I'm So Weak

Earlier this year, I ruptured a disc in my back.  My wife bought me a grill for a Valentines/Anniversary present.  We went on our anniversary to pick it up, and since she was pregnant, I refused to let her help me hoist it into and out of the truck.  “Cripple”, I called her and poked fun at her delicate condition.  Little did I know how the words would come back to haunt me.

Months of x-rays, MRIs, doctor visits, therapy, and epidural cortisone injections proved unfruitful.  This was probably not the worst pain I’ve ever experienced in my life, but it was the most consistently enduring.  The disc had ruptured onto a nerve that went down my leg.  The more sitting and walking I did, the worse the pain got.  Eventually, I could only get relief by lying down.

The day of surgery finally came and went, and the doctor was able to remove all the offending disc tissue.  Relief from the rupture was immediate.  Relief from the surgery was something a little slower in coming.  Even now, I’ve only been back in the gym for few weeks.

Did you know that in some cases the muscles in the human body can begin to atrophy as quickly as 3 days if they are not being used?  Of course, diet and previous level of exercise can greatly affect this, but even a moderately healthy individual will notice the effects in mere weeks if they stop their exercise routine.

I lay on my back for weeks.  I’m still amazed at the amount of muscle I lost.  Now, when I’m working out, trying to do crunches, my abs shake like I’ve never attempted a single sit-up.  It’s frustrating, but something I’ve got to work through.  The doctor said I’ve got another disc that’s looking iffy, so if I don’t get in there and strengthen my back up, I’ll be back in the same condition.  That’s a thought I just can’t bear.

But even now, I can take solace in the words my oldest son told me when he was a mere 4 years old.  As I sat at the house that morning, I was complaining about how I didn’t want to go to work.  With wisdom beyond his years, Griffin looked up at me and said, “Daddy, sometimes I don’t want to go to school, but I have to do it anyway.”  So, I went to work.

I think our society has become so inundated with entertainment that we feel like having fun is one of our inalienable rights.  Life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, fast food, video games, and a DVR full of this week’s latest offerings.  Maybe it’s just me that struggles with this.   

Responsibility is more than just a 24-point word.  It’s a choice.