A Break for Spinal Problems

I'm taking a break for a few days while some significant spinal pain subsides.

My extensive spinal injuries (two herniated disks, four bulging disks, six compressed disks, a broken up vertebra and disk in my neck, osteophytosis, and two areas of stenosis) are inflamed and screaming. The little bit of work on the house may have caused this inflammation or it is due to some other reason. 

My primary illness, Systemic Mastocytosis, is known to cause inflammation throughout my body, one area at a time, so that could cause this spinal inflammation too but I'm thinking it makes more sense that perhaps I overdid it working on the house. It has been a long time, however, since having such intense spinal pain. 

I still have a little bit to write about pertaining to Sheila's new cancer finding. I have a little bit to write about pertaining to our fun cruise with the grandkids and Sheila's parents. I have a little bit to write about pertaining to the home renovations. You'd think that this is a good time to catch up on blog entries but my spine actually hurts far too much to think clearly nevermind sit at my desk.

This pain is brutal... the pain is radiating throughout my entire torso but moreso throughout my abdomen, groin, hips, even my legs and, of course, throughout my entire back. It is a burning and radiating pain that is simmering in the six to seven range of the ten point pain scale while at rest. The spiking pain due to any sort of movement is reaching a nine or ten and dropping me to my knees. I'm hoping that this morning's physical therapy will help alleviate some (or most) of the pain (almost twenty years of daily physical therapy at this point). Today's pain is very reminiscent of my experiences during and after my first line-of-duty injury. That was a brutal week or two on the job before I reported the injury. I refused to report it until we had some time to breath and take a break. 

Now it is time to go retrieve an ice pack and head to the couch...


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