Tuesday, August 6, 2013

You Can't Fix It


 Mr. H. has been having some trouble with sciatica in his left leg. I don’t know if any of you are familiar with sciatica or not, but it’s very painful. Even doctors agree that about the only thing that really helps is rest. Lots of rest. Years ago, when he was working, he had a bout with it once and ended up in the hospital. In traction. It didn’t help much. Nor did the exercises they prescribed for him. (But, of course, I think the object was to actually DO the exercises).
Anyway, after all else failed, his doctor insisted he take some time off from work and rest. It was difficult to convince him, but he finally agreed. After two weeks of doing nothing and being waited on hand and foot, he was much better and went back to work – reluctantly admitting that the doctor was right!
This morning, we were comparing, as we often do, how we’d slept last night. I said, “I hardly slept at all! It was 4 a.m. the last time I checked my watch and then, every time I’d doze off, I’d wake up again in about an hour. It seemed that I was awake every hour on the hour. It was not a good night!”
After listening to my complaints, he started describing his night: “My leg hardly hurts at all,” he said, “if I lie on my left side, but if I turn on my back or my right side, it’s only a few minutes until it hurts terribly and I have to turn back on my left side to relieve it.”
“Isn’t that strange,” I said, “that the only relief you get is lying on the leg that’s affected by the sciatica?”
“Yes,” he said. “I guess it’s a good thing, too. Otherwise, I’d be lying on my right side all night looking at…”
(Oops! What did he almost say?)
“Oh, yeah?” I said – grabbing the remark and running with it. “You’d be lying on your right side ‘looking at me all night,’ huh?  Would that be so terrible?”
“I didn’t mean that!” he sputtered. “You know how you’re a little self-conscious about anyone looking at you too closely.”
“It's no use. You can’t fix it!” I said, smiling. “The damage is done.”
Looking at me skeptically, he said, “I’m going to be the subject of your blog post tonight, aren’t I?”

"'Fraid so."
~~~

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Poor Mr. H. He can't win. Cute post.

Jon said...

Yes, I know how painful sciatica is. and your right rest is all that helps or surgery. good post peg.

Dennis J. said...

Mr. H. needs to start a blog of his own. Haha!

Sarah said...

Cute Peggy. Keep it up.

Joy Kiser said...

LOL Love it.

Claire Swenson said...

I have a feeling your Mr H is much like my Mr O. This is really cute.

Diane Rollins Williams Cook said...

Love reading your blogs! Would love to see a picture of Kemp. I remember him with black curly hair, and so cute!

Peggy~ said...

Diane, he has gray curly hair now... and he's still "so cute!"

Drema said...

I told you Sunday that I had to go to therpy, at the Teays Therpy Center, and they really helped me. That was 2 years ago and I have not had any problems since. Peck on wood. Mr. H has a good since of humor.