So a few months ago I came to terms with the fact that I am not, actually, gifted with super strength or super regenerative abilities. Nor can I fly or go invisible, but that’s neither here nor there.
In spite of this fact, with the help of a cortisone shot, bed rest, acupuncture, chiropractic and caution I was able to return to "normal life." I did two months of physical therapy, I went rock climbing, I attended weddings and planned my first vacation since 2005.
A few things happened: I lost some weight, I got a bit stronger, and the cortisone shot began to wear off. The pain started by waking me up in the middle of the night. At first, ice was enough to put me back to sleep. Steadily, Advil and a nerve medication called "Lyrica" re-entered my regimen, as did occasional days off, on the floor, doped on either muscle relaxers or narcotics.
A few things happened: I gained some weight, was less able to excercise, and the pain continued to increase, becoming a part of my daily life again. I made an appointment with my pain management therapist who essentially told me that it was time to throw in the conservative towel and that he would neither give me another cortisone shot nor make a follow-up appointment with him and I should call him when I schedule the surgery so that he can make sure I get a good anesthesiologist.
Friday’s MRI revealed no miraculous recovery nor significant change. In fact, things look just slightly worse than they did in February.
So now it’s a matter of booking the gig, so to speak, and cancelling all my plans for a while.
Ta-da. So much for plans. And normal life. Disc degeneration doesn’t stop after it’s started, so I’ll be feeble for…oh, the next sixty years or so, if I get my grandmother’s longevity genes.
Whatevs. I’ll let you know how it goes.
