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The worst thing about this new bout of back pain is that I'm very disappointed because I thought I had it beat. I've lost weight, and have been diligently going to the gym, working on strengthening my back and shoulder muscles. The lesson here is that no matter how hard you try, you can't overcome genetics, age, gravity, or all three! I suppose this latest round of back pain could have been much worse had I not taken those actions, so it was worth it, and I'll keep on exercising.
- Mood:
sore
You know, I've never smoked, I'm not obese (though I could lose a few pounds), I drink in moderation, walk a lot, wear sunscreen, and yet I seem to have an inordinate number of painful health problems lately. My back pain has been radiating down my right leg the past few days, and the pattern of discomfort and numbness matches up nicely with a herniated or ruptured disc. The good news is something like 75% of such cases improve with rest and exercise/stretching, while if the pain continues indefinitely, surgery may be necessary. Let's hope I fall into the 75% "goes away by itself" category.
I have a call in to the doctor to run my self-diagnosis by him. He's likely to send me for another CT scan to confirm it, but I can't afford another one at the moment. The bill for the CT scan I got a Sibley was around $3,000, with insurance paying for most of it, but I still had to pay $700. So, I'm not going to get another one unless I really need it.
When the gym opens on June 1, I'm planning to start with some low impact elliptical exercises, and avoid things that may be hard on the spine like the exercise bike and weights. Walking suits me well, and maybe a beginner's yoga class might loosen me up a bit - or destroy my spine in the process!
- Mood:
grumpy
My back is still killing me, but I managed to put my socks on all by myself today. J had left before me this morning, and had been helping me with the shoes and socks as when I bend over to reach them, the pain is really bad. So what I did was plop down on the carpeted stairs, and slowly pull my legs up and reach down. I was barely able to get them on after several minutes of stretching and struggling. I briefly pondered wearing Crocs to work, but thought of all the disgusted glances I'd get from the HR people, who happen to be located on my floor.
My next appointment with the doctor (my regular one, not the urologist) is in two weeks, when he'll hopefully give me some better painkillers, muscle-relaxers, and/or prescribe some physical therapy. I had PT once before in my life, and it was terribly expensive and inconveniently located, but I'll do whatever it takes to be able to reach my toes again. I'm getting concerned about trimming my toenails - how the hell am I supposed to do that?
- Mood:still hurty
