What back pain?

Well, here I am on the flipside. I know I keep saying it, but now I feel as though I've finally turned a corner.

As someone with a chronic pain condition, it can be very difficult to even get through a regular day, just existing in the world. I've been dealing with a massive amount of back pain for the better part of a decade. I've been fighting for about five years to get an MRI after a series of X-Rays, physical therapy and even chiropractic care. Nothing has really helped.

Well, I finally got to see a spine specialist after I found a primary doc who fought for an MRI. I have something called facet arthropathy, or a pretty bad arthritis in the joints of my spine. My joints were so swollen, I was basically rubbing bone on bone.

Within two weeks of seeing the neuro, I had a series of injections into those joints.

Y'all, I went from a 7 on the pain scale to a 2. Seriously. After a week or so, I feel amazing. My moods are even lifted. I didn't realize how the chronic pain was effecting my personality until I was out from under it. I feel 10 years younger.

I say all of this to bring anyone following up to speed and to say I'm writing. Yes, after months of struggling, I'm managing to get words onto electronic paper. I wrote 700 words last night. I'm blogging now. I feel some of the cobwebs moving aside, allowing some of ME to shine through, finally.

I wrote a short story in the paranormal genre, hoping to intro a new novel once I get the first draft of Dark Ember finished. I'm working earlier in the day, so I've had to abandon my #5amwritersclub. I may have to start hanging with the #writeowls. Either way, I'm writing. I feel good. I still have a job. I really, really cannot be complaining at this point.

I'm going to continue working on Dark Ember, since I'm SO CLOSE to the ending. I also have a mermaid short in the works, and I'm working on a novel outline for a book centering on a group of paranormal investigators.

Lots going on. I finally feel like I can handle it.

I might even try submitting Guardian a bit more this week. Who knows?

Anything is possible now.

-C.A.