Back troubles and a week off

Dear readers, I've got news for you.  A bad back doesn’t care that you’re on vacation.  It doesn’t wait for you to find a convenient time to be laid up (because when is a convenient time, really?).  No, in fact, a bad back strikes when you least want it to.  The last time was just 3 weeks before the triathlon I’d been training for.

And this time…naturally, I’m in Siena, Italy.  I didn’t lift anything heavy or over exert myself or do something foolish.  Nope. Not me.  Not on vacation.  What did I do? I slept on a crappy bed in a 12^th century monastery turned hotel. And, thankyoukindly, woke up in terrible pain.

I took a muscle relaxer and an anti-inflammatory and made it to the train station where I bought the Italian equivalent of a Therma-care instant heating pad.  I took a painful train ride back to my apartment in Vicenza. I was met at the door by my worried mother.  I don’t think I’ve ever been happier to see her.

Side note, I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to get my prescription refilled for muscle relaxers. I simply went to the farmacia (the local pharmacy), showed them my prescription for Baclofen, explained that I was running out and they told me it would cost 15€.  No doctor appointment. No insurance. No prescription or cards or anything. I needed something and I got it.  It was really liberating. 

I "wasted" almost 5 entire days laying in bed with ice, muscle relaxers and anti-inflammatories.  My parents were very sweet, getting me ice packs, helping me, brining me dinner and just taking care of me.  It reminded me of why I’m moving home to Michigan once I return to the U.S.  Not to have people dote on me (although, yes, please!) but because family is important.  Because you never know when you'll need help. Because you never know when people will need your help. And even though I'm very independent, it just takes one backache to remind me I need people.  And even though in my mid-30s, no one can make me feel better like my mom can.

Now... after spending Monday-Thursday in bed, I was ready to hit the road again. 

We decided that Friday, we'll head to Milan...!