Ode to a Thorn in My Back

A comedy of errors my back has been
A jumble of mysteries since way back when
A bad disc, they thought, back in 2004
Out it must come, and into me they tore
But a bone chip where it shouldn't be
Was all that was crippling me
The disc stayed put and out came the chip
Leaving nasty arthritis to gnarl my hip
And a hole in the sciatic nerve to burn
And sear my derrière on every turn
Supplements, water and stretching galore
More sleep, less climbing than I'd done before
Winters came and winters went
Rehab and training hours were spent
Back on the bike I did jump
I had to get over this miserable hump
Progress was slow, and so was I
But all I could do was try, try, try
Peaks were reached, and some were not
I was thankful for all that I've still got
Then the blasted seven-year itch
A fence post aloof, a tumble deep in a ditch
X-rays and casts and appointments, oh my
Pills and prescriptions and drugs, oh why
The wrist would heal, but lurked inside
My back a demon that hates the ride
"No sitting, no lifting, no twisting for you,
I will steal every last thing you can do."
On the disc once again blame was placed
A one-size-fits-all diagnosis in haste
A hellish condition with no hope for a cure
No help, no healing, no relief would stir
"Ha, ha, I've got you!" the demon cooed
"You're done! You're broken! You're entirely screwed!"
He snorted for weeks that turned into months
He thought he had claimed a big blonde dunce
His teeth gnashed as I began to suspect
The rushed diagnosis may not have been entirely correct
Resolution came as I meditated and stretched
Getting my life back was not so far-fetched
Lying in wait and hidden all this time
Something inside this spine of mine
An injury deep inside the bone
A wound previously and blindly unknown
Bones can heal and regenerate
Incapacitated will not be my fate
What a comedy this back has been
What a journey has come of this tailspin
There'll be no more fear of demon sneer here
For my dear back is backed by cheer sincere

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