Of Sciatica, The Outbreak Monkey, & The Bitter Smell of Defeat (a.k.a. Sunscreen)

This has kind of been a rough summer I gotta say, and I'm pretty sure I've said that before. I worked my butt off in Summer Day Treatment this year, I was soooo concentrated on making sure the kids had fun, that I was too worn out to have much fun myself, except for the Friday afternoons I spent at Point Mallard, floating in the lazy river! Those were glorious, and my way of reclaiming my summer!

And not only has it been a hectic summer, it has been kind of a rough week. I'm still suffering something awful with sciatica, which should have been healed ages ago. So I finally went to my doctor, who really chided me for not resting my leg this summer. I shouldn't have been lifting anything, much less coolers and buckets full of balls (That sounds so dirty!).  So she made me get my first ever MRI today, just to make sure nothing worse is going on there, and she told me to take it easy for real this time. And I will because I'm so tired of being in chronic pain.

And I don't know if y'all remember this, but last year I had a reaction to the tuberculosis (TB) test I took for work, and I had to go get a cat scan to clear me. So this year, I had to get another TB test for work, and I have had a reaction to it AGAIN, so I have to jump through all those hoops again! I'm not concerned about it, the nurse at work says most likely I'm allergic to the TB test, and I'm never allowed to have the test again. But really it is just all a pain. 

On a lighter note, my coworkers were teasing me that my arm was going to fall off due to my allergic reaction, and I was just giving it back to them saying, "My arm might not fall off, but I'm sorry if I infect everyone." My boss said she was going to need a lot more than an apology if I gave her TB. Then, our receptionist said, "Don't you know it's national hug your boss day, Brittany?". Ha! I should have gone in for the hug!

But I am feeling a little bit like the little monkey in the movie Outbreak today.

So due to all this stress, I wanted to get in one more lazy river day before the park closes for fall. Since the kids are back in school, it is only open on weekends. And yes, swimming is good for sciatica! I feel amazing afterwards. So once I finished work, I changed clothes, and put on my sunscreen, and headed out to meet my mom (who was coming with me). And by headed out, I mean slid out of my work building undetected ala mission impossible.  Because even off the clock, there is something odd about prancing around the office in your swimsuit, even if you are wearing a cover up.

I was so excited. It was the perfect day for the pool, it was sunny and hot, hot, hot. I took a picture for instagram with the caption, "Going to spend the day, soaking up the last vestiges of summer." Then, I spent five minutes pondering if vestiges was even a word, it started to sound made up in my head. But I googled it, and was in the clear. But then, I was worried vestiges made me sound like a snobby smarty pants (I worry too much). Ultimately, I just decided to roll with it. LOL

I had it in my head that the park would be pretty empty due to it being a school day. So when I pulled into the park, and I saw no one I excitedly exclaimed to my mom, "There's like nobody here!" The minute it rolled off my tongue, I realized, "Oh, there is nobody here". As in it isn't open.  Oh, the disappointment I felt in that moment, watching the empty intertubes float round and round on that chlorine filled water. It was right in front of my face, but I couldn't get to it! There was some employees meandering around, and I breifly thought of taking over the water park National Lampoon Style. But I doubt I could avoid the jail sentence like Clark Griswald did. 

After I got home, the smell of the sunscreen on my skin reminded me of the defeat of the day. But my disappointment was tempered when I found Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame on the TV, which was a total score. Love that movie (but then I looked up the plot of Victor Hugo's original book, what a downer! I'll stick with Disney).

It's just sad to know my water park days are behind me until next summer! I just want to beg the summer not to go!