Just For the Walk

Went to the gym just for the walk on the treadmill, and to shower. I'm still sleeping on my stomach over a pile of pillows, and waking up with a face so puffy my eyelids are swollen. It's not a pretty sight. Mornings are hell. I need to walk around for a good 15-20 minutes before I even attempt to use the bathroom. My leg hurts too much to sit. Walking is the only thing that makes it feel better. I'm still taking ibuprofen and gabapentin every 8 hours even thought I'm not certain it's making anything better.

I don't even come close to breaking a sweat on the treadmill. I'd try the elliptical or cross-trainer if I didn't think that'd actually aggravate my condition. And my condition is that my quad and hamstring are so inflamed that they verge on cramping or knotting. 

The chiropractor presses on the back of my thigh and it feels like someone running a butter knife along my femur, along the bone, because the muscles are in spasm and locked hard. It's the nerves firing errant messages into the surrounding tissue. I've read suggestions that a TENS machine could help with the pain. The chiropractor emails me the Amazon link to the one he thinks would work best. And if I buy it, I can bring it to his office and he'd show me how to use it.

Unfortunately, my primary care physician is only concerned if I exhibit muscle weakness. Apparently pain isn't enough. I'm not weak, just cranky. Chronic pain does that to a person. Even the massive insect bite on my neck that I got this morning at the Bark Park doesn't bother me. It just looks like a horrible tumor, but it doesn't itch. Because the body can't focus on more than one discomfort and all my focus is on the left sciatic nerve running from hip through the back of my knee down to my heel, which is throbbing.

20 Aug 2021
Sciatic Friday

True Alpine Treadmill
Time: 30 min
Speed 2.5
Incline 2.0,
Distance: 1.24
Cal: 128
HR 68, 83, av 92, high 130