The long story

Early 2007: I was sitting on the ground, folding laundry, turned around, and was suddenly in a world of lower back pain. Didn't know what it was from. Went to the ER, they gave me painkillers and sent me home. Dr. Google says sciatic pain.

2007-November 2009: I have sporadic episodes of lower back pain. If I take it easy for a few days and lay flat on my back, it goes away.

FryDay 2009: I play beerball.

FryDay+1: Back hurts and doesn't stop.

January 2010: Finally, I'm limping from the pain, so I go to the doctor. She gives me some anti-inflammatories and a coupla muscle relaxers, gives me a lecture on lower back pain in general and how surgery almost never helps lower back pain, and sends me home.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010: Pain is mostly gone, except for a nagging pain in my hip. Dr. Google says it's sciatica still. I volunteer at Ace's school for a day anyway because I'd been missing the kids a LOT. By the end of the day, my hip is really, really hurting, and doesn't stop.

Sunday, March 7, 2010: I sat on the couch kinda weird to avoid sitting on my cats, and my world lit on fire. Well, mostly my hip. I called Ace's physical therapist desperate for any help she could give me. She told me to lay on my stomach with my elbows propping me up. This gives me relief. I slept terribly that night.

Monday, March 8, 2010: I called the doctor as soon as they opened and managed to get an appointment for 2:15. I called back twice to ask if they had any cancellations. I considered going to the emergency room because the pain was so severe. My little sister came up from Brookhaven to pick Ace up from school because I couldn't sit or lay on my back without yelling from the pain; I could only lay on my stomach or stand up. Drew came home and took me to the doctor, who ordered an MRI on my hip and gave me a prescription for narcotics and steroids.

Tuesday, March 9th: MRI of my hip shows nothing. Duh. Had I not been in so much pain on Monday, I would've asked why she wasn't doing the MRI on my back. But I couldn't think straight.

Friday, March 12: Called the doctor to tell her I was still in a lot of pain. She ordered an MRI for my lower back.

Monday, March 15: MRI on my lower back is done.

Within the next several weeks, I got the results and started physical therapy. The physical therapy helped immensely. I went in with a crutch and 3 weeks later felt almost no pain. The results of my MRI showed two bulging discs and a ruptured disc, with a loose disc fragment. My doctor sent me to a neurosurgeon.

The neurosurgeon told me I needed surgery ASAP. He asked me, "Have you lost bladder or bowel function yet?" What do you mean, YET, doc? He was very concerned about the weakness and numbness in my leg and foot, and said it would continue to get worse until I had that fragment removed. He said I wouldn't be able to do any heavy lifting for 3 months. I got the cold sweats right then, and couldn't think of anything but "what the hell am I gonna do with Ace?"

I found help for Ace. Dr. Wifey. We all know her and love her. Unfortunately, she's going through some business difficulties, but this means she's available to help me while I'm recovering.

Surgery is scheduled for this Wednesday.

Today: I have chosen NOW to get my first sinus infection. The neurosurgeon called off the surgery. He arranged for me to see the nurse practitioner tomorrow and told me that I could probably get some antibiotics and reschedule for Friday or the beginning of next week.

I am so ready to have this over with, and am so frustrated about the further delay. SO frustrated.

So there ya go, the last month and a half in a nutshell.