Pain free...for now

The steroids I got from Dr. Whateveryournameis kicked in and I am virtually pain free. Today and tomorrow will be the two days with highest dosage of the meds so I expect to be back in pain by Monday or Tuesday at the latest.

Dr. Whateverthehellyournameis...

I went to see a "specialist" who told me that the problem is with L4/L5 not L5/S1 and that I will need an extensive surgery involving disk fusion. Ha, I don't freaking think so. He gave me some steroids and suggested physical therapy.

I have another doctor lined up for next week. It will be interesting to hear what he has to say.

Home Alone

I feel like Macaulay Culkin today, left home alone for Christmas. Well, not really Christmas just Christmas Eve, which happens to be one of the most important days of the year for me. It happened by choice; I am simply in too much pain to travel to my in-laws. The rest of the family went but I opted to stay home and rest.

This is the first Christmas Eve ever that I am by myself. It feels kind of strange.

I am sorry but your back is f*cked up

Got my MRI results today...herniated disk (L5/S1) and signs of Arthritis. This is just wonderful.
Next step is a visit to the neuro-surgeon. Unfortunately I cannot see him for another month.
Crap.

What's All That Banging I hear?

Today was the day I had my MRI. Things haven't change much since the 90's when I had my first MRI. The machine is still as loud as it was before. Luckily I don't mind the noise. Besides they now provide headphones and an extensive collection of music to choose from. I went with Enya. I know, it's a little ghey.

Back at the doctors

The situation with my back is not improving and the only thing the pain killers are doing is killing my stomach. I feel nauseous every time I take one of those pills. No more.

Went back to the doctor and this time I saw my primary. Because of my history with herniated discs, he is sending me for an MRI.

Finally, something is getting done.

OOOO, Pain Killers

Went to the doctor today. Well, not quite. I went to see his nurse practitioner because he was completely booked up. The nurse evaluated my situation and gave me some pain killers. She did not think this was anything too serious and sent me home with a follow-up appointment in four weeks.

Four weeks? Seriously?

Power is back on!

Finally! The electricity is back on and I can once again use the heating pad.

Hallelujah!

No heat

We've been without heat for a couple of days now. The unusually early snow storm knocked down power lines in Connecticut and Massachusetts. There are hundreds of thousands of people without electricity and I am one of them. Not a good situation to be in, especially where I need electricity for the heating pad. The temperature in the house is down to 50 degrees and even though I am using several blankets, I am not able to get worm enough. No hot water and all the food has gone bad.

I am still in great pain and have no way to relieve it.

This sucks.

Ah, not that again

I did it again...Screwed up my back

I guess you really can't teach and old dog new tricks. When I first herniated a disc in my lower back (L4/L5) 20 years ago and had a surgery to correct it, I was told that I needed to build up my core (muscles around the mid section) or risk having more problems in the future. Just like many other things in my life I ignored that advice and will now pay for it.

I went to IKEA last week to purchase a couple of bedroom drawer units. Each of them comes disassembled and weighs in at around 100 pounds. Being 40 and overweight, I should have known that lifting 200 pounds was not going to be good for my back. I did it anyway. Hello stupid! What is even worse is that I was actually "fine" lifting the heavy boxes onto the back of my pickup truck. What "broke" my back was a 5-pound lamp I picked up off the ground.

Almost a week later and I am still on my back alternating between heat and ice. I feel a sharp pain shooting deep into my lower back and both side of my butt. It feel like someone wearing cowboy boots is standing on my back and constantly grinding their heel into my back. Advil is of little help.

Oh, this is not going to be good.