Grateful Week: Backache

It’s been a crazy week - not because I was busy, but because I had a terrible backache. I’m not too sure whether it was due to all the walking I’ve been doing, poor posture, or perhaps a combination of both. Whatever the cause, it affected my lifestyle and disrupted my routines. I was essentially bedridden for more than 2 days and couldn’t even sit up straight. For those few days, I consciously prioritised rest over work, long walks and meals out. Apart from some lingering soreness and muscle tightness around my waist and left hip, I’m now almost back to normal. This episode reminded me of several things that I’m thankful for. 

• Friends. I’m blessed to have friends who reached out and showed genuine concern. One person in particular stood out. D, who lives in the west, offered to come over to help with my meals, which I politely declined. I’m deeply thankful that he offered his help despite the distance. 

• Food delivery. I’m grateful that such a service exists. It may cost a little more, but at a time like this, the small premium was insignificant compared to the pain and discomfort. And since I was ordering in anyway, I finally tried the McDonald’s National Day Curry Chicken Burger. I enjoyed it and thought it was pretty good. 

• Remote controls. This is something I’ve taken so much for granted until now. When moving around became painful, having remote controls for the lights, fans, aircon, tv and other appliances made life so much more bearable. It’s funny how we hardly notice these little conveniences until we actually need them. 

• Back support. This was a lifesaver. Thankfully, I had a back support tucked away in my storeroom from a previous episode of back pain. It helped me walk, even if it was only a few steps at a time, and was especially useful when I struggled to stand upright. Keeping my back muscles warm helped prevent them from stiffening further, and I’m glad I had it when I needed it.

• … and many more. As I lay in bed over those couple of days, I realised how many other things I had taken for granted - my firm bed, my warm comforter, a hot shower, the internet, good wifi, my mobile phone, and so much more. Every single one of them brought comfort and convenience when I needed them most. It’s amazing how the simplest things often become the most appreciated during moments like these. Deeply grateful for every one of them.

Despite the pain, which affected me for more than half the week, I didn’t want it to stop me from living as normally as I could. It was a conscious decision to leave my apartment, visit places and have meals with friends whenever I was able. Walking, within my limits, helped keep my back muscles warm and, I believe, aided my recovery. This episode also served as a timely reminder to pay closer attention to my health and well-being. They are easy to take for granted until they are compromised. More importantly, it reminded me that even during an inconvenient week, there was still much to be thankful for.