Hello, all. I'm doing okay, thanks to the miracles of modern drugs. They're making me loopy and sleepy and draggy, and I'm hoping to start easing off the painkiller and muscle relaxant over the next few days.

So, right, Sunday afternoon was hell in a way I've never experienced hell. I thought I'd been in pain before. This was worse. Standing up made me cry. Sitting was just as bad. In the ER, getting checked in, I was vaguely aware that I was levitating a millimeter off the wheelchair. Thankfully, my friend Sean—who is a musician and vocal coach, married to a nurse, has been through back problems before, and, as his wife later said, is an empath—was there telling me how to breathe. The dr there shot me full of Demerol and I was mellow, although I still knew I hurt, somewhere over there.

I hurt that night and through Monday, which was upsetting. Among other things, it felt like someone was stabbing me in the bottom of my foot—which meant I couldn't even walk it out.

I saw a nurse practitioner yesterday, who added an anti-inflammatory to my painkiller and muscle relaxant. Had an X-ray, which confirmed that my bones are fine and dandy. He wants to hold off on an MRI unless we really think a spinal injection or surgery are in my near future. Right now, drugs and bed rest. In a couple weeks, depending on where I am, physical therapy and/or light exercise/stretches.

I suppose the most frustrating thing is not knowing what caused this, which means concern over whether I'll inadvertently to it again. But we'll address that later, when I'm over this bout.

Looks like Ken should be coming home sometime next week, for a bit. He'll still have more work to do, including a trip to Korea, but his schedule will be more flexible.

I don't know whether I'll be able to go to the writers workshop in early May. Sucks.

I'm watching a lot of TV and movies, and reading, and that's pleasant enough. I'm starved for company, though.

I got some extremely good news this morning, but I'll officially announce it when I have a few more concrete details.

For now, I've sat for too long, and must go lie down again.

I appreciate every one of your comments and all of your well wishes; reading them truly brings me a sense of joy, and I am grateful for all of my friends.