I’ve had a herniated disk for years. I have an extra vertebrae at the base of my spine, and it’s herniated. Periodically it’s acted up; usually exercising has helped. (Especially doing those damn crunches. Annoying, but necessary.)

I’ve been so good about going to the gym—4 or 5 times a week for the past two months.

Until the past few days. I don’t know what I did, but it hurts.

A lot.

From about the middle of my back to halfway down my butt is simply burning. Any movement involving that area (which would be most of the movements I do—sitting, standing, walking, etc.) sends me into waves of pain.

I’m at the point where I don’t know what I’m going to do with the kids today, because running around after them at the park or at the museum is a no-op. I guess I will just let them run free in the house and possibly watch too much TV because I am immobile.

The thought of picking up my twenty-five-pound love muffin (aka, Simon) to put him in the car and then take him out of the car is, shall we say, unappealing. Doing it any more than necessary—beyond picking Sophia up at preschool—seems like craziness to me.