“Sleeping on an air mattress for 2 weeks is highly inadvisable!” should be required language on the carton…and not in small print…for seniors like myself who need 3D, neon-colored, flashing letters.
Since my husband was headed on a business trip for a couple of weeks I opted to spend the time with my daughter. Thankfully, the plane ride was much shorter than the one to Europe earlier in the Fall. My body arrived at its destination in one piece, instead of a jumble of puzzle pieces as was its fate after 13 hours or so of flying time before boarding the Queen Mary II.
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Rather than acquiesce to displacing my daughter from her bed, especially since she was in rehearsal mode for an upcoming performance, I decided to tough it out on her air mattress. It’s a very good, top-of-the-line model, but back support isn’t a feature for which it’s noted. I learned the hard way when the day before I was to fly home, my lower right back felt as though a knife was embedded deep within.
Getting up and down stairs was painful, as was lowering myself into a chair. So I sat through 2 1/2 hours of a ballet without a break, since I didn’t want to trek back up the stairs until it was time to leave. 
Not until we were back in my daughter’s apartment did I find respite from the pain by applying a heating pad to my lower back. Rather than catching 40 winks on the air mattress my last night there, I opted to sleep on the sofa.
Afraid I’d suffer through the flight home, my daughter was able to get an emergency appointment for me with her chiropractor the morning I was to leave. Minutes from his office, as we were exiting the freeway and waiting to merge into highway traffic, my daughter’s car was rear-ended by a Jeep Liberty SUV. The jolt shattered our attempt to maintain calm despite the off-and-on pain I was harboring. Probably because we had each other, my daughter and I were able to quickly collect ourselves.
Stepping out of my daughter’s Honda CRV, we realized the young woman driving the other car was a “basket case.” Crying into her cell phone, we weren’t able to make out what she was saying. I asked my daughter to call 911. When she approached the other driver, the first thing we discovered was that she didn’t have a driver’s license. She had car insurance, or rather, her husband did. He was enroute to the scene of the accident as we spoke.
Fortunately for us, the spare tire of my daughter’s Honda CRV stopped the Jeep “cold.” The only damage was a ding in the trunk door and a small tear to the spare tire’s fabric cover. Meanwhile the Jeep’s entire front grille was smashed in, transmission fluid pouring out nonstop. AAA was called to tow that car, while we were able to drive away on our own. Nonetheless my daughter will have her car checked out to make sure the rear axle wasn’t damaged in the collision.
After settling matters with the policeman, my daughter and I continued on to the chiropractor. We were both adjusted. She, because of whiplash symptoms that would surely surface in a day or two. As a result of my treatment, I was able to endure the 5-hour flight home to Seattle and walk off the plain, pretty much pain free. It wasn’t until I tried to get out of bed the following morning that the full impact of my back pain, and lack of sleep weighed heavily.
Taking it easy until I saw my own chiropractor a couple of times, I’m finally making my way back toward normalcy. Lessons learned? An air mattress is a very short term substitute for the real thing. Good chiropractic adjustment is a God-send. Things can get worse…when one thinks they can’t. Compassion at the scene of an accident releases tension and curtails animosity…I gave motherly hugs to the other driver who spoke halting English, and looked to be pregnant.
Was all this worth the trip? Anytime spent with my daughter is more than worth the price paid in dollars and inconveniences to this mother. 
Life goes on…but cherished moments together…come and go in the blink of an eye.
…hugmamma.
hugmamma's MIND, BODY and SOUL 
I hope your back is feeling better. What an eventful trip.
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My back and I are still not seeing eye to eye…but we’re getting closer…with the help of my trusty chiropractor. 🙂
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Please accept my heartfelt sympathy for all of the misfortune. 🙂 But, I am so glad that you got to visit with your beloved daughter!
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You’re very kind to sympathize. You know only too well what moms will endure for their loved ones. hugs for your thoughtfulness… 😉
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Hugmamma, come here for a warm caring healing hug! I promise to be careful.
