It isn't a recent development, but it flared up again last night.

On the morning after my thirtieth birthday, I fell to the floor while trying to stand up out of bed. Nothing weird had happened, but somehow I flexed just wrong and something in my lower back shifted and turned my spine into my body's own instrument of torture.

Every once in a while it happens again. Usually not while getting out of bed, but usually after doing something strenuous. Last night we had a little block party with most of the neighbors on our street as part of the National Night Out. I believe my back was tortured by my mingling with the clumps of neighbors. I sat for the day's work, rode my motorcycle to and from, and then stood outside on the street for nearly four hours. I had a hard time creeping up the three steps into the house, and then even worse, up the fifteen steps to the second floor to get some pain killers.

This morning I was stiff as all get out, but I had to drive around a bit to help the girl child get her employment papers in order, and the in and out of the Explorer was enough to push me over the edge.

I took the day off and whimpered on the couch. It did me some good, as the pills had time to take effect, and I think the extra time on my back helped. I'm still stiff, but at least I'm not wincing just to step.