How Could I Get It So Wrong?

April 20, 2012
by Rodney Olsen
1 Comment

No one likes to think of themselves as a failure but sometimes we need to admit that there are some things we’re just never going to master.

I am not the person to speak to if you need help solving difficult mathematical problems. Don’t come and see me if you need someone who’s great with DIY projects. While I love cycling, you’ll never see me on top of the winners podium.

I can live with not being able to master all these things. There are plenty of things I’m good at, like … well … just take my word for it.

What does concern me is something that I got so horribly wrong last night.

Maybe a bit of background information would help. For several months I’ve suffered from back soreness. It’s ranged from, “Ooh, that’s uncomfortable” through to, “Aaaaaaaaaaaargh!!”. Recently, if I’ve dropped something on the floor I just figure that that’ll be a great new permanent home for whatever it is because there’s no way I can even consider bending low enough to pick it up.

Being a man, I put off treatment for way too long. I don’t want to say how long but if it keeps up too much longer my back pain will be able to celebrate its own anniversary. Thankfully the treatment I’m now receiving is slowly but surely making a big difference … but there are still good and bad days.

Yesterday was a good day but today I woke up feeling quite sore. This led me to think to myself, “I must have slept wrong.” How much of a failure are you when you get sleeping wrong? It’s a simple process. You lie down, pull up the covers, shut your eyes and all things going well, you wake up some hours later feeling rested. I got it completely wrong last night.

It’s not like I haven’t had practice. I’ve been working on this sleeping thing for well over 48 years. They say practice makes perfect but not in this case. All that practice and I still sleep wrong.

I’m not one to be deterred. Tonight will be my night. I will sleep well. I will wake rested and then celebrate ….. but not too vigorously. I’ve got a bad back, you know.



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The Sneeze that Pleases

August 11, 2008
by Rodney Olsen
4 Comments

I reached a significant milestone over the weekend. I managed to sneeze.

It might not seem like such an important event but for the last couple of weeks I’ve been suffering from a lot of lower back pain. At times I found it very difficult to carry out my daily duties. Simple things, like standing up, became quite a performance.

I’m still a little stiff and sore but things are so much better. Several days back I couldn’t let myself sneeze because I knew the jolt would cause my back too much pain. Over the weekend I was able sneeze confidently.

I knew then that it was time to get back on my bike so I was very pleased to cycle into work today. I guess I still have to be careful until I’m 100% but there’s something quite wonderful about returning to ‘normal’.

Of course now I just have to be concerned that the sneezing is only an allergy thing. The last thing I want is for my back to get better only to come down with a cold.



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