It began last Thursday afternoon.
I was doing a good deal of extra cooking that day, and as the hours ticked by, I began to feel more and more tightness in my right shoulder. This was strange, as typically, stirring and pouring are pain free experiences for me. (That’s a good thing, otherwise my family may never have food to eat!)
By that evening my right shoulder was tied up in a big, huge knot. We likened it to a large potato in my shoulder. I know – we’re weird. But that’s what it felt like. Gradually, the pain started shooting down toward my back bone – or was it actually shooting from my backbone up to my shoulder? By Friday, I really wasn’t sure. All I knew was that everytime I took a deep breath, it hurt. And I couldn’t really figure out where the pain was coming from any more.
I kept thinking that the pain would eventually just go away. Matt worked on my muscles, trying to ease the soreness. A friend worked on me, trying to release the knots. Saturday, I felt quite miserable and had a very hard time not being grumpy. Ice seemed to help, as there was definitely quite a bit of inflamation. But Saturday night, I hardly slept because I was hurting so badly.
Sunday, I finally decided that something needed to be done. (Yes, I know – it did take me too long to figure this out. I guess I just thought it would eventually all go away, you know?)
I called on my wonderful friend who is a massage therapist, just on the off chance that she might be able to work on my pitiful self that afternoon. Joy upon joy, she was available right when I called. I went over, explained my situation, and she said, “It sounds like you’ve got a rib out of place.”
Hmm, well that made sense. After just a few minutes, she discovered that I had not one, but two ribs out. Well, no wonder I’d been hurting so badly with every breath I took.
She worked her magic (which is absolutely a gift from God) and by the time she was done with me – I could tell a big difference! I was still sore, but I’ll take sore any day over sharp shooting misery.
By today, I am feeling much, much better. In fact, I was able to go on a long walk this afternoon and felt great afterward!
I’m so thankful to be feeling better and to be on my way toward healing. What a blessing to have a friend with such a gift, and that she was willing and able to use her gift to help me.
Share how God is working in your life on your blog, then come link up with us here. If you don’t have a blog, be sure to leave a comment letting us know what you’re grateful for! Please read through the Gratituesday Guidelines so that you understand what kinds of posts you can link up to share here. Posts that are linked but do not fit our Gratituesday theme will be deleted.
If you are linking up a blog post for Gratituesday,
please copy and paste the following sentence into your post! Thanks!Join us for Gratituesday at Heavenly Homemakers!
Wow. So glad you are feeling better! What a mystery how that happened! Any idea where something like that starts?
We can’t figure out if it started during something I did during a workout or what – we sure can’t trace it back to anything. So strange!
I wanted to mention, in case you didn’t see it, I’m cracking down on my Gratituesday link-ups (https://www.heavenlyhomemakers.com/what-gratituesday-is-all-about-and-how-i-plan-to-keep-the-focus-on-gratitude) to make sure all of the posts actually fit the Gratituesday theme. Reading through the post you linked, I can see how it could fit the theme of sharing something you are grateful for, but nothing was directly mentioned. Any chance you wouldn’t mind editing that to make it more fitting? I’m really wanting the links shared to be consistent so that my readers can click over and be encouraged about how God is working in each person’s life.
Sorry to have to be the Gratituesday police. :)
Thanks for this link up!!
If you continue to experience pain, ice 15 minutes on and 15 minutes off at least 10 times a day will help SO much. I had extreme tendonitis in my shoulder for months and that, along with massaging the sore points is what healed it. I use frozen peas. They work great!
Often it takes feeling really crumby to help us appreciate feeling good. My husband broke a rib once and reported that the pain was terrible, every time he took a breath. Glad to hear you are better. I’m sure it was a blessing for your friend to be able to help you. :)
Thanks so much, Laura, for hosting each week and for all you do for us out here in blogland. :) Today I’m sharing a post in which I’m thankful for accomplishing a goal (baking an angel food cake from scratch) with the help of my dear stepmom. Hope this post fits the guidelines!
Will be praying you find continued relief to your pain and praising God for the help you received from your friend. Two ribs? yikes.
Blessings, ~Lisa
So glad you’re feeling better, Laura! Thanks for posting the guidelines for Gratituesday, too! It’s really helpful!
Bless your heart — what a wonderful friend! I’m contemplating going to a chiropractor soon, for these aching pregnancy bones! Hope you continue to feel better!
Isn’t Uncle Kenny a chiropractor? Silly you. Nothing silly about ribs out. Greg still has pinched nerve on rib. Only hydrochodone helps when it flakes up.
Lisa
Yes, but I couldn’t get ahold of him! Plus, I wasn’t sure what it was at the time so wasn’t sure he could help. Poor Greg – that sounds miserable!
