First off Greetings from Alaska!

I visit your state a lot. I know that at the University of Memphis you could possibly talk to someone in the Human Performance Laboratories...if you are near Memphis that is. They could look at the pics and talk to you about your question regarding work.

You have one plus - a cd picture of your injury. If I were you and that free clinic were my only option I would show him a copy of the MRI. What I see from your picture is a L4-L5 herniation - (need a closer pic) but looks like your L5-S1 diminished space too -but cannot tell.

If you want to learn more about herniations - go to http://www.chirogeek.com/001_Tutorial_Birth_of_HNP.htm
This website helped me in learning about my back issues.

First off I am not a doctor but I would like to try to answer some of your questions -

1.) Is the pain moving down from my buttock to my knee area and finally to my calf a normal thing ? No - this sounds like you have a pinched nerve at the L5-S1 area of your back....called Sciatica.

2.) If so does that mean it's getting worse or better ? From what you described - and your pain levels combined with inability to work sounds like it is getting worse. There are stretches and heat/ice therapies that can help alleviate the pain - but you need to get this looked at. Sciatica from herniations is very very painful. I understand how you are feeling.

(I must say I can tolerate the pain in my leg better then I could when it was in my buttocks and I only take tylenol PM at nite to help me sleep and I don't take anything during the day on most days but I have been taking it easy for the past month or so) Taking it easy is the one of the right things to do along with keeping well hydrated, eating right and moving your legs if you can get physical therapy that would be helpful as well as chiropractic care. Tylenol PM would not cut it for me - I am on an NSAID, Muscle Relaxant, and a mild opiod.

3.) I would really like to go back to work but I am concerned because my job entails that I sit at a desk and my shifts are 10 hours long. I can get up and walk around every hour or so and I have the normal 30 min lunch break so I guess my question here is what can I do to during my off hours and during my breaks to keep my condition from getting worse or is it to soon to consider going back to work ?
Before you do anything else - appeal the decision by Tenncare - and go to Social Security as well. You really need to get to a doctor that would listen to your symptoms, look at the mri, and give you the right diagnosis.
If you decide to go back to work there are a number of strategies you can use to help with the pain. First request a orthopedic chair, 2nd have plenty of ice packs in the communal refridgerator and use religiously, 3rd during your breaks find someplace to lie down flat on your back and stretch it out and put your legs up on a chair, 4th get up and walk around frequently, 5th have a pillow to stabilize your back while sitting, and 6th have plenty of fluids - to keep joints and body hydrated. I know of some collegues that use the 8 hour heating pads that you can buy but those get quite expensive - and others that use aspercreme.

Good luck to you - and welcome

Kim