Rusty Body

The other day I was walking from one room to the other when my hip caught on the corner of a dresser, just enough to pull the lower body around while the upper body continued forward. Pain shot across the lower back and made me gasp. The pain was from the twist, not the impact itself - I don't even have a bruise, but my muscles are still trying to get themselves sorted out.

The weather is playing with us. Yesterday was sunny and breezy, a gorgeous day to hang laundry on the line. I did three loads - the first two were still flapping in the breeze when I felt sprinkles - which lasted less than a minute. So the third load went out, but an hour later, just before we headed out for evening errands, the skies had that ominous look about them. Not wanting to take a chance, I brought in all the wet laundry, and we headed out.

I had my purse in a plastic garbage bag, and we were wearing our wind-breakers. The bundle in my hand was a wad of laundry bags - I planned to pick up dirty laundry from one of the houses. We got to the east side and the skies opened up. Stinging rain on our faces, quickly soaking us and Loco. We slogged along to the lottery where it rained harder and harder. While waiting for Miguel I wrapped a laundry bag around my legs, and put another one on his seat to keep it dry. When Miguel came back I moved the bag so he could sit down, and his seat was soaked. As were my legs - the laundry bags were not a bit water-repellent, they tricked me.

Miguel asked if I wanted to wait it out, but by this time I was wet, and Loco was looking like he'd been swimming, so we decided to just get on the road and get home. At least on the drive home we were pointed in the opposite direction and the rain was blowing from behind us.

Miguel parked the cart under the neighbor's overhang. I gathered my purse, the laundry bags, the bag of keys, the can of WD-40, and with Loco's leash still in my hand, I tried to get down from the cart. But my foot caught, and I lurched forward. With both hands full a tumble to the pavement would have been disasterous. I staggered a few steps but somehow stayed on my feet. Not without twisting my back muscles though.

I feel like an old lady. Pulling myself up the stairs by the railing. Leaning on the counter while washing dishes. Hobbling from the bed to the bathroom. Turning onto my knees to get myself out of the tub. During the day my body gradually starts working, and I'm able to clean my house, push furniture around, cook, and basically do most of the things I want to do. But the night tightens me up again - nothing wants to bend by the time I get up in the morning. I feel like the tin man in the Wizard of Oz - movement is the oil for my joints, and repose is the rust. I take glycosamine but I don't think it's helping at all - or maybe I'd be much worse if I didn't take it, who knows? Too bad that WD-40 that we carry around won't help my body.