I linked up with you today. My link ups are usually about God’s blessings in my life. Past and present, which I’m always grateful for. Let me know if it doesn’t fit into your category. I’m glad you are feeling better.
Our family is serving Jesus in Italy for the next three months. I am so grateful He has given us the opportunity, that we are all safely here, and that our family is able to do this together. Blessings to all of you today!
Ouch! I do love what massage therapists are able to do. They even helped my son when he was bedridden for several months. He always felt so much better.
Between massage therapists and chiropractors, I have had ribs put back into place many times. So glad you got to the root of the problem and now you will know for next time. THanks for hosting.
Glad you figured out the problem…hope you feel better soon! Linking up today….
Wow, ribs out of place, that must have HURT! What a blessing massage therapy is! I’ve heard stories, never realized how very healing it can be. Thank you for sharing yours.
Glad you’re feeling better! Sounds like a painful experience.
Ouch! That happened to me last Spring, but only with one rib :) My Chiro said it was most likely a result of me sneezing (I had bad allergies last year). Apparently it doesn’t always take much!
I’ve always heard that is one of the worst pains you can have….and you had it times two! Thankful for your friends’ hands!
Wow! That sounds terrible…good thing you have awesome friends. :-)
I’ve linked up my post, Grace for a Pregnant Mama. I think it fits, but I’m not 100% sure. I want you to go ahead and delete it if it doesn’t fit. :-) Thanks Laura!
That happens to me pretty often. I was in a wreck as a teenager, and ever since then that part of my back has been a little weak. My chiropractor has worked wonders! A quick fix, and the difference is unbelievable! Sometimes I sleep a little weird, or pick up my kids funny. I can never tell when it happens, I just know after it happens. Those pesky ribs…. Glad you’re feeling better!
WOW! That sounds incredibly painful! So thankful your friend was able to help you out! This is my first visit to your blog…will be back :)
Laura, glad you are feeling better.It’s amazing how much better your day goes when you are feeling good.
Shirley
So grateful to GOD for MERCY and GRACE. We just have to accept it. HE is on time every time.
Glad your doing better. If you are still having some inflammation you might try some magnesium oxide. I recently had a knee injury and found that he certainly helps reduce the inflammation and therefore eases the pain.
I am so grateful for God’s healing touch! Our oldest daughter was severally burnt over 30% of her body last October, and almost died. She is now recovering nicely, and we are so grateful that she is still here with us!
Oh Laura, I have had ribs out as well and I know it is painful. I’m glad you are better. I woke up with a little back pain today then I remembered I had some dairy yesterday. Dairy causes a lot of joint inflammation for me. I am thankful that it is not worse though.
Ouch! I am so glad you are feeling better! Weird that your shoulder would hurt when it was actually your ribs that were out of place. I am thankful to God for His healing touch!
I’m so glad you are feeling better Laura. Its always great to have a friend who can help! :)
I was going to tell you how I organize my sock drawer in Canada, but instead I will let you know that I am grateful for your website. I was raised as a Catholic and now find myself without religion. I have been reflecting on how I want to raise my two wonderful boys and have God in our lives. Thank you for your website that encourages me to start the conversation with myself. Also my cooking has gotten better.
Thank you! I am starting a series on Growing Your Own medicine–learning about healing herbs and how to grow them. For some reason it only put my name up there on #28! Ha! You can find it at: http://thewelcominghouse.blogspot.com/2012/03/growing-your-own-medicine-series-on.html
So glad you are feeling better!!
Heather
So glad to hear you were able to find an answer and are feeling much better. Praise God!
Recently I had the same thing happen–only I had several ribs front and back out of place. Ended up in the ER as it was not only painful to breathe, but I began having chest pains. It took me several days before I admitted to my husband how much pain I was in, couldn’t sleep for there was no position comfortable, and that I needed help! It wasn’t until everything was ruled out and the doctor had no clue what was wrong that I went to the chiropractor. That’s when I found out about the ribs. I sympathize with the pain you were in. But we did find out that my heart is good, which is good to know as heart disease runs in the family. I am thankful for the health that God has given and continues to give. I’m also thankful that He has given each of us gifts to use that can help others along the way. Including yours, Laura, of encouragement, laughter, and good cooking!
Oh my! That does not seem like a fun ordeal at all! I am so glad that your friend was able to figure it out and that you are healing. Didn’t even know something like that could happen!
Im so glad you are feeling better! I was starting to worry you had something very horrible going on. Glad to see I’m wrong!
Happy to link up with you again.
