The last 10 days...

...have been really tough. I have piriformis syndrome, probably a result of the slipping disk problem I have in my lower back. It'd been getting worse over the last couple of weeks so I got the doctor to prescribe physical therapy for me, which should have started helping. Instead, I was in more pain the day after the session. I tried the stretching exercises anyway and then the pain & spasms were so bad that I couldn't stand up or walk. That was a day after I last posted.

I called the doctor back. I had an appt to see him July 27 but this couldn't wait. Unfortunately, he seemed to be totally booked up and I couldn't get squeezed in until the 24th, for crying out loud. Meanwhile, the doctor told me to take vicodin every 4 hours, use heat and rest. Because it was so painful to get up or walk, I just stayed in bed. I had my protein shakes, read books, watched a little TV, and played scrabble with Bill and didn't get up.

After nearly a week of this, a neighbor came over to visit. It turns out she's a massage therapist and knows about piriformis syndrome so she pressed down on the inflamed muscle/tendon and applied a lot of pressure. I got such relief from that--it was a real blessing! TB and Bill also applied the same kinds of pressure so I could get a little relief every day.

So I went to see the doctor on Friday and he prescribed valium to help relax the spasm. I'd wanted him to give me a shot to calm the area down but he couldn't. He needs some kind of -scope machine to guide him so he doesn't hit the sciatic nerve. Also, I seem to need some kind of pre-certification approval, grrr. As soon as I get that, I can get an appointment to get the shot I need.

The back is everything. If your back goes, you can't do anything and that's the truth!

The pain from this has been worse than childbirth and that is no lie or exaggeration.

On the up side:

I'm spending a lot of good quality time with family members, especially my son. TB and I usually do a lot of talking but not Bill and me. So we've been spending much more time together than we usually do and I like that a lot.

The cats have been attentive, climbing all over me which has really been kind of neat. Munchie is so sweet and has taken possession of TB and me. She's not thrilled with sharing us with the rest of the gang, LOL, but they are insistent on sharing the bed with us during the day.

I even lost more weight! Who'd'a thunk it???