The Verdict

I went back to my doctor who had the report from the radiologist in his hot little hands, and according to the radiologist, the guy who went to medical school just so he could read and interpret x-rays and MRIs and things like that, I have a moderately herniated disc in my lower back that is bulging out and putting pressure on my sciatic nerve on the right side – which is completely consistent with my symptoms. Now, if this is moderate, God help the people who have severely herniated discs. As I mentioned before, I think I have a fairly good pain tolerance, and this had me in tears. I’m going to see a spine specialist next week, and I have another epidural injection scheduled for this Friday to further minimize inflammation. I don’t know yet if this is the kind of thing for which I’ll need surgery, although I know it’s the kind of thing for which people do have surgery. I just don’t know if I have to be one of those people, so I’ll check with the spine guy about that. I’m all set up in bed at Special K’s house, with pillows under my head and arms so I can see the screen and reach the keyboard on my laptop, and I’m catching up on e-mail and other things. He has threatened to take pictures, but I’ve threatened to chase him down if he does. Once I can, that is.

People at work have been really, really cool about everything (i.e., the prolonged absence) and they really could be jerks if they wanted to. It’s good that I’m in a position to be somewhat productive now, so I think that will also help. (If nothing else, it will help my sanity.) My doctor said that walking is okay, so once I get a little more caught up on work, I’ll start going for walks to try to get off my rear end. As I told him, and as I’ve mentioned to a few other people, getting me to do physical therapy is not going to be difficult at all – it’s getting me to do nothing that’s the hard part. Ask any of my roommates over the past few years – I am a lousy patient, if being a good patient requires not doing things for myself. I’ll be out of the office the rest of this week, and possibly all of next week (if I can’t sit, there’s not much point in going into the office, after all). It’s so weird – when I had mono, it was kind of the same thing (except I didn’t have a laptop, and I worked with a bunch of far less pleasant people who expected me to be at their beck and call) it just feels strange to not go to work for a while. I am definitely the type who likes to keep busy, and every so often something will happen to force me to slow down a little.

I really wouldn't mind, however, if it was something a little less annoying than a mono or a herniated disc. Geez.