Playing Nurse?

My baby's sick.:(

A severe muscle strain in his back. Very sudden. He's obviously in a lot of pain even though he won't admit it or take anything for it. I know he's in a lot of pain because he actually came home from work early today. Have never known him to do that.

He says it's only a muscle strain, that he's had them before, that it will go away on it's own. And he won't see a doctor. I called my mother and she agrees that's probably what it is because his work involves a lot of standing & bending over patients in positions that are not necessarily healthy. She says bad posture will give you occasional back problems in the long-term. Even though he does exercise regularly.

I suspect it was also the day we went out biking that finally triggered it. It had been raining before he picked me up & he was wearing a really thin sleeveless t-shirt. I remember his back being soaking wet. And it was cold. Or maybe I was too heavy leaning on his back? Or maybe my convulsive, death-grip on him caused by extreme terror was too much for his back to handle?

Mom says he should stay in bed, keeping his back straight, keep warm & take something for the pain, that he will be better in a few days. A few days! That's too long. If not, he should see a specialist.

Well, he IS in bed. I get the feeling he couldn't get out of bed if he wanted. Keeping him warm is a bit of a problem when he won't wear anything in bed but I've bundled him in extra blankets and rubbed Deep Heat on his back at regular intervals & fed him & made him lots of hot things to drink. I suggested a hot water bottle. He said thanks but what he has is not PMS. Geez. Macho man! Just because I use my hot water bottle when I have PMS doesn't mean it doesn't have any other, perfectly masculine uses!

And keeping his back straight? Well, he's asleep right now. On his stomach. On top of a pillow he has squeezed in his arms. Looking utterly adorable admittedly - and I AM a bit jealous of the pillow - but his back doesn't look very straight from where am sitting. I am tempted to pry all the pillows away from him, try to adjust his position a bit & sneak that hot water bottle up on him after all. What are the chances I'll manage all that without waking him up & having to listen to something unprintable? Slim to non-existent. That's another sign that tells me he's in a lot of pain. He doesn't usually curse me. Or curse infront of me. And he won't let anyone else curse infront of me either. So the fact that he's doing it so frequently today means his back must hurt like hell.

Who was it who said that doctors make the worst patients? Excuse me. Not doctors. Dentists, as he would be quick to remind me. Well, people in the medical profession. They're all the same to me. Sorry but I just can't see the distinction he's so particular about.

At this rate it doesn't look like he's going to work tomorrow. Which means am calling in sick too. No way am leaving him home alone when he's not feeling well.

And now, I think I'll go risk getting cursed out after all.