Taking Things For Granted

This entry is prompted by a medical condition I am personally working through right now: Sciatica.  I have a bulging L3/L4 disc with pretty bad pain radiating down my left leg. This has been present for about 3 weeks and the medications I have been prescribed as well as some PT treatments have done pretty much nothing.  I am scheduled for an epidural injection this week and I have a meeting with a spine surgeon this week as well to explore a surgical resolution.  None of this is life-threatening and I know at some point I will be better.

Prior to this episode of sciatica, I was used to working out every morning on the elliptical as well as taking multiple walks with my wife Nataliya during the week and weekends.  Now, I cannot do either.  This is very discouraging and somewhat depressing as I use exercise daily to keep me “balanced”.  As I lay in bed trying to find a comfortable position, I think back to the “healthy” days when I could work out, walk and accomplish all what I need/want to do without pain.  I feel that to a large extent I took (and take) FOR GRANTED many of the things I am able to do when healthy.

Let’s move this narcissistic post away from me and bring the relevance to everyone else:  Human nature is such that we all, at times, take FOR GRANTED a number of seemingly routine and mundane things we do in life…taking a simple walk with your loved one, throwing a baseball with your grandchild, walking the mall and many other “things we do” that require a healthy body.  When these are taken away from us due to a medical issue, suddenly, we realize just how special and important even the simple things we do are to us.

So my message today: Even though you may feel well enough today to do what you would like, it is important to stay focused on your efforts to improve every aspect of your health or at the very least, reduce the chances of worsening of any issues already present.  In the case of orthopedic issues such as mine, weight control not only lessens the risk of problems developing but also improves the rate of recovery.

Let’s all try to NOT take things for granted.  And by the way, sitting and writing these blogs are not painful for me so I will continue to spam your inbox!

Here is a song called “Taking Things For Granted” by Joy Oladokun.  I never heard of her before but quite a nice song.