Finally, Some Results!

My Dr.'s appointment went about 15 minutes yesterday. It really bothers me that I have to pay $40 for a 15 minute follow-up. Anyhow, the results of my MRI are as follows:

My L5 disk has mild degeneration. There are three stages of disk degeneration; mild, moderate and severe... so I'm at the lowest stage. When I asked what exactly this meant I was told that everyone's disk dries out over time and as we age, mine is just drying out at a faster rate and much earlier than normal. It's not doing this at a terribly fast rate however so I can take the vitamins I mentioned in a previous blog to help keep my disk from drying out at a faster rate and possibly it will help reform some of that cartilidge. Anyhow the second part of the diagnosis is that my L5 disk also, because of the degeneration, has a small protrusion. This protrusion isn't hitting on any nerves or bone right now, which would cause loads of pain. According to the Dr. the reason I've been in so much pain is just from the inflamation in that lower part of my spine. Since the oral steroid, Prednisone, they gave me seems to have brought the inflamation under control... I only need to keep it that way. That's the good news. All I have to do is stay on drugs for a while and keep the inflamation down in my spine and give it time to heal. Basically because I'm so young injuries this mild should heal themselves. I'm really glad that it's nothing more serious AND I'm extremely extatic that I finally know what the crap is wrong with me.
In other news, I finished and submitted an online application for the job I posted about yesterday. My mom keeps telling me I shouldn't even bother with it, which irritates me because in order to get that kind of money with the state I'm going to have to keep climbing one step at a time VERY slowly. You don't get to skip paygrades in the state. My paygrade is a 57, to make the amount of money that Federal job pays, I'd have to jump to a 63. The paygrades increase by 2's so I'd have to go up three paygrades... it's taken me two years and I still haven't gotten a job as a 59. The way I'm looking at this is that it's going to be an amazing opportunity! I don't have to stay in that job for the rest of my life or anything and having a foot in the door with a Federal job would be a brilliant step career wise. I mean if I decide to go out of the Federal government *(assuming I even get the job) then it would be tons easier for me to make more money because they'd have to either match my salary or move me up some. Either way I look at it I'm not seeing any negatives. Granted it's a prison and I'd have the joy of working amongst the criminal element all day long but hey if it means I can afford a place of my own and not have to worry about this whole trying to find a roommate business, I'll take it!
Not much else is going on in my life. Things have been at a stand still since I injured my back and I'm hoping I'll get to start going out and chilling with my pals again soon. I really want to take a trip to the beach for a day but the weather and money have to stand up first. Right now I have absolutely no change to spare since all the Dr. bills and having to pay for my MRI and reading. So, I guess I'll just sit tight and settle for some nice sun and a glass of lemonade on the back deck. As for right now, I'm going to go and stare at my three cubicle walls and wonder why I can't be near a window... even if it is a rainy gloomy day out at least I could SEE it if I had a window.