This is What Happens When You Push too Hard...

     ...You get to live with a pain that runs real deep.  Sciatica.  It isn't so much the pain, as it is to where it manifests itself.  In this case, right in the curl in my right buttock, at the top of the thigh.  It's a lot deeper sciatica than I can remember with the ones that were caused by the disks.  I always describe it as feeling "like you were kicked very hard, square in the butt, by someone wearing a steel-toed boot."  The only thing is, actually getting kicked like that goes away much quicker, and you rarely lose any sleep over it.

     There is no position I can get into that is really comfortable.  I am currently sitting on a "memory foam" pillow that is sitting atop a desk chair "memory foam" pad that is sitting atop an "executive-style" desk chair.  I still hurt.  I took a Norco about 3 1/2 hours ago, and I still hurt.  I do so little moving around during the day, my Fitbit is calling me "Jabba," and constantly insults me during the day with stuff like, "Maybe it's time to turn over," or "Have I been left on the dresser?"  OK, maybe not great jokes, but it's about all I've got left at this point.

     I've tried every position outside of the Kama Sutra, that a person can get into, without much more than momentary relief.  I've used Ben Gay cream, Aspercream with lidocane, TENS, and even prescription strength,12-hour lidocane patches.  The patches probably work the best, so I usually use them at night, after a cycle in the Jacuzzi, so that the 12 hours are over by 9 am, and I can take it off.  The directions say that I can "use up to 3 patches, for up to 12 hours, out of every 24 hour period."  It's pretty clear, and I won't abuse it, not intentionally, anyway (I once left a patch on for 15 hours... I just forgot it was there...).  I've even tried "inversion therapy," and have my own inversion table, but it only made things worse.

     Hey, no one to blame but me... I was the one who always wanted to find out what "this" felt like, or "that" felt like.  I was the last kid in my neighborhood to break a bone... not that I did it intentionally, but my parents wouldn't allow me to do things if there were a chance I'd get hurt.  Being able to play Little League at 9 years old took a long, and sometimes loud exchange before my dad decided that I'd be OK.  Ironically, the two times I broke bones in my lower extremities were both related to playing baseball... but that wasn't all... I've probably broken every finger on both hands, at least once.  I've dislocated my left thumb so many times that the arthritis can be excruciating at times (but that was from golf, so...)

     I've pushed my "rehab" program too far, too fast, and now I'm paying for it.  This is a lesson about the difference between trying to rush things, and being patient.  It's always been a tough lesson for me, and for some reason, I just keep not getting it... until stuff like this happens.  It's also a lesson about me not being a young man any more... about not "bouncing back" as quickly... about how this is supposed to be the time for me to slow down, to appreciate the marvelous, magical, miraculous things that have happened in my life... I'd like to, I really would, it's just that there is so much to do, yet...

     I've done international travel, going to the Mediterranean for 14 months (over 3 years), Missawa, Japan for 6 months, and a couple of trips through the Panama Canal, stops in Cancun, Acapulco, and Mazatlán... but always part of a military assignment.  Granted, going overseas was pretty easy up until the 911 attacks, but circumstances were never really favorable for travel, no could either of us afford the time... Retirement, however, takes care of the time.

     I am pretty much ready to try a limited-scale international trip.  We are set to go to Cabo San Lucas soon, to spend a week in a penthouse suite, on the beach, travel included, with our daughter, son-in-law, and two grandsons (ages 8 and 3).  There's nothing better than traveling to a First Class resort, to relax in luxury for a week, and spend the time with family, unless it was free, huh?

     It just so happens, that an error by a time-share agent turned into a MAJOR deal in favor of our kids (their families, and friends), who now have an enormous amount of annual points to use on resort condo rentals, air fare, rental cars, and just about everything else.  The trip to Cabo will be the 1st for the whole family, and we only have to pay for food and souvenirs, everything else is covered.  Bless you, my eldest born...