I was recently told that I have the spine of a man 20 years my senior. While I wish the remark had been complimenting my bravery, it was in fact a reference to my back’s lumbar region. My orthopedist said it as he showed me my MRI images.

Leaving the ongoing pain out of it, there’s a story to be told about the journey I’ve been on for the last five months. The weeks and weeks spent waiting for appointments to see doctors and get diagnostic imaging. I grew a knee-length beard during the MRI preauthorization process alone.

Yes, there’s a story to be told there. But this is not that story.

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