And it just keeps getting better...

So basically what happened was when I got up this morning and did my stretches, the pain was really really bad. I couldn't get out of bed even. Then I finally was able to crawl out and I couldn't stand up all the way. So I tried various things to get mobile and none of them would work. Every time I tried to stand up the pain was really sharp, really intense, and I had to lay back down. It was about this time I decided there was no way I could make it in. I tried to get up to email my boss and couldn't. It was about then I decided I might need to go see a doctor today. So I finally sent a call-off email that was typed from the floor pretty much. So then I decided to try and take another shower, get some hot water on the back. I hobbled into the bathroom and leaned against the counter to compose myself, to stand up straight. As I forced myself into a standing straight position...CRACK...went my lower back. Except not a good crack. I began to lose strength and feeling in my right leg and kind of hurtled myself into my bedroom onto the bed. Scary thing was I more or less released a stream of farts as I fell onto the bed. I have had a hard time going to the bathroom lately, and I actually was afraid I was in the process of crapping myself because I had no control whatsoever over it. Fortunately it was just gas.

At this point I should mention I had my phone service cancelled the other week to save some money since I hardly used the phone. Heh...oops. And of course the flatulence is more info than any of you wanted, but I'm trying to get across how screwed up things were.

So right then I am hurting so bad its almost surreal. And I'm kind of panicking. So I crawl back to my computer (with great effort) and email my boss to call an ambulance for me. Yeah, I actually did that.

So then I crawl to the door to unlock it. Meantime I had to grab some pants and put them on, which was a nightmare in itself. And when I say crawl I'm not saying hands and knees, I mean snake crawling with my elbows on my belly. I couldn't tolerate the pain just going to my knees brought. I was able to open the door to go out to the hallway and started pounding on my neighbor's door. He came out and called 911 and sat with me til the police came (call was made from a cell, so they sent a squad to check it out) and then a fire truck came along with the paramedics. Ha, it took a bunch of them to carry my fat ass out to the ambulance because of the steps in the apartment, but they didn't want to wind up hurting their backs either, and I don't blame them. So for the first time ever I got to ride in an ambulance! They offered me morphine but I declined because I was afraid they would have to admit me if I took some, so I dealt with the pain til I got to the ER.

Now I should mention that later in the morning I got to call my boss and he told me he called the Woodridge police and was told that units had already been dispatched for me.

So now at the ER they put in an IV and started with some lower level pain meds (on my request) and some valium to relax the muscles. Wasn't working, so the doc brought out the big guns. I forget what its called but the doc said its 4x stronger than morphine. As soon as they pumped it into the IV I felt it shoot up my arm, up to my head, and then down to the rest of my body. Oh that was good stuff. So they took an x-ray and saw the L5 problem I told them about, but they had no way of telling if there was a herniation. They couldn't MRI the back because they didn't have any free time on the bigger MRI machines. So I laid in the ER for a few hours with lots of painkillers deciding whether or not to let them admit me. They wanted to, but left it up to me. Ultimately I decided to go home (since I was planning on being at work tomorrow), so I called my neighbor and he came and got me. This dude was totally cool. We've hung a bit, we've always gotten along. I left my keys with him just in case so he could look after the cat for me. So the ER called ahead to CVS with my scripts (4 of them...woohoo!) and we stopped off to get those, then I took him out to dinner for all his help.

Before I left the ER I called work, I called my boss but there was no answer so I called the warehouse manager. It so happened all the bosses were in his office discussing me, so he put me on speaker so I could talk with everyone. They were all very concerned for me. I told them that I made an appt to see this one doctor tomorrow but could only get an appt at 1:30 so I was going to need to take half a day vacation if it was ok with him. At that point everyone kind of yelled at me and said fuck that...you're taking the rest of the week off, and I was going to like it....sit my ass in bed til Monday, play 360, and get better. And I was getting paid for it so don't even sweat that. Heh, did I mention how much I love my job? I tried to argue a bit because we have 2 new people started this week and I was training one of them, and I got yelled at some more and told not to fucking worry about it.

So thats where I am right now...appt tomorrow, 4 new meds to play with, and no idea whats wrong with my back except for the fact my legs are still weak and numb. I might have a problem here, but we'll see where it goes.