Pain, in the ass

I’ve done it again. Hurt my back, herniated a couple of discs, and have a pinched sciatic nerve. L5/S1 discs are jacked, and I’m in constant pain and discomfort. The feeling often described for sciatica is correct. It’s like someone is sticking me with a knife in my right butt cheek, hip or hamstring.

This has happened before, about six years ago. That’s my x-ray on the right. I was generally not in great shape, stressed with a crazy job and infant twins, and after trying to demo my patio with a sledgehammer instead nearly broke apart my back. The injury was worse then than it is now. For a couple days then, my spine was literally crooked.  I tried a chiropractor, which worked for a bit but ultimately made me worse. Recovery was lots of medicine, and ultimately an epidural steroid/cortisone injection, plus a few months of physical therapy.

After that, I committed to keep myself in better shape. I’ve done a pretty good job for a busy family guy. Some fitness highlights over the past few years have included climbing Mt. Whitney, training for and completing a mud run, rededicating myself to surfing and snowboarding, swimming miles of laps in the pool, and going to the gym often. At night instead of sitting in front of the TV, I’m typically watching from the floor while doing various core and hip strength exercises, straps and a Bosu ball, stretching and yoga poses to stay loose. All that has worked for seven years. Until now.

Last month we took a great trip to Sunriver, Oregon. While there, we did a day at Lake Billy Chinook where we had a blast zipping around on a speed boat, tubing and (unsuccessfully for me) wakeboarding. So it seems a combo of laying on the tube and being bounced over wake chop at 30 MPH, plus the jarring up-and-down slamming on lake waves while sitting in the front of the boat did me in. I was sore the next day, and then sitting in the car on the 10-hour drive home I knew things were going downhill. I thought my back was pretty strong, and it sucks that something so stupidly enjoyable could damage me like this.

So I’ve been to the doctor, had my MRI, have a shelf full of new pharmaceutical and natural medicine, none of which is working very well. I’m waiting in agony for a physiatry appointment Monday, where I’ll probably get options like the epidural.  Then I’ll have to wait for that procedure. I’m hoping that’s all I need. It worked last time and I’ll sign right up to do it again if it’s recommended.

I just got a new surfboard and I can’t use it — that’s driving me crazy. I can’t pick up my kids, couldn’t bounce at their birthday party yesterday, can’t even swim now as kicking and pushing off the wall is too painful. Walking the dog at home and around Los Gatos at lunchtime is keeping me somewhat sane.

The mental challenge is real. The lack of sleep and nighttime pain is the real killer — I’m only getting 3-4 hours of sleep per night, broken up by being unable to turn over and then painfully getting out of bed and stumbling around the house in the dark to try and loosen up. I have reduced movement overall, and I can’t lift my right leg far off the floor unless I’m really loose, like after a long (slow) walk. Stretching is becoming more difficult, but helps a bit sometimes. Getting off the floor feels impossible at times. I can’t sit in the car for more than 20 minutes. You don’t realize how much you need your spine until it’s injured.

With all the sports I’ve played over the years, despite a few broken bones, bumps and bruises, I guess I’m lucky this is as bad as it’s been. And, this is probably temporary — others suffer with chronic pain far worse than mine.

So, my healing process begins again. Just hope I can get back in the water by the end of September for my annual surf trip and to finally get some turns on that new board.