Horrors the pain

I called an old friend for her birthday. She lives in Arkansas (hopefully, just a brief stay) where her husband is an Army recruiter. It was a great conversation, because she knows I love birthdays and can tell by my enthusiasm that if I can't celebrate it with her in person that my phone call might last all morning. Of course Avery, who is 8 months old, takes a short nap and I just carry her around while I continue to talk. Then the house phone rings, Will, the 4.5 year old is sick with a fever of 103! "Can I come pick him up?"
Of course, but don't mind me not hanging up with my friend. So, I walk out to the car, cell phone cradled with my cheek and neck, holding a 16.5 lb baby. As I plop Miss Ave in her car seat, CRICK.
"I have to call you back." I sputter out in sheer agony.
Pain in the lower region sends singles straight from the source to the neurotransmitters while I think I'm not going to make the 1/2 mile drive to pick up my son who has the highest temperature he has ever experienced.
Maybe because I'd secretly like my husband to take vacation time, or maybe because I didn't want to make dinner for the whole week, or the stress and worry of having a child sick, but whatever it was, please never come back in the form of back pain.
No, I don't like taking muscle relaxants or having sympthy from strangers who look curiously as I hobble bent over like the hunchback of Notre Dame. I like to sit on the toliet (at my house) and still keep breathing, I like to take a shower standing up, I like to pick up all the toys that appear magically as I lay on the floor paralyzed in pain with my feet on a giant exercise ball and a heating pad scalleding my back. Most of all, I like to pick up my daughter and carry her around all day. She's only a baby for such a little time. I treasure everyday, with or without being able to walk erect. Where's the BenGay?

P.S. Kudos to my husband, who bless his heart, ran the household, a sick preschooler, baby who won't take a bottle, and a wife who, although feels helpless, can still complain that the she will never get back into her old clothes if she doesn't get to the gym!