Doctor Situation

So, I went to the orthopedic surgeon guy today to see about the results of the MRI, and he said this: I have spondololysthesis, which we already knew, and have known for years, but in addition now I have a herniated disc at the site of the spondololysthesis (where the vertebrae have shifted and aren't aligned right) which means that the disc is kind of, in the doctor's words, and I'm not kidding, "POOCHED OUT" and is extruded. Extruded, I tell you! Ah, the sheer extrusion of it all!

This means that I have to go to a back specialist person. The pain I'm having is caused by the extruded disc pressing on the spinal cord. So, the historical pain from the spondololysthesis is a muscular kind of pain because the muscles tendons whatever that hold those two vertebrae together get tired and inflamed or wahtever. This pain, though, in the last year or so, is nerve pain, from the spinal cord being extruded on. This also explains my left knee collapsing unpredictably, my foot pain, and essentially everything that's going on with the left side of my body. Apparently the alignment/shifting is more messed up on the left and the disc is "pooching" through on that side more and touching whatever is on that side of my spinal cord more. I have a Motrin prescription for now, until I see this other doctor, who will possibly give me a shot of cortizone which will shrink up the disc and stop it from extruding all over the place.

It SOUNDS bad, but it's actually GREAT because this means that I could be actually FIXED from this, which I never expected. I thought it would be just more of the same crap, be careful, don't do anything fun, take drugs, deal with it. However, this herniated business actually has a course of treatment attached to it, which is awesome! I'm now sorry I was sassy to Dan and stubborn about going to the doctor and that I put off the MRI for six months until he FORCED me to go, and then acted all belligerent and stuff. I'm glad I didn't just tough it out like I wanted to. Because this could actually GO AWAY which would be so awesome. The spondololysthesis will not go away, but this disc thing will and the other thing doesn't bother me NEARLY AT ALL on a regular daily basis.

So. Bad news is good news.