So, when I was helping out my boss with setting up the college’s desk at the American College Fair yesterday, I seem to have strained something. I got a backache on the way back, but unlike most such aches, there was a sharp pain in the side of my leg as well.

As luck would have it, I had an appointment this morning to see a doctor about possible arteriosclerosis, a side investigation resulting from the whole scotoma thing. I mentioned the back and leg, and he felt it more of an immediate worry, and so sent me to the orthopedic specialist. There, they x-rayed me, and the doc came up with a probable diagnosis of a herniated disc. He scheduled me for an MRI next Saturday (first opening we could schedule) and set me up with pain and anti-infammatory drugs in the meantime. He said it could take anywhere between 2 weeks and 3 months to clear up.

Total medical costs for today: about $30.

The pain is not extreme, but it’s enough to keep me off my feet. The doc said I could heat my back, so I’ve had my electric blanket in my computer chair, and it helps with the pain. Sitting up straight also helps; it hurts more when I slump.

As it is, I’m full up with doctor appointments recently, 2 or 3 a week (5 between last Saturday and this Saturday, by chance). It just happens that I’m in one of those everything-goes-wrong modes, so it seems.

Let’s hope that, at least, I don’t fall prey to the usual disaster-strikes-at-Christmas things that hit me for two years running (severe nosebleed, broken foot) before giving me a year off last year…