Oh, my aching back...

So the MRI results came back with an L5 S1 left-sided disc herniation, and my regular doc wants me to see a neurosurgeon/spine doc. The appointment was set for March 16. Since it was going to be so long, I was a bit stressed about what I needed to do between now and then (especially since the nurse kept saying they were going to get me in this week or early next).

So, after several very annoyed phone calls to the doctor's office, I finally got a nurse willing to provide actual information. The herniation is more centered than left, which is apparently better than being fully to the left. Since it is pinching a nerve, though, they want me to wait to see the neurosurgeon rather than an orthopedic surgeon. The regular doc doesn't want to prescribe treatment, and prefers the neurosurgeon do that. The nurse gave me a few suggestions on ways to help alleviate the pain, since I can’t take the painkillers they gave me last week and actually function. She also gave me a list of activities I am not allowed to do at all, as well as tips on how to do some of the more basic stuff that has to get done in a house. Sadly, I am not allowed to vacuum or mop… The majority of the suggestions were fairly obvious, such as crouching to pick something up rather than bending over, or using tongs to get items out of the washing machine instead of bending. Basically, no bending. And no twisting. That's going to cause some difficulty with more than a few household chores, so I have to ask for more help than my stubborn self would like. I'm also not to lift heavy objects, which makes me question how I'm supposed to get my laptop to and from work. Oh, and she told me to try not to sneeze.

Last night, my brother, John, and my friend, Natalie, came over for dinner and helped with a few of the chores that needed to be done. And we successfully strapped the pups’ travel crates on the roof of the truck for this weekend’s trip. John also told me to start writing up a "honey-do" list, and he'll take care of things in the afternoons after work. My friend, Kim (mother to Dante and Mia, Reyna and Duncan’s buddies), is coming over while we’re out of town to sweep and mop and vacuum. I will SO owe Kim for that.