Wednesday, September 17, 2025

MRI

Today is finally MRI day, and I’m both relieved and a little anxious. I had to be up earlier than usual this morning since my appointment at the hospital was at 6 a.m. Isabella didn’t seem to mind me stirring around at that hour—she was just happy to have breakfast a bit earlier. For weeks now my back has been bothering me, and while I’ve tried to push through the pain, it’s clear something isn’t right. Hopefully, the MRI will give me some answers and a clearer path forward. It’s one of those things where just knowing what’s going on will be a huge relief in itself.

Since I have the whole day off, I decided to make the most of it and head up to Burlington afterward. There are a few shoe stores there that carry some really nice options, and I’ve been needing a good pair of shoes for a while. It feels like a bit of a treat to mix something necessary with something enjoyable. After all, if I’m going to be dealing with back issues, I might as well do it in style with a comfortable (and hopefully sharp-looking) new pair of shoes.

16 comments:

CAAZ said...

Best of luck Joe.

Anonymous said...

So? This MRI?

VRCooper said...

Hope we some resolution to your back pain.

We need a picture of the shoes you bought.

Jack said...

Never mind a picture of the shoes, I want to see a picture of the lumbar spine. Deterioration, facet narrowing, arteriosclerosis, bulging disk, etc. Not fun at all. And you’re not 50 yet. Pictures please. Came across this today. People were created to be loved. Things were created to be used. The problem with the world is things are being loved and people are being used.

Joe said...

I added a picture of the shoes. Burlington doesn’t have the greatest selection, but I liked these and they feel nice.

Joe said...

From what I can tell, it said basically the same as the x-ray: scoliosis of the lumbar spine with slightly bulging disk causing compression on the nerves between L3-L4 and L4-L5. If I am reading the results correctly.

Joe said...

Thanks

Joe said...

I can’t post pics of the MRI, but see the response above.

Anonymous said...

I had sciatica around the age of 50.

Jack said...

OK, now we,re getting somewhere. No deterioration. That’s good. Disks are the culprit. I see my chiropractor once a month until I start to feel better then once every three months for a tune up. I get deep fascia massage every month without fail. If you can get a sports massage therapist, all the better. I’ve had three episodes of femoral neuropathy. Pain pills are good for a week or two but TENS is the best, short term. You are now in long term recovery so let the chiropractor’s and the massage therapist’s fingers do the rest. Good luck.

Jack said...

You didn’t buy both! The brown look good but the black look more comfortable.

Anonymous said...

Opino lo mismo
Ángel

Anonymous said...

A mi me gustan mucho los zapatos negros, se ven muy elegantes
Ángel

VRCooper said...

Thanks for the picture. I like your choices.

I love to shop. I am no longer a go-to-the-mall person. If I have to go to touch or feel something, I like the store to be close to an exit to the garage. Then I can sneak in and out without going through the mall. My shoe size and whatnot are standard. My pants have to be unhemmed, medium to long rise, and the waist a little bigger. I then take them to a tailor and get things fitted for me. I am 6 feet 1-2 inches. Stores do not have a 36-inch inseam. As one salesperson told me long ago, if men wore their pants where they should be, then you would have no problem finding an inseam of that length. I invest in my clothing and shoes. I am not rich by any means, but things will last longer, and I don't have to spend unnecessary money replacing items because the quality is not there.

I did a quick browse of Florsheim's website.

Here are a few choices you might consider:

*Rucci-Wingtip Oxford-13383-221
*Anthem Wingtip Oxford-13426-57
*Whitmore-12205-221
*Rucci-Loafer-13409-221

Your shoes don't have to look like you work in finance. Meaning boring. Have a simple, classic shoe, BUT with a little detail that elevates the footwear.

Best.

Joe said...

I’m not much of a mall shopper either. So, the shop I chose was a family owned shop that’s been in business as long as I’ve been alive. There were a few other shops to try but all were big chains and the quality of their shoes were not as good.

Joe said...

I bought both.