Never Give Up!

In life we stumble across many different obstacles. Some being BIG and then some small, but it is how we react to these obstacles that help define who we are. I have been dealing with my biggest obstacle yet...

On September 15, 2013 I woke up with horrible back pain. So bad that I couldn't stand up straight and it was a constant stabbing feeling. Even though I've dealt with lower back pain since high school (I have an extra vertebra... I know, I know, FREAK! haha and no, I don't have a tail), I knew that this was different. The doctor that I went to was the same one who diagnosed me with the extra vertebra. When I went to see him he brushed it off as pain due to my extra vertebra, gave me a little massage, stretched me out and sent me on my way. He said I would feel better in a few hours, and pain free by the next day. That was not the case. The next day the pain was worse. I called the doctor and told him how I was feeling and he had me come back in for more treatment. At my appointment I proceeded to tell him my symptoms and where the pain was, he was questioning me and making me feel as if I was lying to him and just being dramatic. Lets just say that was my LAST appointment with that doctor.

I found my new doctor through a friend who used to work for him, and I am so glad I did. Within my first appointment he gave me two opinions of what he thought was causing my pain, one being a stress fracture and the other being a herniated disc. He then proceeded with giving me an x-ray which did not show anything out of the ordinary (except for that extra vertebra again). He then decided to send me to get an MRI. After I got my MRI it proved that yes indeed, I had a herniated disc. We discussed my options and decided to go with therapy and Spinal Decompression (I'm trying to avoid surgery... too young for that).

Hooked up to Spinal Decompression

I have now gone through 32+ Spinal Decompression and therapy sessions, done 3 sessions of Acupuncture, been drinking a nasty anti-inflammatory shake daily, wore a back brace daily, icing throughout the day, had to quit my second job that I loved, limited myself at the salon, and have had to limited my daily activity to basically nothing (yup, that means no working out since September). Now I am WAY better than I was in September, but I am still feeling pain and according to my doctor I should have been pain free after 12 sessions of therapy. 

Back Brace

Acupuncture 

How do I continue to stay motivated and positive you ask? Well I guess the only answer I have is that I love me. I believe in me and I refuse to let an injury bring me down. Never in my life have I been so happy and confident with who I am, and even though my journey has taken a wild turn I wouldn't change a thing. You see, I've realized even more about myself since getting injured. I've learned that I'm strong and I have self control, just because I can't workout doesn't mean I drop the healthy living. This is my lifestyle and I won't just throw in the towel because of a little hiccup. There are SO many other people out there that have it WAY worse than I do and I refuse to be selfish and have a pity party.

Whats next you ask? Welps as for me, I just set up an appointment today to see a M.D. who is an Interventional Spine Specialist. I will see him January 23rd, 2014. Hopefully we can figure something else out that may help, because lets be honest I may be positive and happy but I'm SOOOO over it. 

January 3rd,2014

My 1 year