Hurt Day

Today marks the first time I have had to call into work and I'm feeling awful about it. I'm not sick, no fever, no chance of me transmitting anything bad to the food. I'm just hurt.

It all started yesterday when I was getting ready for work. By doing nothing out of the ordinary I heard a "crack" like noise in my neck and from then on it was pain. Sharp shooting pain in my neck. Like a Charlie horse pain. These spasms happen at the slightest move and so frequent. Like every 5-10 minutes. I didn't know what to do. This is not like a normal office job. I can't just get myself to work and sit in a chair and not move. My job is labor intensive. On my feet all day. Constant moving, lifting, kneading dough.....

I didn't know the protocol either. People who work in a kitchen are tough as nails. Call in and you look like a weakling. One of our hot line guys had 500 degree oil spill all over his lower arm 2 weeks ago and just bandaged it up and kept going. So I picked myself up and made it in. I surprisingly accomplished a lot yesterday. More than I thought I was going to be able to. Of course my poor co-worker had to do all the heavy lifting, but all in all I think I was useful. However, towards the end of the day my body was trying to tell me something. I over did it. Something as simple as wiping down the table or weighing out a portion of pasta sent lightening bolts through my neck. So, when I got home, I loaded up on advil, attached a heating pad to my neck and just rested. Rested and hoped that I would feel better in the morning.

Well, no such luck. This morning I was in so much pain and could not move at all. Just trying to roll over to try and get up sent multiple spasms through my neck. It was beyond anything I have ever felt.

I continually kept replaying a conversation I had with someone in the kitchen once. She said she just did not feel like coming into work that day and thought over and over in her head of things she could say to call in and get the day off. Then she said she realized that the only excuse she could think of that would allow her to not come in and it be ok was that if she was hit by a bus.

So, I tried. Tried to get dressed to go to work. But I just couldn't. Even just walking would send a random spasm. So I had to break down. Make the call. I feel so incredible guilty. Like I am letting my team down. Like I'm not tough enough.

On the other hand, my discomfort is my dogs delight. It's 12:30pm and neither of us have gotten out of bed.

I have promised myself that no matter what, I will make it in tomorrow and Sunday. Even if all I can do is just stand there. Then, if this pain does not subside, I will take myself to the doctor on my "weekend", which is Monday and Tuesday. But, hopefully, all the advil, heating pads and icy hot will help the healing process.

So, is this what happens when you get old?