What’s Coming & My New Non-Negotiables FTH: 100

100 Episodes! Technically, it’s 277 episodes if we count the 177 episodes as The WordPress Chick. I thought it was a lot more, but there have been some times over the year when the podcast went on sabbatical, and that’s O.K. What matters is that I get back to it. So here we are, officially at episode 100, and it’s GAME ON! Before I get into what’s coming and my new non-negotiables, I need to bring you up to speed with the last few weeks.Life was a little bit of a shit showOne of my dogs needed knee surgery (on both back knees), so I had that done the first week in July. She didn’t heal correctly because she pulled something out that they had done, probably just from moving incorrectly or getting off the couch (I was trying to lift her everywhere also). So, after taking her back to the vet twice (they didn’t do x-rays the first time), it was determined that she’d need surgery again on one knee. Fortunately, they didn’t charge me for the second surgery but wanted to keep her at the vet (she’s still there at the time of this writing, which is 2.5 weeks later) so they could do physiotherapy with her to make sure she healed. I’ve messaged them and am waiting for them to get back to me. The day I dropped her off in Liberia (about an hour away), I started feeling like I was getting sick. Sure enough, I had a heavy summer cold, congestion, cough, and fever (tested negative for Covid twice). I had a close friend’s niece come to stay with me a during that time (I said it was fine as long as she did her own thing and didn’t mind being here while I was sick), which turned out to be great because she made a couple of pharmacy runs for me. The day I was taking her back to the airport, I went to get in my car and could barely walk. How I managed to drive her, there is beyond me. I was in excruciating pain (I’ve had two kids and would take childbirth over that pain all day long). I had to stop my car 4 times on the way home to lay down in the back seat to get some reprieve. I got a hold of a great massage therapist and asked if she had any time that day because I thought it was sciatica. In the meantime, a friend brought me a muscle relaxant and some pain meds from the pharmacy during my massage (she knows the massage therapist too). I was sobbing I was in so much pain during the massage. I took the pain meds immediately, which did nothing. I called my friend and said I needed to go to the doctor, so she & another friend’s husband took me directly to the emergency in Liberia. After a CT scan and a couple more rounds of pain meds (it took forever to get some relief), it turns out I have a herniated disc pressing against my spine, compressing the nerves. Last week my same friend (who truly is an angel) took me to San Jose (my first trip there – it’s over 4 hours away) for an MRI. We stayed overnight (which was fun. We found an Outback Steakhouse – an American chain – and even a Starbucks! I got a Starbucks on the way out, but actually prefer Costa Rican coffee!). We left San Jose the next day and went straight to Liberia to consult with the neurosurgeon for the results of the MRI. He said I absolutely need surgery. I had been doing a bit of research and reading before my MRI (which, holy hell, I’m way more claustrophobic than I thought!) and was determined to heal myself naturally. Until I saw the MRI image. I haven’t decided yet, but I am leaning towards having the surgery. The next big decision is whether to have the surgery here or back in the states. I don’t have insurance here (and if I sign up now it won’t be covered because this is a pre-existing condition), or to sign up for medical back in the states and get the surgery later. It really just depends on whether or not I can deal with how I feel right now for a couple more months (insurance in the states won’t go into effect...