This morning I woke up with some pretty severe lower back pain. The kind of pain that makes you say “Oh, I guess I can’t bend at the waist today.” It’s not unusual, and it’s something I’ve lived with off and on for the better part of 15 years. However, today my body decided to be an おじいさん and give up the ghost.
Late this afternoon the Mrs. and I make a trip to the local chiropractor who ran some quick tests and quickly came to the conclusion that I have a hernia. The first thing that went through my head was Weird Al Yankovic’s rip on James Brown’s “Livin’ In America” song, which kinda helped relieve my stomach of the bottoming out feeling it gets whenever a doctor delivers news that will result in a few days off work. Thinking back to the chorus, the Weird Al’s take on the situation isn’t far off:
Living with a hernia
Hurts me bad in a tender location
Living with a hernia
Had enough humiliation
Living with a hernia, yow
Got to have an operationOw, I live with a hernia
Can’t get up, can’t bend over
Now I live with a hernia
I’m not going to need an operation at this point but, like the fair maidens of years long gone, I will need to wear a corset. The nice thing about this incredibly tight garment is that it makes hiding “metabolic syndrome” all the easier. No longer will it be necessary to consciously suck my gut in every time a woman is within visual range.
Unfortunately, this means that I’ll be stuck at home for the next few days while my back recovers … which means that I’ll be studying a lot of Japanese and trying my best not to go stir crazy as I’m forced to remain in one position for too long.
Then again, if I’m forced to stay (mostly) immobile, this will be a good opportunity to work on some programming projects that I’ve fallen behind on.
Have you ever suffered from this kind of problem? What’s the best way, going forward, to ensure another 70+ years of spinal operation?
Wait till you hear what I have now. Its called a ‘lumbar step off’. I am now risking being paralized. I also have 3 other ruptured disks. They reccomend surgury. I am now also declared disabled by the state. Federal is not too far behind. Miss you a lot, I know I have not emailed you in a while. This winter was bad. I had 7′ of snow since thanksgiving last year, so did not get to town to do email much till now.
Louis (Neko from irc)
Will Obama’s medical plan cover you, or will you still be on the hook for all the surgeries and treatments the doctors are recommending?
It’s good to see that you can kinda get some net access again. Any chance of it being a permanent thing in the near future?
The only thing I have heard about the plan, other than that it will turn out medical professionals into assembly line doctors like in UK & Canada, is that you will have to pay $2400 a year, or face $1000 a month fine. Now this may have been in an older version, don’t know if the new one has it. However take note that the bill was originally drafted in part by the insurance companies. So don’t expect it to do much but line someones pockets while bankrupting the Nation, while dragging down the current quality of care. As far as internet goes, this time and last were both at the library. So no internet at home. I cant text or receive 150 char plain text emails to my phone. I will have to give you the address later. Email me at my regular address again so I have yours on hand.
Sounds like fun … pay now, or pay more. These are the same dolts that think a Carbon Tax will do the world some good
The Republicans are shooting down universal heathcare. Obama’s plans will be nothing more than Martin Luther’s dream…