The MRI scan I had last week arrived today. Urban, a friend of a friend and a professor in Orthopedics was spot on when he diagnosed me before the scan: I have a herniated disc at L5-S1. L5 is the fifth lumbar vertebra, and S1 is the first sacral vertebra. I don’t know much about this stuff, but together, they form the L5-S1 spinal segment.

This has clearly caused Sciatica, which has been characterized by severe pain and extreme numbness that often radiates down through my leg. Apparently, L5-S1 is one of the most common areas for a herniated disc because of the significant stress and weight-bearing load we often put on the lower back.

The good news is that about 90% of patients with a herniated disc at L5-S1 self-heal without the need for surgery. The not-so-good news is that I might have to wait another month for my cranky and creaky L5-S1 to heal.

So, the likelihood that I’ll be going surfing, skiing, or running anytime soon is looking pretty slim.

Shit happens.