Those have been very intense days my friend, I’m so happy things have returned back to normal now. To spend time with your daughter must have compensated the pain for you, at least a bit.
Did you enjoy the ballet? Were you as proud as a mother can be? 😀
Love,
Marion
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I can deal with the pain…when I’m with my daughter. She’s the best antidote. Although my chiropractor and massage therapist follow close behind. Absolutely loved the performance of “Cinderella.” Beautiful scenery…costumes…choreography…and of course, dancing…especially my daughter! 🙂 I can feel your comforting hugs…am hugely grateful for your friendship. 🙂
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Thank goodness you are both okay. Accidents are scary for everyone involved, even if no one is seriously hurt. Glad you got to see the performance, too.
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So grateful we were all okay as well. Such an unexpected occurrence, since we had no inkling what was happening behind us. We felt badly for the young woman. When her husband arrived, he didn’t offer her any physical comfort. Just stood there with his hands in his pockets. I’m glad I had given her a huge hug earlier. That seemed to quiet her tears.
Thankfully my daughter’s recovering from symptoms of whiplash since she’s already in rehearsals for Nutcracker. And yes…I was very grateful to see the ballet company’s opener for the season. It was spectacular! It’d been a while since I’d seen her dance classical. The dancers are beautiful…many new…since former members have retired. A stong-looking group, technically and artistically. That the company is still operating in the black is a credit to the artistic director/CEO.
all my best to you and yours, especially kevin… 🙂
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Hugmamma I am so glad you posted! I have missed you and I am glad you are fine and feeling better from your back attack!! Sorry you and your daughter were in an accident but glad all are ok. Take good care 🙂
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Attempted to post while visiting my daughter, but was having too much fun cooking up a storm. Made all her favorite dishes…beef stew, chicken-broccoli casserole, sweet-sour spareribs, fried chicken, ramen noodles stir-fried with veggies and spam (yes, spam!), chicken with potato chips casserole, pork chops with gravy. Was able to freeze much of what I made so my daughter would have prepared meals to dine on after long days rehearsing for Nutcracker performances.
When my daughter and I were able to spend time together, we shopped some, saw “Footloose,” ate out a couple of times. Mostly we lounged at home watching old movies on TCM and RETRO. Being that it was Halloween…there were movies with Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff. One of my daughter’s all time favorites “Uninvited” was also shown, starring Ray Milland.
I love my daughter…I guess it shows. 🙂 Hugs for missing me…and for your well wishes. Am always grateful for your kind words…and sunny outlook…hugmamma. 🙂
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Glad to read you are in one piece and back to blogging! 🙂
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Thank you, Sunshine! 🙂
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So glad you are both safe. I’ve missed you. How lovely to be able to watch the ballet, though, and well done for induring the pain for your daughter’s sake. We do these things, don’t we.
((((((HUGS))))))
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When I think I might not continue blogging, I remember friends like you who make it worthwhile. 🙂 hugs for always bringing a smile to my lips…and a lilt to my step. 😉 Will be by to catch up soon…huge, huge hugs right back at you!!! 🙂
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Oh you are such a sweetie to be kind to the other driver, most people wouldn’t. We all make mistakes afterall. And driving nowadays is just craziness! Glad you were not hurt and that you had a wonderful time with your daughter. So cool that she is a ballarina.
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The driver could’ve been my daughter had the circumstances been reversed. That the young woman was in obvious distress made compassion a no-brainer for me. She knew she was in the wrong, and without a license and someone to comfort her, maintaining her composure seemed unlikely. With words of reassurance that all would be fine, my daughter and I were able to garner cooperation and bring calm to an otherwise stressful situation. Age and motherhood tend to shed hope where it might seem lacking.
hugs for returning to read my blog after my being absent for some time…a true fiend…hugmamma. 😉
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