20 Something

 Living in San Francisco in your 20’s is a unique experience no matter what. In the latter part of the 1980’s it was a time that I don’t think will ever come around again. We certainly didn’t find it ‘easy’ to get by, but you could definitely work some local part time jobs, go to school, pay your bills to live (if you had a good living situation) and hang out with your friends. You could hardly do the same thing today. Families living in The City can barely get by today. A two income household can barely afford the rent on some of the places even smaller than what we used to be able to get back then. And if you have kids? School costs will break you - and you have to get your kid into a decent school. Things have changed.

I was living on Chestnut St with my cousin, working on Union St and so of course, I walked everywhere. Unless I was being driven around in my boyfriend’s tiny two seater! But my back Hurt - constantly. I just thought it was normal. Looking back now, I don’t know how I thought that living with this crazy Pain in my 20’s was normal. I mean years went by. I ended up becoming a Nanny for a while, and I managed a Hair Salon, and throughout it all, my lower back was feeling like it was about to give out. At one point, I did see a chiropractor. He was amazing. So nice! I could only see him on my very short lunch break - and I remember always feeling better after I left, but I never had a lot of time, or money, so I stopped going to see him. Before I stopped going, he asked me to do a spot on a commercial that he was making. I was horrible! He still used it, it was on TV20 because my friend’s husband saw it on late night. I am definitely not an actress!

The next time I know that I herniated a disc, I was 27 years old. I was packing for trip and I just had an excruciating pain in my lower back. I got on the plane, went on the trip - was told by everyone there I should “walk it off” so I was taken on a hike (it didn’t help)

I did herniate a disc again around that time. That time, I was able to go to the doctor because I had insurance. My PCP was not able to see me, so I was sent home with muscle relaxers and called the next day. My PCP said I should have an X-Ray to get a Starting Point at least, but my (Eventual) ex-husband wouldn’t take me to the appointment, he said it was a waste of time and money.

Location: San Francisco, CA, USA

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