There is something far worse than "Man-Flu"

Yesterday morning began the same as any other day in our house. Except for the fact that it was "birthday party day" later on in the afternoon, there was nothing special about the morning. I still had plenty to do before the party could start at 4pm so I made a shopping list for my husband so that he can take care of that for me, like any other day. Some of the shopping included birthday presents, so we were sitting down discussing how I would keep the kids busy while he sneaks out the door without being spotted. We had a plan!

He got up from his chair when suddenly his legs gave way underneath him.

I got such a big fright as I didn't know what was happening. He was in pain and could not even get a word out to tell me what the problem is. At last he told me that it feels as if his back was unable to bend up straight so I was relieved that it was not something worse. I've been having back pain for the last couple of years now so it was a huge struggle for me to help him get up and for the first time in forever, I felt helpless.

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Eventually I got him into the car at about 2pm. I took him to the hospital to have him checked out. They came to fetch him from the car with a wheelchair, gave him some shots for pain and then took him for X-rays. The doctor said it's a muscle spasm and prescribed pain medication.

Great, we're good to go!

Uhm, no!
By then, we were already late for the party, we didn't have presents and all the other stuff that I had already packed, were still at home. I dropped the kids off at the party, then drove home to fetch our things when Mr. Backpain needed to go to the toilet. He is unable to walk without support so I had to help him out of the car first, then he tags behind me using my shoulders as if I was one of those walking support thingies that old people use. His posture when he takes a rest:

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Poor thing!

Eventually, after getting him back into the car again and almost needing to go to the ER myself for the back pain I was having by then, we joined the party where he sat in the same chair most of the evening.

One thing you've got to understand is that this husband of mine is actually a pretty tough guy. No, really! Apart from the occasional life threatening "man-flu", he rarely ever complains about any health issues...but man, when he does, it's all over his face! He can be a big baby when there is something wrong with him.

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While trying to get him up yesterday, he had to crawl to the side of the bed. I helped him to get on the bed and lay down flat to rest before I could get him up. As he lay there, he had his hand on his forehead. To me it looked like the typical "man-flu" feverish hand-on-the-head move so I jokingly asked him if he has fever or a headache now too. When he realized that he indeed has his hand on his head, he slowly removed it as he had noticed that he is now just being a baby. We both laughed about it. A while later came "the voice" - the all too familiar "sick voice" that only a man can do. It sounds like a mixture between a hoarse voice, a whisper and constipation. I don't know how they do it, but I've never been able to get it right myself. I guess it's got something to do with wanting to be pampered, I don't know.

Man-flu is quite bad, but I think Man-spasm is worse!

I'm pretty sure that us women can be just as big-a-babies when we get sick or have pain, but men takes the cake!


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