This is now officially getting old.: seanan

This is now officially getting old.

While I was in New York the week before last, I did a lot of traveling via the PATH Train, a fairly simplistic transit system whose entire purpose is to get people from Jersey City to Manhattan, and vice-versa. This is normal for me. I am an old hand at riding the PATH, and no longer become in any way distressed about it.

Only the thing is, on Sundays, the PATH bounces through Hoboken on its way from Jersey City to Manhattan. This is a very jerky, bumpy, throw-you-around-y section of track, since it's not part of the everyday commute. Also on Sundays, they run fewer trains, resulting in a greater density of people on each individual train.

Can you guess what's coming next? I bet you can guess what's coming next.

Sunday, Kate and I got on the PATH to head into the city to have lunch with The Agent and another of her clients, followed by dinner with Betsy (Wollheim, not Tinney; it would have been a clever trick to somehow have dinner with my Seattle Maine Coon breeder whilst in New York). The train was very full when we got on; we had to stand. I got whiter and whiter as the train moved, trying desperately to keep from crying.

When I started screaming every time the car jerked to one side or another, some nice people let me have their seat. Thank you, nice people. I took my emergency pain killers and cried. "Take more painkillers and cry" was pretty much the mantra of the day, which would otherwise have been absolutely lovely. Because Betsy is a golden goddess who shall be renowned in song and story, she even drove us back to Jersey City after dinner. I have sent her a thank-you card.

My back has been out ever since. It's getting better, slowly, but it's been long enough since I had a flare-up this bad that, well, I'm being sort of a wimp about it. I cry a lot. I've been to the doctor for more painkillers, and I'm trying to schedule a spinal epidural, but right now? Right now, I just cry a lot. Part of me is glad that I'm missing OVFF and World Fantasy and my Alabama corn maze, because I am in SO MUCH PAIN right now that I wouldn't really enjoy them anyway.

So if I seem a little curt, or a little out of it, that's because I am either in extreme pain, or legally stoned to prevent the extreme pain from being a problem. Show mercy, I beg of thee. And please, Great Pumpkin, let this be over soon.

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seanan_mcguire

October 22 2010, 14:35:53 UTC 6 years ago

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No morphine here; I still have to work. Just misery.

sheistheweather

October 22 2010, 14:33:30 UTC 6 years ago

Grargh. May it improve in short order. Thinking good thoughts of less back pain for you. :(

October 22 2010, 14:36:04 UTC 6 years ago

Yeah, that's my hope, too.

la_marquise_de_

October 22 2010, 14:35:20 UTC 6 years ago

Public transport can be hell when you're in pain. I hope the flare up dies down soon.

October 22 2010, 14:36:21 UTC 6 years ago

That would be nice. Have a great time in Ohio!

lysythe

October 22 2010, 14:36:15 UTC 6 years ago

Eeeegh. I hope your back improves really soon :(

October 22 2010, 14:36:29 UTC 6 years ago

Me, too. :(

October 26 2010, 14:51:29 UTC 6 years ago

Me, too.

ceitfianna

October 22 2010, 14:41:03 UTC 6 years ago

Ack, be well and I hope you can get the right meds and treatment to make it stop.

My mother has had horrible back pain and I've seen how it just twisted her in knots. Sending lots of good thoughts your way.

October 26 2010, 14:51:36 UTC 6 years ago

Thank you.

black_faery

October 22 2010, 14:41:31 UTC 6 years ago

Hope you feel better quickly! Back pain is horrible...much sympathy.

October 26 2010, 14:51:43 UTC 6 years ago

bloolark

October 22 2010, 14:45:00 UTC 6 years ago

Having had a whole lifetime of serious back issues, I wanted to recommend checking out physiotherapy if you haven't. For some issues (which yours may not be), it can be a lifesaver.

October 26 2010, 14:52:20 UTC 6 years ago

Part of the issue is that I live and work very far from each other, which makes seeing most physical therapists during their normal working hours impossible. I'm going to try, though.

ladymondegreen

October 22 2010, 14:55:57 UTC 6 years ago

Yells at the PATH on your behalf.

October 26 2010, 14:52:27 UTC 6 years ago

janetmiles

October 22 2010, 15:05:45 UTC 6 years ago

I am so sorry that you're in pain, and I hope that you're able to get in for the epidural soon.

I also don't think you're being a wimp.

October 26 2010, 14:52:37 UTC 6 years ago

This is because you are wonderful.

6 years ago

autographedcat

October 22 2010, 15:07:07 UTC 6 years ago

Oh, sweetie. *gentle healing loving*

Feel better soon.

October 26 2010, 14:52:43 UTC 6 years ago

Love you.

priscellie

October 22 2010, 15:47:56 UTC 6 years ago

Holy moley. I'm so sorry my city caused you such harm! Yikes! Have you visited a chiropractor or craniosacral practitioner?

