It’s been a tough week, and I have to admit I haven’t been able to sit at my desk long enough to pull together the male nude in art post I had planned. Between the limitations of my back and the haze of my current medication, it’s probably for the best—I’m not sure what I might’ve written while loopy on muscle relaxers anyway.

The back spasms seem to be easing up, thankfully, but the pain that shoots down my leg hasn’t let up. Walking remains difficult, and even standing still can feel like a small form of torture. I’ve got to brave the shower this morning—painful as it may be—because I have an errand to run early. After that, I fully intend to do as little as possible. Just rest, relax, and give my body a chance to heal.

Isabella has been mostly patient with me throughout all this. She’s even refrained—mostly—from walking or lying on the lower half of my body, which is a miracle in itself. Twice this week, she let me sleep until 5:00 a.m., and once until 5:30! Every cat I’ve ever had has seemed to sense when something was wrong, mentally or physically, and done their best—within the limits of feline behavior—to make things easier. She’s no exception.

Wishing all of you a restful and restorative weekend. Be kind to yourselves.

After three weeks of worsening right-sided lower back pain and sciatica, I followed up with my doctor yesterday morning. The pain radiates from my lower back through my glute and spirals down my leg to the top of my foot—sometimes feeling like fire in the lower leg. It’s particularly aggravated when I try to walk upright or wear anything that presses against my waist. Getting dressed is an ordeal, and some days I end up in the loosest, softest clothing possible—more accurately draped than worn—while I try to find a semi-comfortable position on the couch.

We also talked about some of the stranger symptoms I’ve been experiencing—odd sensory disturbances, like feeling a blanket over my legs when nothing is there. My physical exam pointed to probable nerve root involvement—likely L5, though L3 or L4 could also be affected. Thankfully, there were no red flags like muscle weakness or foot drop. The steroid I’ve been taking (dexamethasone) hasn’t helped much, though oxycodone gives me a few hours of temporary relief.

My treatment plan now includes continuing the steroid and anti-inflammatories, switching to Flexeril for muscle relaxation, and a higher dose of oxycodone for pain control. I’m staying on gabapentin and Tylenol as well. X-rays of my lumbar spine have been ordered, since the spine specialist won’t see me without them. We also discussed my upcoming liver MRI at UVM, but unfortunately, it can’t be modified to scan my lower back. The liver MRI is a specialized study to measure scarring and uses different protocols than spinal imaging. Plus, the hospital plans to bill for two separate MRIs—not just one. And since most spine MRIs aren’t ordered until symptoms persist beyond six weeks (I’m currently at week three), we’re holding off on that for now.

All of that was already weighing heavily on me when last night brought something new: a zing of pain so sharp it made me jump. I accidentally touched a spot on the top of my foot, and it felt like an electric shock—like the nerve pain was suddenly shooting outward from my body instead of into it. It was a strange, almost surreal sensation. That’s when the lower half of my leg started aching fiercely, from knee to foot. It felt like the pain was caught in a funnel cloud, swirling away and dragging my nerves with it.

I probably overdid it yesterday—between the doctor’s appointment, the pharmacy, and picking up some orders at Walmart and Kohl’s, I was on my feet more than I’ve been in a while. I thought I was pacing myself, but apparently my body had other plans.

Today I’m trying to rest again. It’s hard not to get discouraged, but at least I know I have a treatment plan in motion and a few more pieces of the puzzle. I just hope tonight brings a better kind of stillness.

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Have you ever experienced pain that felt… strange? Not just sharp or dull, but eerie—like your body was telling you something in a language you didn’t understand?

And here is your Isabella Pic of the Week:

I’m happy to say I’m finally feeling better. I went back to see the doctor yesterday, and she confirmed that my back pain was muscular and not skeletal — which was a relief to hear. She explained that the muscle had been strained and was pressing on a nerve, which caused the pain I’d been experiencing.

She prescribed a medication to help relax the muscle, and it seems to be working. The only downside is that it makes me very sleepy. I slept very well last night (maybe too well), and this morning it was hard to drag myself out of bed. But overall, I’m definitely feeling better today, which is a big step in the right direction.

Also, I realized I didn’t post an Isabella picture last week, so I thought I’d do something a little special this time. Below is a short video of Isabella taken exactly nine years ago today. She was such a cute and playful kitten back then — and she still has that same spark in her eyes today.

Enjoy this little glimpse of her kitten days, and thank you all for your kind words and support while I’ve been recovering!