No leather navigator. Perhaps it's gone for good. I'm shortly off to therapy. I'll get on the couch, but it will probably take another fifty minute hour for me to get back up again. Dang. Like this doesn't cramp my style. Maybe I'll feel much better in the morning. Wouldn't you know, I had to hear this thing on NPR this morning about advances being made in pain management. (This as I'm contorting and howling trying to get out of bed.) That's really great, but I didn't need to hear someone saying "It seemed like a minor thing at the time, but I've been in agon ever since...")

I'm also a firm believer in Back Problems = Stress. Now, I don't feel particularly stressed lately. I mean, bits of anxiety about money, about my parents' health (especially as joyless holidays loom), and that kind of thing, but nothing to make me wake up screaming. My bed is made and there are no dirty dishes in the sink. So all is well with the world. I guess. Something to explore in therapy. Stress is cumulative, so perhaps all these niggling little things have added up to lower back pain. Ay. I hope I don't have to 'heal my life' or something. What a bummer that would be.