Back Whoas

For the last five weeks I have been having back issues. The lay term for it is "sciatica". Basically it means one of the nerves (the S1 nerve) in my lower back is inflamed and irritated. That nerve combines in with other nerves to the sciatic nerve. It has been incredibly painful. I have spent a lot of time laying down. I've watched so much tv my brain feels like mush. Thank heavens, a friend has been bringing me books to read and I've reread several of my favorites. I'm reading a 500-pager about Abraham Lincoln right now. That should burn quite a few hours. And my family, especially the girls, have been picking up the slack around the house. They've learned to do the laundry and cook the meals. The girls even went grocery shopping for me. I sat in the car while they went in and bought everything. They thought it was fun. I used to think it was fun too, but that was years ago.

Today I'm recovering from my second "lumbar epidural shot" in my lower back. I'm suppose to lounge as the doctor says for a couple of days. I get one a week until the nerve damage is gone (hopefully that is soon). The shots are fascinating to me, probably because I can't see what's going on and I get a drug through the IV that makes me forget the procedure. It's so weird to have a blank in my memory. You'd think I'd be enjoying all this laying around, but I am so ready for this to be over and to get back to a normal life.