Update

So I just got back a bit ago from seeing a spinal specialist.  He wanted to do an MRI but I begged off, mainly because my insurance acts stupid sometimes and I can't afford an MRI if they decide not to pay for it.  They should, but you guys know how those crooks at insurance companies operate.

So through a clinical exam the doc decides I have a herniated disc.  In fact, he was dead sure of it.  It wasn't "I think" or "maybe", it was "well, your L5 is herniated".

Hooray.

At least that explains the pain, right?  So surgery is out (for several reasons), all I can do is try to keep up the anti-inflammatory meds and the pain killers.  He gave me a new script for oxycontin 20mg, told me not to fuck around and take it more than twice a day or it could kill me.  He also told me that if its still hurting in 2 weeks I'm getting an MRI whether I want one or not.  I went ahead and scheduled the appt...figured I might as well, right?  He also gave me a different stretch exercise to do.  Apparently the ones I had been doing were actually the last thing I wanted to be doing with this type of injury.  That kinda made me chuckle...I mean, of course that would turn out to be the case.

So anyway, thats whats going on now.  I do want to say that I really appreciate all the well wishes and prayers I've been getting from you folks.  You're the best.