oh hun, your post made me feel so upset 4 ya!!! i am currently not flying because i'm only on a seasonal contract so have the winters off, and its been the hardest winter of my life and i have missed flying so much. but reading your post has made me realise that what happened to you could happen to anyone. and if it happened to me, i know i would be miserable for the rest of my life. in fact, i would have probably just continued to work despite the risks to my health. but you made the sensible decision. this is the only body you will have so you've got to look after it ultimately. we all have to be so careful at work with manual handling, as the carts and atlas boxes can be so heavy! and some of us are so petite.
i hope that you can again find a job that makes you as happy as CC did. i, like you, hate working 9-5 and sitting behind a desk and computer all day. it isn't for me. i need a job that is different every day and where i'm not working the same hours every week. that's just one of the reasons i love working as CC. maybe you will find something else that you can enjoy just as much, that doesn't put as much pressure on your back.
i really hope you do tallulah! all the best!