If you give me an inch…

For the last 15 years I have measured just shy of five feet seven inches, just a touch taller than average, yet still the shrimp in my family, but still, 5’7″ is nothing to snuff your nose at, it’s respectable, dignified, me. Last week at my annual physical I clocked in at five feet eight inches. I told them they were wrong, I’m not quite that tall. They measured again, and then a third time, and double checked my medical records in their computer. Everyone–myself included–was baffled that at age 30-something I had grown an inch and a quarter. Baffled. When I got home I measured myself again because it seems so completely insane that I somehow managed to grow a full inch at this point in my life.

After thinking about it for a day or two, I emailed my physical therapist, the one who has worked so much magic on my ribs and back the last year. And ya know what, she isn’t surprised at my middle-age growth spurt. She is convinced that a had at least a full inch of compressed and twisted spine that has finally straightened out and–most importantly–stayed straight. I still have ribs out here and there, but for the most part I am nowhere near the extreme and overbearing pain I had 6 months ago (and a year ago, and 5 years ago).

You guys! I’ve grown an inch! In my spine! My pants are not shorter, my skirts are not suddenly skimpier, although now that I think about it, I feel like perhaps my shirts are a touch shorter than they were, but I would have blamed that on an overly zealous dryer before I thought “oh, hey, it’s because I’m taller now.” The biggest change, though, is that I feel really great most days, like, almost normal and/or…athletic?…but I would have never guessed that I am, literally, standing taller than I ever have in my whole life.

This is huge. A whole inch! In my thirties! Because my spine is finally in the right place, my vertebrae are lined up and spaced out in ways that they never have been before, MY SPINE IS FINALLY SPACED OUT LIKE A NORMAL HOMO SAPIEN!

I am taller. I can run a 5k in 35 minutes. I can do a back handsprings and back and front flips at the indoor trampoline place by our house without dying. I can lift weights and do leg presses…and I don’t hate doing those things because it does not cause massive pain and skeletal torture. I have a whole extra inch of space to move around in and my bones are no longer crunching around on each other when I walk or shower or brush my teeth. Five. Eight.

It’s been a week and I still can hardly believe my new found height. Five foot eight, ya’ll. I’m 5″8″.

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18 thoughts on “If you give me an inch…

  1. Lacey Bean

    Woo hoo!!! That’s awesome news. Meanwhile at 5’2 I’d love to sprout another inch lol. (Not to go through any of your pain and suffering to do so, but ya know.)

    Reply
  2. Stacy

    Congrats! 😉

    Actually, a year or two ago, I learned that I am an inch taller than I thought I was. For years, I thought I was 5’1″, but I’m actually 5’2″. Perhaps I should not have stopped measuring myself at age 16???? Kind of shrimpy compared to your 5’8″, but I was very excited. I have left my height on my drivers license as is, as it seemed weird to explain an inch height change in my thirties when renewing my license.

    Reply
  3. San

    What’s amazing. I was going to high-five you for being the same height when I started reading this blog post, but no, now you’re taller 🙂 and with less pain… that’s a win-win! 🙂

    Reply
  4. Britt

    This is very cool. I’m happy for you and your vertebrae.

    Side note: I got a new phone and I need you to text me so I have your number again.

    Reply
  5. Saskia

    So happy for you! I’d love to grow an inch, but I kinda don’t want to go through all the other things you write about, so maybe I should just wear heels occasionally..

    Reply
    1. Feisty Harriet Post author

      LOL, my pants are the same length, which is the annoying part about getting taller, the length was all in my torso.

      Thanks, Torso.

      xox

      On Tue, Jun 14, 2016 at 3:08 PM, Feisty Harriet wrote:

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      Reply
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