By Renee Martinez
Last week I had the worst back pain. I’ve never had problems with back pain and let me tell you, it stinks!
I have no idea what caused the pain, but I’m sure carrying around my 27lb. 13 month old had something to do with it. I’ve had a funny knot-like feeling in my back, near my left shoulder blade for almost a year. I would feel it when I slept on my back so I went for massages and chiropractic and it improved.
Then, last Sunday, it started again. This time, I could feel it throbbing. The pain grew to a constant painful knot and moving or picking up anything was a challenge. I thought I broke a rib wearing a corset dress at my friend’s wedding!
So I went to the doctor where she did a series of x-rays – which proved to be useless as nothing appeared to be wrong, yet the pain was getting worse. I even took the pain medication and muscle relaxers I was prescribed. They helped, but it’s difficult to be much of a parent when your mind is clouded. Then I went to the chiropractor and it turns out that I had several pinched nerves and spasms. Yikes. Thankfully, three sessions later, I felt like a new human.
This experience gave me a new appreciation for good health. Judging by my children’s willingness to help and statements regarding their concern for my condition, I think it may have affected them more than I might have expected. Since I’ve been better, my oldest keeps asking when I lift something that looks heavy, how my back feels. I feel fortunate.
If you suffer with chronic pain of any kind, I don’t claim to understand the daily struggles you must go through. I feel for anyone who suffers debilitating pain as it’s horrible problem to live with. Pain robs people of the time they could be enjoying life.
If you know someone who suffers from chronic pain, do something kind for them today. If you’re healthy, be glad, don’t sweat the small stuff and don’t complain about silly little issues. Before you complain, put your problem into perspective.
About the Author: Renee Martinez consults and speaks professionally on social media marketing, integrated marketing communications, public relations and branding. She is the president of Ruby Marketing Communications (www.rubymarcom.com), a boutique marketing communications company that specializes in providing branding, social media strategy and integration, and creative services. Her blog (www.lisac95.sg-host.com), provides resources on everything marketing and social media for her active audience.
Renee has contributed as a featured monthly columnist in the monthly jewelry industry publication, JCK on matters related to internet marketing as well as in InStore Magazine as a featured blogger where she writes about developing effective marketing strategies for the jewelry industry using social media. She is the founder of: Social Media Biz Summit (www.socialmediabizsummit.com), the first large-scale SM conference to come to Buffalo, NY; #jewelrychat, a weekly twitter chat for the jewelry industry and www.RaisingBoysWorld.com. Renee teaches social marketing courses at Canisius College in Buffalo, NY for the business school as well as offers small group social media marketing training and educational seminars for businesses in Western New York and beyond.
Renee has dabbled in internet marketing arena since the early 90′s and is not ashamed to call herself a “marketing geek”. From chatting in AOL, “sharing” music on Napster, and teaching HTML classes before it was considered “cool” to developing comprehensive social media strategies, effective public relations campaigns and managing online communities (most recently Chevy Girls Buffalo).
She enjoys being able to help people find their voice online and to create buzz about their product or service that will give them the results they desire.
Renee can be found on Twitter (@reneemmartinez) and Facebook (http:/www.facebook.com/RubyMarCom).
