core muscles to support my back. I also don't think I tried very hard to do the modified exercises.

I'm certainly paying for it now. It's been almost a year since my surgery, and my back seems to have gotten much worse since I had my son. Now that I can sleep on my stomach, I apparently want to sleep that way all night, which isn't the best position for my back. I wake up stiff and sore, and it lasts half the day. It does feel better after I work out, but it's really hard to feel motivated to work out when I'm stiff and sore.

So here I sit in my pajamas at 2 p.m., trying to muster up some willpower to just go work out. I know I have somewhere to be at 5:30, so I can't dilly-dally forever. Plus my son is about to wake up, which makes working out a little harder than when he's sleeping. I have to stop more frequently.

What are your obstacles for working out? Bum hip? Crummy knees? Let's encourage each other with the knowledge that taking of 10, 20, 30, 50, 100 pounds will help those areas feel better, even if they don't feel better yet. If you've had these conditions, lost weight, and feel better, tell me about it! I need a reason---some proof---that I'm doing what's best for my body, and especially my back!

This is me being "touristy" at the Great Wall!