Saturday, November 8, 2025

Trade Offs

I saw a PA in my doc's office on Tuesday and got prescriptions for prednisone and meloxicam (a NSAID). I also had time for a walk-in appointment across the street for an X-ray. Never mind that I've no broken bones. Not ever. But health insurance makes you follow certain protocols, so get an X-ray before they'll think about approving an MRI. And all because this is the 3rd week of having sciatica that is making my foot go numb and is more painful the more I active I am. Which discourages one from wanting to do anything fun. 

The X-rays were fine; it was the trip across the street that caused me some concern. Apparently a month ago, the hospital decided you are not allowed to enter the facilities until you hand over a photo ID for them to scan. I'm not sure what they are doing with your info except maybe running it through multiple data bases to check all sorts of things that are really none of their business. 

"What if you don't have a license and got a ride?" There's a lot of seniors who don't drive anymore. The guard could only repeat that you need photo ID. The police state is here, and they are tracking you at hospital appointments. I'm not sure I want to schedule my annual mammogram here now. No other medical facility has asked for photo ID except when copying the health insurance card, cuz apparently people have perpetrated identity theft for hugely expensive medical procedures. 

I filled my Rx the next day and within 24 hours my sciatica felt milder. Not gone, but not as bad. It's Saturday and my sciatica still bothers me, but it's not nearly as painful. Meanwhile, I weighed the risk of having prednisone increasing my IOPs -- it's only for 6 days. What I hadn't fully realized was that prednisone also lowers your fragile immunity, and I've been battling a pesky sinus infection for weeks now. 

Two days into prednisone and meloxicam, and I've developed a full blown cold with a sore throat, red hot cheeks, eyes burning like hot little coals, and the feeling that I've swallowed dry tissues. I even took a home Covid test to make sure it wasn't that. It's not Covid. I probably had a fever too, but it's hard to tell when you're taking a NSAID, which is also a fever reducer. My forehead tested at 97.6 but my cheeks read 98.7, while my hands were a bit cooler at 95. Friday I felt pretty crappy and made myself chicken soup with garlic, carrots, egg noodles, dried tofu skins and chicken. I feel much better today, Saturday.

I feel so much better that I actually went to the gym on a Saturday! While I'm still sick and my sciatica is still bothersome, I felt guilty about only having been to the gym this past Monday. Saturday is pretty quiet at the gym, with a few of the very same people from the week also there. Yes, Wind Breaker was pedaling elliptical #3 when I arrived. He might've still been pedaling when I left. 

 

I managed a basic cardio workout with some pull-ups. The first set was better than I expected, but the second set actually made my sciatica ache. Off to the Aerobics Room -- I managed most of my routine, only skipping the Bird Dog planks because they made my right side throb the last time. This is not the type of pain you should work through, hoping it'll get better. This is the type of pain that says "Don't do this." Especially when you used to be able to do it, but now you can't. It says, give it more time and try again later. No one needs to permanently damage themselves cuz they were too stupid to listen to their own body. 

I'm hoping the tissue paper throat doesn't devolve into a cough. That's usually the progression: sinus, post-nasal drip, sore throat, dry cough, wet cough. I can drag this whole progression out for weeks, but I'm hoping to be over this quite soon. No one likes being sick. I have things to do!

8 Nov 2025 1:20-3:05
Saturday! Cardio etc
Bare Basics w Sciatica & Flu?

Precor elliptical #1
Program 1
Time: 30 + 5 (5242)8
Distance: 2.73
Cal: 397
Avg Hr: 1136, 188
New FB: upgraded FB is slow & worthless
(1:58)

HGPU 18! — no kipping as that hurts
right foot numb & throbbing

Matrix StairMaster (R) (2:10-2:20)
Manual timer 8+2 cool down
Speed 5? (48-45) / 2 (36) / 1 (29)
Steps 442
Floors 27
Cal 66
Hr 136

HGPU 15 right foot aching

(2:35)
15 Hip Bridges rt ft mild tingle
DeadBugs 20 x 5
10 hip bridges
Child’s Pose
  Skip Bird Dog Planks 60s x 2
(Right foot numb)
Stretch / eye yoga



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