50 Days, One Year Later

A year ago today, I called up the fine surgeons at the hospital and told them No, Thank you. It was the right decision. Once I got off all the pain meds, I felt better. Much better. Good enough to get back to a normal life. Like walking. Like just being able to stand up.

There's no doubt in my mind that I still have a herniated disc and that it's a matter of when, not if, the pain will return. It reminds me every once in a while that it's still there - a mercifully gentle hello from my backside. Stiffness in the morning some days. An electric current that runs down the back of my leg from time to time. I wonder how old I'll be when it decides to get my attention for good. Whether I'll have insurance. Whether I'll have help. Whether pain management has improved any or if back surgery will be done as routinely removing a wart.

In the meantime, all I can do is do the best I can. And, to be grateful while I'm at it. To that end, I made a resolution to walk more. I started before the first of the year, and now I've walked 50 days in a row. Every day. There have been a couple days I had to walk inside - at a mall - but mostly I walk outside regardless of weather. I also try to walk during daylight hours but that isn't always possible. After one particularly busy day, it got to be eleven at night before I could get my walk in. I donned a reflective vest, grabbed a flashlight and went walking.

I don't go far. About a mile. But I go. Every day.

And I'm pretty happy about it.