Have you ever heard the expression 'alive and kickin'?  Well, I am alive, but definitely not 'kickin'.  I praise the Lord that I was able to sleep all night, so hopefully am caught up and rest will help the pain.

Sciatic nerve pain, also known as sciatica, is a painful condition that is most commonly indicated by pain that radiates through the leg. Sciatica can be caused by an injury, but sometimes this frustrating condition can be traced to the presence of a degenerative spine condition in the lumbar spine in the lower back. When the sciatic nerve becomes compressed in the spinal column, the regular function of the sciatic nerve is interfered with and sciatic nerve pain is experienced.

Beginning in the spinal column in the lower back and culminating in the feet, this vital nerve is responsible for innervating many of the muscle groups in the lower body. When the sciatic nerve becomes irritated or compressed, regular function of the nerve is interfered with, which can lead to muscle weakness, numbness or tingling, and significant leg and back pain.

I don't mean to gross you out, but above is a picture of the sciatic nerve and the direction it goes. Thus back pain, and leg pain.

I can take pain medicine, but that is just a 'bandaid' and I don't function well on those, so when the pain begins, the only way I can get relief is to have an epidural.....an injection of a steroid in my lower spine.  I have had so many now, I cant even count, but I will avoid spine surgery until I cant move at all. This 'chicken' has to be put to sleep to have one.  I tried it without once, and only once and will not do that again!  lol

So, I feel better this morning, but the pain is always there.  On a happy note...........