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[MaximumZero]

If your spinal stenosis is bad enough, you could qualify for disability benefits.

[Frumple]

Yeeaaah... I guess listen to the doc, but what happened to me is... pretty close to the same thing, and the folks I went to immediately put me on a light physical therapy regimen directed at strengthening the lower back muscles. Which... worked. Doesn't really do anything for the spine itself, iirc (beyond taking some pressure off it, I guess), but it helps the rest of the body compensate for it, or somethin' along those lines. It's been a few years, and I was kinda' in too much pain to pay too much attention anyway.

Incidentally, though, lower-back stuff (or at least the stuff I did) involved no standing at all. All sitting or hands/knees stuff, and a bit with a balance ball.

In any case, it's either going to be something like that or surgery, so far as I'm aware. Maybe a brace or somethin'. Wheelchair, I'unno. There's not really much you can do for the spine, y'know?

[hops]

Go to work in wheelchair to make your employer feel bad.

I work at a fast food place.
I don't think they'd care.

Oh, in that case go to work in a tank and trash the place.

They fired the last guy who did that.

Into the Sun?

[mastahcheese]

If your spinal stenosis is bad enough, you could qualify for disability benefits.

I think I'd be happy as long as I can walk without pain.
But I suppose if it got that bad, then that'd be nice.

Yeeaaah... I guess listen to the doc, but what happened to me is... pretty close to the same thing, and the folks I went to immediately put me on a light physical therapy regimen directed at strengthening the lower back muscles. Which... worked. Doesn't really do anything for the spine itself, iirc (beyond taking some pressure off it, I guess), but it helps the rest of the body compensate for it, or somethin' along those lines. It's been a few years, and I was kinda' in too much pain to pay too much attention anyway.

Incidentally, though, lower-back stuff (or at least the stuff I did) involved no standing at all. All sitting or hands/knees stuff, and a bit with a balance ball.

In any case, it's either going to be something like that or surgery, so far as I'm aware. Maybe a brace or somethin'. Wheelchair, I'unno. There's not really much you can do for the spine, y'know?

Yeah, I figure if the problem lay with the muscles, then they'd have done something like that, but they seem to think it's with the actual bones themselves, which you can't really do a whole lot about, although strengthening the muscles, like you said, would make it easier to support.
And I really hope that something as drastic as surgery won't be needed, and I'd really dislike anything along the lines of braces, or especially wheelchairs.

[Fluoman]

When I come across a piece of media that really clicks for me, whether it's a game or tv show or book series, I tend to get really invested in it. Then, when it's over, I inevitably have a sort of emotional crash. I'll spend anywhere from an evening to a few days going over it, replaying the most intense moments in my head, contextualizing the things that happened over the whole thing, but mostly just feeling unbelievably miserable that it's over and there won't be any more. It's cost me sleep once or twice.

Coming out of that, I'll usually have a second phase where I'm "getting over it" and it seems less important, at which point I start feeling sad and guilty that...the intensity of the experience is fading? That I can't remember the highs and lows as clearly? Because a part of me still thinks it ought to be really important. It's a while before I let go and move on with my life.
I'm in the middle of this phase today.

Sometimes I really wish I could just enjoy good media like a normal person, without the whole thing playing out like a melodramatic high school relationship. Sure, when I enjoy things I enjoy them really intensely, but my friends (quite reasonably) don't really have much patience left for my periodic nosedives into depression because of really goddamn trivial things. If your entertainment is making you this upset, you are probably doing it wrong.

I've found fanfiction writing (never publishing, that's a no-no) and reading makes me avoid the second phase. Mostly continuation fics, what-ifs and shipping (I'm a sucker for shipping fics). And crossovers.

[Knit tie]

Mastah, your doctors suck. It's either a spine stenosis, in which case you need those back-strengthening excercises Frumple told you about and do qualify for disability benefits, or Bechterev's disease, also known as intervertebral disc ossification, in which case you need a heavy medication cocktail. I suggest you stop pretending like this is some minor aliment and go to a hospital, because if not treated, this stuff can cripple you permanently.

[Akura]

What herb heals all ailments? Thyme.

I first read that in the second Eragon book years ago, and I'm only now figuring it out what it meant. Goddamn I feel stupid.

Then again, the dwarf it was told to also didn't get it, so I suppose that helps.

[MaximumZero]

I was on physical therapy for a while. I should still be doing it, but I can't afford it. My insurance kicks in soon, though. Anyway, the doc told me it was either PT and painkillers or surgery and painkillers, and he didn't want to do surgery until after I'm 35/40. He was also worried that the spinal fusion surgery would permanently derail any chance of me doing martial arts ever again.

Seriously, though, go get some X-Rays and probably an MRI done. You may have to do an EMG as well, which is no fun.

[TD1]

What herb heals all ailments? Thyme.

I first read that in the second Eragon book years ago, and I'm only now figuring it out what it meant. Goddamn I feel stupid.

Then again, the dwarf it was told to also didn't get it, so I suppose that helps.

Lol. That's where I got it from. I loved Eragon, though I've out grown it now. It was fine for me when I was 13-14. Used to reread it dozens of times, except the last book. For one, the ending sucked. Spoiler on said sucky ending.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

I mean, who ends a story with them going into the sunset anymore? Come on. Founding a new school? So very, very bad.

[Xantalos]

It's like he actually appreciated the Star Wars EU or something.

[Akura]

What herb heals all ailments? Thyme.

I first read that in the second Eragon book years ago, and I'm only now figuring it out what it meant. Goddamn I feel stupid.

Then again, the dwarf it was told to also didn't get it, so I suppose that helps.

Lol. That's where I got it from. I loved Eragon, though I've out grown it now. It was fine for me when I was 13-14. Used to reread it dozens of times, except the last book. For one, the ending sucked. Spoiler on said sucky ending.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

I mean, who ends a story with them going into the sunset anymore? Come on. Founding a new school? So very, very bad.

I've only read the first two books, but I've spoilered the bulk of the rest of the story from TVTropes. Looks to me he had a good oppurtunity to make it a much better story right at the end of the second book.

He ruined that chance.

[Sirus]

It's like he actually appreciated the Star Wars EU or something.

* Sirus raises his head

Did I hear Star Wars EU?

[Yoink]

I never read the last book in the Inheritance series. My young self quite liked the first book, and I think I didn't mind the second one, either. Pretty sure the third one annoyed me enough to quit the series, somehow.

[Xantalos]

It's like he actually appreciated the Star Wars EU or something.

* Sirus raises his head

Did I hear Star Wars EU?

I just hated large amounts of it.
Mara Jade, for instance.
Every Skywalker.
Most of the good guys.
The Vong.
Starkiller.
Almost everything except stuff with Mace Windu and/or Yoda in it, really.
Oh, and Bastila Shan. Killed her in every playthrough.

[Sirus]

It's like he actually appreciated the Star Wars EU or something.

* Sirus raises his head

Did I hear Star Wars EU?

I just hated large amounts of it.
Mara Jade, for instance.
Every Skywalker.
Most of the good guys.
The Vong.
Starkiller.
Almost everything except stuff with Mace Windu and/or Yoda in it, really.
Oh, and Bastila Shan. Killed her in every playthrough.

That's...quite a lot of it