October 26 2010, 14:53:11 UTC 6 years ago

Actually, a chiropractor can't help me. I have herniated disks, not misaligned vertebrae, and chiro actually tends to make me worse. :(

aliciaaudrey

October 22 2010, 15:57:00 UTC 6 years ago

Oh jeez, I'm sorry to hear it. My husband has a bad back as well and he threw it out bad last year...picking up apple juice for snack time from a shelf at the synagogue he teaches elementary religious school to first graders at on Sundays, of all absurd ways of throwing out your back. He was flat out for about 24 hours and was in pain for a few weeks; I knew he had a bad back but it was the first time I'd ever seen it flare up like that.

You'd think given that we've been walking erect for a fairly substantial amount of time, we would be slightly better adapted to it but noooooooo....

And I HATE that part of the PATH line. We avoid it to be the best that we can, especially in March. Hoboken does a full month of WHOO ST. PATTY'S DAY!!! festivities and the train can and does get jammed full of intoxicated people who flop about on the bumps, throw up, and pass out. It's horrid. We got stuck on it once for over an hour thanks to one person passing out half in and half out of the train and another flopping over unresponsive in a pool of her own vomit in our car. We were, for reasons we don't currently recall, all in formal wear at the time (and stone cold sober, alas). Not fun.

I hope you're back in proper working order in a speedy fashion! Or, at least, that you can spend as much time as possible stoned on painkillers until you are.

October 26 2010, 14:53:34 UTC 6 years ago

Guh.

Remind me never to ride the PATH during March.

ravenclawed

October 22 2010, 16:04:19 UTC 6 years ago

I hope you feel better soon. Here, have a kitty on a pumpkin.

October 26 2010, 14:53:40 UTC 6 years ago

YAY.

October 26 2010, 14:53:53 UTC 6 years ago

I have Gabapentin! It is my loving friend.

tintiger

October 22 2010, 16:40:45 UTC 6 years ago

Back problems of any kind are awful. When my back gives out, and I can't sit, stand or lie, I reach for the Valium. It still hurts like heck, but I don't care as much! And SOMETIMES an almost normal life can be resumed :-)

Hope you gete the help YOU need to feel much better soon.

October 26 2010, 14:54:04 UTC 6 years ago

I do not have Valium. Alas.

For next time...

wouldyoueva

October 22 2010, 16:52:21 UTC 6 years ago

I am sympathetic, I have bum knees that keep me in near constant pain. I can usually walk OK, not long distance but enough to allow me to commute by train.

I don't need the cane I carry but it's a good visual shorthand for "I need to be sitting down." Mine folds up to fit into my messenger bag. It sucks that I need to do that but it sucks worse to barely being able to move because I had to stand for my commute.

Re: For next time...

October 26 2010, 14:54:31 UTC 6 years ago

I often do that, when I'm having a minor flare. When I'm not, it's just a little added weight, and that can be unbearable.

kay_gmd

October 22 2010, 16:53:48 UTC 6 years ago

I hope you feel better, and that they can find a more permanent solution for you. Have you tried massage or acupuncture?

October 26 2010, 14:54:41 UTC 6 years ago

No! Should I?

pocketnaomi

October 22 2010, 16:59:09 UTC 6 years ago

Much sympathy. Pain sucks. I've been doing a lot of "take painkillers and cry" lately too.

I wish you relief, much of it and soon.

October 26 2010, 14:54:48 UTC 6 years ago

archangelbeth

October 22 2010, 17:10:17 UTC 6 years ago

I want medical technology to hit science-fiction levels right now. For you, for some other friends, for a whole lot of people. It is just not just for people to have to live in pain. O:(

October 26 2010, 14:54:56 UTC 6 years ago

I want a new spine!

starmalachite

October 22 2010, 18:04:24 UTC 6 years ago Edited: October 22 2010, 19:40:48 UTC

I'm so sorry, babe. Here, have a virtual kitten. When you're more able to process trivia, I'll tell you about how you helped Steve & me name her.

Edited for grammar fail.

October 26 2010, 14:55:05 UTC 6 years ago

KITTEN!

ash_of_roses

October 22 2010, 18:04:27 UTC 6 years ago

sending best wishes, tea, and sympathy. Hope things get better soon.

October 30 2010, 21:47:59 UTC 6 years ago

lovefromgirl

October 22 2010, 18:23:55 UTC 6 years ago

Sending up healing thoughts to anyone who will listen, Great Pumpkin included.

October 30 2010, 21:48:10 UTC 6 years ago

Thank you, very much.

silvertwi

October 22 2010, 18:46:49 UTC 6 years ago

Sending healing energy. Pain sucks, I know. I don't have back pain, thank God, but I have plenty of other pains that flare up more frequently than I would like, so I can empathize with the "so painful I'm crying a lot" thing. :(

October 30 2010, 21:48:24 UTC 6 years ago

Yeah.

This sucks.

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