Step on a Crack

I don't know which of my mother's 7 children stepped on the crack, but my mother has 2 broken vertebrae. And I'm nervous that I'm joining her. Hey, I don't even have kids to step on cracks.

I noticed that one of my vertebrae was really sticking out a number of weeks ago. My first thought was that it had broken and healed in a weird way. I've been having pain in my mid-back area on either side of that lump off and on ever since I hurt my back riding horses at the dude ranch a year and a half ago.

And when I saw my endricronologist around that same time, she said that if I had lost another quarter inch in height, she would have had my back x-rayed to see if I broke a vertebrae.

The other thing that makes me paranoid about it is that I was looking up on the Mayo Clinic website what exercises people with osteoporosis should do. I was expecting examples of bone strengthening exercises, but what I got was warnings not to bend over or do anything to put strain on my spine so I wouldn't break a vertebrae. I got out of that site fast. If I followed those directions, it would basically rule out most of my Fitness Together routine.

So when I found the lump, I of course made Liz feel it to confirm that I wasn't crazy (at least about that). Then I sat around and worried about it for a few weeks until Liz made me promise to call the doctor. Then when I called the doctor, she couldn't see me for 2 weeks (what a relief). Now I'm nearing the moment of truth. I see the doctor on Monday and get a back x-ray. I really really hope it's nothing--is it possible to have a bony lump on your spine that's nothing?

I have 2 worries--that I broke a vertebrae and the doctor is going to tell me what my mother's doctor told her--no bending over, no lifting anything over 10 pounds. Not only would that eliminate all weight lifting, even worse, it would eliminate all Bennett lifting.

My second worry is that I'll keep breaking vertebrae. I'm too damn young for this, so many years (I think) for them to keep breaking. My dad had a lot of broken vertebrae. At one point he was in a lot of pain and his doctor discovered it was because his spine had deteriorated enough that his ribs were grinding into his hip bones. He had to wear this terrible back brace that didn't seem like it was much better than having his ribs grind into his hips.

Actually, I have a third worry. If I have a broken vertebrae, will it prevent me from doing the volunteer work I want to do in Nicaragua. Oh, and then there's the worry that it's not a broken vertebrae, it's some kind of cancer on my spine.

I guess I'm getting way ahead of myself. I need to wait to see what Monday brings.


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