Poster child for Ergonomics!

For those of who have stumbled onto my blog, are well aware of my current health situation. I wanted to discuss it openly for everybody to see and hear directly from me. On Dec 28th I was in the midst of trying to cooperate and abide by the Town of Athol's snow removal bylaw by shoveling the snow from a "brand new" sidewalk installed at the intersection of Main and Pleasant Streets in front of my business. Now mind you the by-law states "reasonably able to be removed" and "upon completion of snow removal operations by the town." Now being the civic minded individual I am, decided well "I'll just cut a path through that new sidewalk so folks don't have to walk in the road." Keep in mind now this sidewalk never existed until the Main Street Project.

I shoveled my way from the Pleasant Street side all the way to the front of this new sidewalk. I had numerous people drive by and honk as they aren't used to seeing me do any form of manual labor! Upon reaching the very end there was a portion that I had no choice but to stand on the road side of the sidewalk. I put the shovel into the snow pile and pulled as it was the last shovel full. The result? In amongst the two levels of new sidewalk, the road and the pole was a gap that I got caught in. Upon trying to shovel, a sharp pain ran across my back and I had to immediately stop and stagger back to my car.

I placed the shovel on the ground and said a few of my favorite four letter words. I thought at that time it was merely a pulled muscle but I would soon learn I was wrong. I did make it until Jan 1, 2008 when I had to go the hospital to be checked out. After treatment there, I followed up with doctor a few days later, had an xray that showed nothing, which they usually don't. I stayed out of my full time job for 4 days and then returned with a slight limp and no pain in the back, but some running down my right leg. I wrote it off as a muscle pull in my thigh while nursing the back. I lasted three weeks like this even after trying to get an MRI paid for by my insurance company, but that's another time and posting.

On February 9, 2008 the shoveling act took its toll while walking across my living room the injury returned with full force and vengeance. I have been out of work ever sense. I can't even go to my own business. I am remanded to the house using a walker inside and crutches outside. Finally an MRI diagnosed a severely herniated L5 disc which is the precise area the pain was after throwing the shovel. I also have a condition that was unknown as Spinal Stenosis which is a narrowing of the spinal cavity. This never was known or had bothered me. The herniation in L5 has left me with numbeness in my lower left leg and right foot.

I have tried the chiropractor and physical therapy for pain relief. Now I must travel to UMASS on March 18th to meet with a neurosurgeon to discuss my next options. All this for trying to maintain a sidewalk in front of my business that was never there. Trying to do the right thing and follow the municipal by-laws of my town. Now I am out of work for up to two months, facing neurosurgery and losing ground everyday that I can't be at my business. It's always something....