Training Log Archive: Fanatic

Two loops around the condo grounds. Taking it easy since I'm no longer taking Prednisone and I don't want to get to Naproxen unless I have to. Fortunately, the sciatica pain is minimal on these short walks, so no other meds needed for now.

I did get two good pieces of news today--I now have an appointment on July 16th for an epidural injection at the Southwestern Vermont Health Care hospital in Bennington, and I have an appointment with Dr. Dennis Oh from Baystate Medical Center scheduled for August 28th to discuss my issues and hopefully get scheduled for surgery.

Two loops around the condo grounds.

A series of four walks on the condo grounds, all less than 3/4ers of a mile. Was trying to spread the stress out on my legs by keeping it short--seemed to work farily well as the sciatica was evident only once in a while.

Colette and I leave for Germany next Tuesday, so there's no sense in doing too much before we get there. I now have enough Prednisone for the trip to cover 24 days and if the sciatica flares up between those 8-day intervals, I can take some Naproxen to keep the pain and swelling at bay.

Gentle walk on the grass fields on the condo grounds. Sciatica pain not too bad, but still there. This is the last day of my 8-day Predisone regimen. Hope that it still has some beneficial affects for many days, but, if not, then I'll be taking Naproxen twice a day to minimize and swelling or pain.

Another hike on the bike trails at the end of Reservoir Road in Lenox. Unfortunately, some sciatica pain set in after about a half mile; since I'm getting to the end of the Prednisone intake, that seems possible as the dose is now greatly reduced from six days ago when I started.

Early-afternoon hike on the trails in Kennedy Park at a leisurely pace.

Drove to Woods Pond to hike on the fairly flat dirt road to the east of the pond, using my hiking poles to help with an erect posture. The Prednisone seems to be working, but I'm now on the taper side of the regimen and down to just one pill a day. So I was wondering if the sciatica might reappear, or if the Prednisone's effects will last for another week or so. Results were good--only a couple of short periods where I thought the sciatica was a problem, but they went away.

This is the longest walk that I've been able to do recently, so thank you Prednisone. Although, the side effect of not being able to sleep is a drag.