2017
I apologize in advance for not responding to each of you individually. Honestly, I hate when I take the time to type out a comment on someone's thread and they ignore it, but I just don't have it in me right now.
On Sunday, I woke up and found that my left foot felt numb, like it was asleep - my entire heel around to the outside of my foot had almost no feeling. And I haven't been able to get it to wake up. In addition to that, I've been having more low back pain, bizarre itching sensations in said numb left foot (so it’s either numb, or incredibly itchy), and burning pain down the outside of my leg, from just below my butt, down through my calf. It stops just above my ankle. And the ankle is where the numbness starts. I've had back issues off and on since 8th grade, but I have never, ever had pain or numbness in my legs or feet as a result.
I'm incredibly lucky to have great health insurance, and I was able to see a spine doctor yesterday. It was all good news - what is going on with me is not permanent (my ultimate #1 fear). It is fixable without surgery (another fear). I will be able to run again (fear #3). Long story short, a disc in my back is pressing on the sciatic nerve, which runs from the lower spine, into the butt, then the back of the thigh, all the way down to the foot. Apparently most people have a disc out of place (like 50% of the population, whether you know it or not)...mine just so happens to be pressing on this nerve. So it's not an unusual problem, and it's not something that I can look back at any particular thing and say, "yep, that's when it happened. This is what caused it."
Per my doctor, this is all fixable with certain exercises. Like I said, all good news.
The bad news -
I'm deferring my Glass Slipper Challenge entry to 2017. The last few days have been incredibly upsetting - first with not knowing what was going on (maybe it's an overreaction, but waking up with an appendage being almost totally numb seemingly out of nowhere was terrifying), and then finding out a diagnosis and urging my body to heal quickly so that I can get some training runs in. It's too much pressure to put on myself to get over this nerve pain in enough time to start running again, especially after already having taken almost a month off. And if I do heal soon, how enjoyable will the races actually be after so little training?
The doctor told me I could try to run 1-1.5 miles this morning. I was excited! Time to run again! I even wore the outfit I was planning on wearing for the half...good karma and all that.
I couldn't even make it to 0.25 miles. The pain and bizarre itching were just too much. After wrestling with it all day, I submitted the deferral about an hour ago. I know it's the right decision, and I'm hoping I'll feel some relief now that I actually got the confirmation email back and there's no time crunch to get better...but right now knowing that I won't be there for the races next month hasn't gotten any easier.
I'm trying to focus on how lucky I am - this isn't permanent. No surgery. I'll be able to run again. I have good insurance (SUPER lucky since I have to get an MRI next week, and those are pricey) and a definitive diagnosis. I have a guaranteed entry to GSC next year. I can cancel everything without losing much money - I'll get my room deposit back (I can't go to WDW when the races are happening - it'll be too hard to be there when I'm not participating, and who knows if I'll even feel good enough to walk around the parks?) and my flights were on Southwest, so I can get credits for those. All I'm losing are the pins I pre-ordered and my 5K entry fee (since those are not transferable). All of these are good things, but mostly I'm just sad right now.
I'm not sure what to do about the Pixie Dust Challenge yet...at least I have awhile to decide. I'll likely be taking a break from this thread for awhile, and from the runDisney section of the forums...I wish I could be mature enough to stick around and fully participate, but it's hard to read about everyone else running and getting excited for Princess weekend when I can't. Mature? No. But that's how I feel right now.
So that's what's going on with me. Again, thanks for the comments and I'm sorry for not responding to each of you individually.
But you really are being mature in that you are giving up something you want for what is best for your health. Dealing with back pain is no fun and if you are able to do something to get rid of it long term you will be better off down the road. The races will always be there. Just being able to focus on your health without stressing out due to a time frame will help immensely. My thoughts and prayers will be with you whether you are on this board or the run boards or not. You, through your reports and comments, have been a tremendous help to me in my running and I appreciate you. 
I'm a total sucker.
