Amazing progress and a set-back

The past several days have been low-interest from a posting-standpoint, but good ones. No spectacular sudden recovery, of course, but each day my back pain continued to steadily decrease, my walks got steadily longer, and the length of time up and about each day grew. I may go on record as the first Cabaniss to say, wholeheartedly, "God bless Prednisone!" (Though Uncle Ned, who's visiting right now, developed an eye condition while he was here and was prescribed Prednisone eye-drops. Steroids in the eye. What a weird thing this is.)

Yesterday was my first physical therapy appointment down here, and I chalked it up as a success. My therapist seems competent, kindly, and knowledgeable, but with that look all good therapists have that says, "I promise to cause you pain, and you will take it and thank me for it." He explained why my first therapist's approach was understandable but completely wrong given my acute state; (this is becoming a given for me -- physical therapists never agree with one another. They're like chiropractors that way.) He laid out a new plan of attack for me: starting out very slowly, trying to change the direction of the pressure on the herniated disk to allow it to go back to its normal shape, then gradually adding strengthening exercises. He was very confident that we can make excellent progress by my August 1st deadline: "Plenty of time, plenty of time," he reassured me.

...so WHY did I suddenly have terrible back pain yesterday evening that was unaffected by two Percocets and which greeted me this morning with added pain radiating down my leg? This can be a normal reaction to starting PT, of course. But the exercises he gave me to do -- gently and slowly! -- seem to make it much worse. We're putting (ever-so-gentle and slow!) pressure on the disk, and the disk seems to be having none of it. After a few tears of frustration and worry and some prayers for patience and trust, I'm back on the couch in the sunroom, drinking coffee and reading blogs. Time will tell, I see the neurosurgeon on Monday, and this might all be gone by then. In the meantime, extra prayers would be greatly appreciated! Very possibly I'll put up a post tomorrow saying everything is fine.