Going to try something new -- same idea of my 30 minute free write entries but shorter. 15 minutes free write for the days I'm too scattered to focus, or crazy busy and seemingly unable to grab 30 minutes of quiet alone time to write. I can steal 15 minutes easy even when people are home, I think. Today it's mainly because I don't want to dedicate 30 minutes to my goddamned back and how pissed off I am about pain and having to take it easy all the freaking time.

I was doing my physio exercises last night like a good girl. I did the upper-back stretch for 5 minutes, the new nerve stretch and then flipped over to do the first of my abdominal exercises. A little tender but nothing too bad. Then when I flipped onto my back I moved badly. I seem to remember moving both sideways and flipping at the same time. Searing fucking pain through my lower back, hip, ass and straight down my right leg. I'm assuming my shimmy flip managed to nicely pinch my already inflamed nerve.

Me being the wimp I am hollered and then started to cry. Not a chance that I'd be able to finish my exercises so I slowly peeled myself off the floor (with further curses and crying flying through the air) and hobbled over to the couch. I spent the rest of the evening on the couch trying to get my daughter to bed and ignore the pain. The burning sensation wouldn't go away in my calf; I swear it felt like someone had shoved a hot poker through the muscle from ankle to knee. Insane.

I jokingly said to Liz (my Physiotherapist) on Tuesday that it seems like a toss up, I can either walk and not sleep or I can sleep and not be able to walk. It's like my three areas of injury seem to trade off with each other. Upper back, lower back and whatever the real name of the major nerve that runs from my spinal cord to my foot is called. I have to stop bitching about it though; I can still remember when it all went bad together. When my back would spasm and then my hip would start throbbing and it was a concert of pain.

And that's 15 minutes.