Oh, the wonders of medication...

Today, I've been in a rather happy place.  A place filled with very LITTLE pain, considering that just yesterday evening, I was diagnosed with not ONLY the slipped disc that I already knew about just kinda... JUTTING out of my spine... but also a HERNIATED disc in another location.  Toss in a rather compromised sacroiliac joint (with an added bonus of possible, nay PROBABLE cartilage tearing in said joint) and some mad pressure being put on my sciatic nerve...

Well, let's just say that I could not WALK into the ER.  Or even through the ER.  The wonderful invention of the wheelchair was my ultimate savior for an hour or so, until I got *lifted* into an inflated hospital mattress.  Where I was then given not one, but TWO injections of morphine and a *godsend* called Valium.

Oh, the wonders of medical science.

Since the original injury to my back over a year ago, I have not been *this* close to honest comfort even ONCE.  Granted... I am still shuffling a bit, and transitions for sitting to standing and vice-versa send a great deal of PAIN through my leg, back, and hip... the fact that I am WALKING while standing at more than a 45-degree angle?  HEAVENLY.

I think I have found two new best friends.  In amber-colored bottles from Walgreens.  YUM.

Of course, this afternoon, my dad informed me that apparently, the Dilaudid that I am taking along with the Valium... is pretty much like being on heroin.  Actually, in medical references, it's *8* times stronger than morphine and about *3* times stronger than heroin.

I don't know whether to be happy that a doctor finally realized that my pain was indeed THAT bad... or terrified that I actually NEED meds THAT strong to control my pain.

All in all, right now... I just happy that the simple task of STANDING UP doesn't send me into gut-wracking tears.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

On another note, I think I am going to start a "Word of the Day" segment...  on the premise that while being a stay-at-home mom, I'd swear that I can see small fragments of gray matter being expelled from my ears at an all-too-rapid pace from a lack of adult conversation, intellectual input, and just general *child speak* practiacally 24/7.  Maybe, just MAYBE, this will help me regain control of my once linguiphilistic existence. =)

Word of the Day for August 20th:

*myopic*  (my-OP-ik)
adj. 1. Nearsighted, unable to see objects at a distance clearly.
       2. Shortsighted.  Lacking foresight.  Narrow-minded.


ALSO, My Thought of the Day:

*How can a society that exists on instant mashed potatoes, packaged cake mixes, frozen dinners, and instant cameras hope to teach patience to their children?*