I may only be 29, but I feel like I'm falling apart.
Over a year ago, I had a foot injury which I thought was pretty bad. It kept me from doing a lot of things I like to do like running and hiking. Now that I've got that problem under control, my lower back starts killing me.
About 4-5 years ago I remember moving a heavy mattress by myself and messing up my back somehow. Since then my lower back has bothered me occasionally. Recently it has been causing me a lot of pain every day. I went to an OD, and (after guessing an initial diagnosis of
Spondylolysis) he decided it is instead very likely a disc issue (herination/prolapse/rupture).
There are two things that make this hard. The first is just pain that lasts all day and makes me mentally/physically exhausted at the end of the day. Sitting through a day at work has been arduous. The second is the fear and uncertainty of what is going to happen to me.
I am going to be aggressively doing physical therapy and exercise to try and strengthen my
back, sides, and abs. I really do believe I can deal with this. I know it will probably bother me time to time for the rest of my life. I just hope it gets better, not worse. I'm willing to live with some pain and be thankful for all that I have (everything else in my life is great). I need to remain cheerful.
