So since August 2014, I've had a few issues with my back and my chest. I managed to give myself a large disc herniation from lifting, followed by an average fall off Drifter (my own fault, as I didn't realise a distance had been altered in a combination and was far too short for him!). The result was a few nights in A&E, nebulisers for breathing and scans galore on my back and chest. The fall had caused spasm in my chest resulting in asthma, and further aggravated the issues I was having in my lower back. I was able to cope with the back pain, but with the laboured breathing life was difficult. I couldn't believe that in the space of the week, I had gone from being a fit and active 23 year old, riding everyday, to being unable to walk a short distance without struggling to breathe and having acute sciatic pain down my leg.
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| A week before my disc popped it's clogs! |
A few months on with inhalers and physio, my breathing significantly improved - I was able to speak without taking deep breaths again :) But my back remained a nightmare. I was still unable to ride and walked with a limp, with the worst pain when trying to stand up after sitting! I was told not to ride until I was sorted, and in actual fact I was unable to anyway; the worst blow. Riding is my hobby, my life, my stress release, my passion. I was absolutely gutted and started to get very down, I'm just not very good at sitting still!
When I finally got to see a Spinal surgeon in January after an mri, he recommended surgery instantly due to the size of the prolapse (squishing 90% of my sciatic nerve!) and on March 23rd I went into hospital to have it removed. I woke up from the anaesthetic having an asthma attack and the pain in my back was the worst I had ever felt. After a few shots of morphine, I was wiped out but I couldn't sleep and when I finally got home, I started to think I wasn't ever going to get back to normal. I felt like I would always be in so much pain.
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| Teaching Drifter 'High 10s' |
So what got me through all this - other than Tom, Kate, friends and family? My equine OH, otherwise known as Drifter! Being unable to ride made me submerge myself in groundwork training, something I was still able to do with him. He gave me a reason for getting out of bed on the days when the pain was at it's worst. When I just needed a hug, he was there, still and calm and just there! When I was feeling sorry for myself, he almost had that 'Get up and get on with it' attitude towards me when we went out on our walks; 'Look how lucky you are; I'm going and you're coming with me.' I was able to start walking out for short periods and going with Drifter made it so much easier.
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| Our first jump 4 months post op! |
I'm back on board now and loving life. I still have sciatic nerve pain frequently, and there are some things that still put me back, but I can now do what I love again, and boy was it worth the wait!
I owe him so much, he teaches me something everyday; patience, strength, and most of all empathy.
God made the horse from the breath of the wind, the beauty of the earth and the soul of an angel
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