I’ve been flat on my back for a few days now.

No, it’s not what you think. It’s much less exciting.

My doctor said I have a ruptured disc in my back. I’ll be getting an MRI to know for sure. What I can tell you is that I’ve never experienced such extreme pain in my entire life.

I’m supposed to write a pop culture blog, so you’ll forgive me for the change of topic. After sharing a bit of my story on Facebook I quickly realized how many people can relate.

I’ve been pretty lucky over the years, and by that I mean healthy. I had viral meningitis about 20 years ago, but besides that I’ve never experienced any significant injury or pain. Now, I realize how lucky I’ve been and how often I’ve taken my health for granted.

The wonderful thing about social media is that in an instant you can share your situation and get feedback from people who have been through the same thing. Although the amount of information is overwhelming, I’m desperate for direction. Inversion tables, pain pills, chiropractors, orthopedic surgeons, heat, ice, steroid shots, all of these things have been suggested.

I think what helps the most is knowing that I’m not alone, and that so many people have also been stopped in their tracks from this excruciating pain.

On the bright side, I’ve been indulging in my favorite guilty pleasure — lots of reality TV.