The value of Facebook never ceases to amaze me. I’ve reconnected with long lost friends. It’s helped me learn about my upcoming high school reunion. I’ve taken a few of those quizzes for kicks. And, it helps me with my need to eavesdrop because I can see the posts between mutual friends. But yesterday it helped me in a way I never would have anticipated: I received sound advice about my health.
I should back up and say that on Father’s Day I ruptured a disc in my back. Ouch. I spent the day either crawling on my hands and knees in my mother’s house, or flat on my back on her floor. By Monday afternoon I was still not feeling better, but sitting in one of our lounge chairs from our patio, I did get on Facebook to entertain myself. In my status update I noted that I was experiencing back pain.
The waves of support came in from everyone. One friend said he’d done the same thing a year ago (empathy is always a plus). My fitness coach gave me directions to ice it (confirmation that what I’d been doing was the right treatment). And then I began to have a Facebook chat with a dear friend from high school. Her husband also has back issues. She said the only way he found relief was through pain meds, then massage and then yoga. “Listen to your body, it’s telling you something,” she wrote.
I knew she was right. And, I felt like an idiot. Why hadn’t I gone to the doctor yet? I disconnected right then and called my doctor’s office. A few hours later I was standing in her waiting room, then standing in the examining room and finally walking out with two powerful prescriptions to help get me through this experience.
Today I’m much better, and I have yet another reason on my list of why I think Facebook is the coolest thing since sliced bread.
Photo courtesy of Creative Commons (Esther Simpson)
About five years ago I stumbled upon a book by 
