Sciatica

I have had sciatica before – back when we were living in Somerville, circa 2003.  I got up one morning and just about collapsed from the sudden pain that shot down my leg.  That episode was relatively short-lived, lasting just a couple of weeks, and was helped with exercise and PT.  This time… more chronic.  I first noticed some back pain after I returned from the long car trip to drop Rusty off in VA in advance of our cruise.  Then I REALLY noticed a problem the day when I tried to walk to downtown Cartagena from Jett’s hospital room in Spain – I got about a quarter-mile down the road and noticed that my left buttock and thigh were burning and going numb.  I rested and slowed down my walk, but the pain never completely disappeared.

This summer I have had to endure some level of back/leg pain nearly every day.  It has affected my softball (my batting average is terrible) and hampers my ability to play disc golf or do anything, really, that involves walking.  When Jett and I went to St Anthony’s Feast in the North End of Boston last Friday it was slow going.  The good news(?) is that Jett’s pace was as slow as mine, so I didn’t slow her down.

I keep hoping that the pain will just go away, as it has in the past, but I am coming to grips with the realization that I may be hoping in vain.  I see a doctor in a few weeks.  Let’s see what he says.