How did I do my back? Long story short – 5
years ago I put my back out closing the door of the front loader washing
machine and since then I’ve had a few times where I’ve tweaked it. Since that
moment I’ve always had a fear of doing laundry. How did it happen this time?
Did my infant son beat me in a wrestling match? Was I showing him a cool new
acrobatic trick? Was I doing laundry? Not directly - I was bending over to help
him get off his tricycle.
Why though was he on his tricycle? It was
because we had been at the dry-cleaners (laundry – I told you so!) dropping in
some washing for BWM. Now of course going to the dry-cleaners was on the list
of jobs to do that day but I had planned to go in the afternoon. That’s why I
was taking him off his tricycle in the morning.
Why did we go early? Simply it was because
H had done a runner with his bubble maker around the front of the house and
fallen over and taken a good chew on the pavement. This had naturally made him
upset and amidst all the tears and the bleeding from the mouth on my clothes I
needed to find a way to calm him down. That’s why I put him on his tricycle.
Why had he done a runner around the front
of the house with his bubble machine? H was doing a runner with his bubble
machine because I wouldn’t let him get upset over his morning milk he had just
spilt. Actually, he wasn’t getting that upset. In fact I was stopping him from
help clean it up! However, H’s way of cleaning up involved climbing onto the
bench seat and attempting to lick the milk up which had just been spilt. To
distract him while I cleaned up I gave him the bubble machine.
Of course how was the milk spilt you ask? I
had turned on the bubble machine.
I never thought about how much physical
interaction I have with H. I know that there’s lots of it, but when you can’t
do what you usually do, you realise exactly how much there is! When I did my
back I was barely able to pick H up for almost two days. It’s a tough ask when
you’re infant son comes up to you with his arms outstretched wanting to be
picked up and you can’t do it. In fact the best way I could interact with H during
this time was simply lie down on the floor and let him use me as a climbing
frame!
This week has also made me realise how
lucky BWM and I are in having great support around us from friends and family.
My timing in injuring myself couldn’t have been worse because BWM was scheduled
to head to New Zealand for a few days of work. Our friend Sarah and my
father-in-law Paul both came over to help look after H. Georgina and Kate who
kept themselves on stand-by 24/7 in case help was needed. BWM’s boss also told
her to make sure she looked after me and that she didn’t need to go if I needed
her at home (it did take a lot of persuading on my behalf to show her that I
was ok and she could go!). I know too that if I had rung others and asked for
help then it probably would have been forth coming.
By not crying over the spilt milk I really
learnt how lucky I am to live in a community that cares for our family.
However, if I could go back, I think I may just let H help clean up as it could
have helped avoid me learning this in such a painful way!
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