Backed up

9:56 p.m. Today's project was to get my back x-rayed, doctor's orders. On Monday, my leg pain seemed to be lessening, but I kept my appointment with Dr. Guzman anyway. He agreed with the chiropractor's sciatica assessment, and ran me through the same bend-and-stretch tests as Dr. Madison did. He did add, since the pain was beginning to shift to my back, that the chiropractor should look at the sacroiliac area. He prescribed a muscle relaxant, Somma, for "any time during the day when you don't have to focus or concentrate, or drive." And just when is that time ever going to occur, with Steve's increasing needs to look out for, and my total responsibility for the working of our household? Even my great joys in life, like family, ministry, and my business, require focused attention. I told him, "Looks like I'll be taking it at bedtime, then!" Dr. Guzman proceeded to write an order for an x-ray of my spine, with the pictures to be hand-delivered to him.

I didn't fill the prescription because I'm a little leery, but Steve and I went to Healthcare Imaging, which doesn't take appointments, to get the x-rays done. We stepped into a crowded, chaotic-appearing scene! Good grief, I thought, signed in, and a gentleman got up and gave us his seat next to an empty one!! "Sitting's no good for my back anyway," he declared when we thanked him for accommodating us. "There's no good position for my back, I mused bitterly, as I sat down. A word to the wise: don't go to any doctor's office or medical facility without a book to read. The selection on the tv is bound to be ignorant, so you may as well have something of your own choice to read. Steve had God's Promises for Every Occasion, and I delved into Never Far from Home, one of dozens of faith-building Amish novels I collect.

Two hours later, my back was killing me from sitting, and I kept praying for calmness of spirit and for my name to be called. I actually wanted to jump up on a chair and yell, IT'S MY TURN! But God showed himself true to His word:

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee." (Isaiah 26:3, KJV)

Wanting to be a good witness, I couldn't behave rudely, even doing my best not to hobble on the way to the receptionist to ask how long. I was feeling sad, sorry and stressed about the rest of this wasted afternoon. I couldn't have gotten there any earlier, because I needed to eat my lunch salad after Bible study, and help Steve to get tidied up to go. While he got ready, I at least had a moment to run out to the garden and pick a good handful of green beans and water a section of the backyard. I firmly believe in "Redeeming the time, because the days are evil" (Ephesians 5:16). That's why delays drive me around the bend, as I think of all manner of constructive things to do instead.

The back pain got so bad that I almost told Steve, "let's go," but then I was called back, almost staggering with stiffness. The x-rays were taken, the crazy wrap-around gown was discarded, I was dressed and carrying the film out of the building. Mission accomplished!

I wish there could have been a witnessing opportunity, to redeem the time in a meaningful way, but the tv was blaring nearby and the two of us were sitting in our own little row, behind some talkers. We both made good progress with our books, anyway!

Out into the sunshine once again, my seized-up back finally got released. Thank you, Lord!