"Glad to See Your Back"

by Pam Ripling

If you think there's an error in the title, you might be right under most instances. However, in my case, my chiropractor's little pun elicited only a groan from me, especially since my back had been aching all day. So, naturally, the doc was glad to see my back, because it means business for him.

I don't want to give him business, but as it turns out, I seem to have spent several years too long sitting at my computer. The technical jabber is "herniated something-or-other", and it means that my lumbar [read: lower] spine is a train wreck. A wreck that involves the involuntary pinching of that rat's nest of electrical wiring we all have called the nervous system.

If you've ever been told, "don't take your health for granted," now's the time (no matter your age) to start believing it. Back pain is no picnic, and while you are typing, texting, blogging, gaming or being some other kind of data head, your backbone is silently wearing away, shifting its shape, degenerating into a different sort of animal.

Doc game me exercises. My son escorted me onto the Wii Fit. WalMart provided an exercise ball. Hubby went out and bought us a Sleep Number bed! (I am #35).

Bottom line kiddos, take care of yourselves. Don't become too close to your chair and keyboard. Get up! Move around... take a walk, a swim, dance. Stretch! Advil, Vicodin and Celebrex shouldn't be your new best friends. I'm not letting them become mine.

Pam Ripling is the author of middle-grade mystery, LOCKER SHOCK! Buy it at Quake, Fictionwise or Amazon today! E-book version now available for your Kindle! Visit Pam at http://www.beaconstreetbooks.com/.