Cindy
http://apronstringsandappletrees.blogspot.ca
Thanks for encouraging us to stay on track and be grateful on Tuesdays! =)
Ouch! I’ve had this too!! I would get headaches with mine. Until I found my wonderful chiropractor!! If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t be able to function. (My husband loves this man ;)
Anyway, mine’s a rib in middle of back between shoulder blades. So glad you’re friend was able to help!! Be careful not to aggravate it. A few hours after my first adjustment I picked up too many grocery bags and pulled mine out….ow!!!
Thanks for another great gratituesday post!
It is amazing to see how everyone has a talent that can be used as a blessing for another person. :-)
Ouch! Sounds very painful Laura! Glad you’re feeling better. I’ve never even heard of ribs being out-of-line.
I’m am so thankful for a very wonderful husband! He works so hard. He works hard at his M-F, 40plus hours a week job so I can be at home with our girls. But he also works hard serving others, pleasing God. He really works hard around the house too. He does a great job at our house trying to help me keep on top of cleaning and in the yard! I’m so thankful that God blessed me with my sweetie!
Oh my that sounds terrible! How on earth did you get 2 ribs out of place?
You are not the only that waits too long LOL. Last week I came down with a terrible sickness. I thought it was just a cold, but my throat hurt worse than anything I have ever experienced. Finally on Thursday (day 5) when I woke up with goop coming out of my eye I decided I probably should go to the doctor. Sinus infection, throat infection, ear redness, pink eye all combined. So thankful for antibiotics!
That happens to my husband often. His are so bad and painful that he will actually have fluid build up and push on his lungs deflating them! Very difficult indeed!
I am so very happy that you are feeling better! Ribs out of place sound like a lot of pain.
Today I posted about being grateful for such a wonderful husband and why I am so greatful just now! Please feel free to police me if it is not right!
I know what you mean by rib out painful! Ouch! Thanks for hosting even though you’ve been in pain. :)
I shared my love for coconut oil… :) Hope you enjoy!
I just saw the notes about the “crack down” :) I had posted my first link (about my love and appreciation for coconut oil) before I read it so I apologize if it doesn’t fit- I’ll add another about our recent Snowy Spring Day- hope it is a better fit. :)
Thanks for understanding! :)
That very thing happened to me when I was pregnant with my first baby! I couldn’t afford to go to a chiropractor and it eventually went back in…but boy was it painful! I’m so sorry that happened to you but glad you’re feeling better!
It is miserable when our bodies are out of alignment. I’m so glad you got that feeling better. Thank you for hosting this link party. :)
I linked up – I know it’s a day late ;-) but I couldn’t get it done yesterday!
http://handfullofblessings.wordpress.com/2012/03/28/thankful-for-my-laundry/
I had a rib out of place a few weeks ago. This may sound silly, but I got a tennis ball, put it where the rib was out, and laid on it. I did it very gently and tried to relax and breathe slowly. I woke up the next day and it was back in place. I couldn’t believe how painful it had been! I had a hard time functioning. We had just moved and I had been carrying a lot of boxes that were heavy, I’m sure that’s what did it.
I’ve had that happen several times, but the first time, we didn’t know what it was. The doctors ran several test (including a bone scan) to see why I was in so much pain and why it hurt when I took a deep breath. I even started physical therapy. I finally went to a chiropractor who fixed it right away. It still happens now and then (seems to be more frequently now that I’m getting older), but since I know what it is, I get it taken care of quickly. Sometimes I can even lay on a heating pad for a while and my husband can get it back in place. I’m so ‘grateful’ :) that your friend was able to get it back into place for you as I know what type of pain it is. To good friends with great gifts and hearts!!! :)
My husband broke several ribs a couple of years ago. Those injuries are so painful!
LOVE your blog. thanks!
Beware that what you described above {if it happens again} are *classic* gallbladder signs. (right tip shoulder pain that may or may not radiate, but usually person can say “right here” and put finger on tip of shoulder, PAIN with taking (Esp) deep breaths in, that can hurt so bad you splint to avoid doing so, and pain that can radiate to back. These are terribly classic signs (gallbladder ultrasound to rule out stones, and/or a HIDDA scan to determine function %) . ALL very common after babies, etc. Just beware. My husband is a doc, and i am a nurse, and i had EXACT same symptoms and a non-functioning gallbladder. It can be deceptive at first, b/c you can go long periods of time between “attacks”, then *BAAM* ….outta nowhere. Ususally these attacks are followed by eating something with fat in it. (ice cream, hamburger, chicken finger,etc.) If it follows a meal, BEWARE! Good luck! just felt the need to pass that info. along. We are too ‘medical’ not to. I let mine go so long, b/c between “attacks” i was COMPLETELY fine, that when the surgeon finally took it out, he said it was scarred down and i had “chronic infection” there. Not good! Never had a problem, since.