long overdue updates
~*~
Offspring: My son was at a local concert last month and brought home … two bands. They were from Canada and New York, and needed a place to camp out for the night before continuing on their tour the next day. Two weeks before that my son had called to tell me he was at a Bret Michaels concert at the invitation of a Jagermeister girl. That was before Michaels’ health issues. Some days are normal but most are not with my kid. I thought he made a mature decision not to drive to Columbus, Ohio for an audition for Real World casting. I had been under the mistaken impression this ‘whim to be on a reality show’ phase had passed along with the gladiator fighting one. Then just as I was breathing a little easier, he gave me an even worse kind of scare that same Saturday when he was riding in the mountains on his ATV and had a bad accident. The ATV stalled midway up a mountain, and he and the ATV tumbled to the bottom landing in a ravine with the ATV on his chest. He’s still bruised and sore all over, and afterward thought he might have broken a rib but refused to go get an X-ray. I could continue with stories about how my offspring is doing but my temples are starting to throb.
Chicago: I was in Chicago April 7th through the 14th. My cousin had another conference so her teenage daughter and I tagged along. Her other daughter was doing an internship with the Kentucky Senate Democratic Caucus and couldn’t go this time. Last year the four of us made the trip to San Diego together. This was another affordable trip, given five nights were covered as a conference expense; we added one more night at the conference rate and my cousin and I split that. So my cost was $109 for a six night stay at the Sheraton and I found an excellent deal on airfare - total cost of $127.90 roundtrip Louisville - Chicago. So while my cousin was at her conference, her daughter and I were enjoying the city. Jenna is a lovely 15-year old - an Austen quoting, BBC addicted kid into art and architecture. We had a great time together.
One of the highlights of Chicago trip was getting the chance to meet up with nakeefeet! Thank you for chauffeuring us on our Glee! motivated trip to your suburb for a sneak preview of the season premiere. It was wonderful to see nakeefeet again and get to catch up a bit. It made me nostalgic about our NYC trip and hopeful maybe everyone could make it back to see Dan on Broadway again next year. ;)
Health: As fun as the Chicago trip was, I definitely noticed I was moving slower and in more pain than usual while traveling. I’ve been seeing a neurologist since March trying to get some answers for the daily headaches and an assessment for fibromyalgia. During the first visit I had the electromyography (EMG) testing with needles inserted into the muscles and the nerve conduction velocity (NCV) tests involving small electrical shocks delivered to nerves through electrodes. Those results indicated the sciatic nerve is pinched on the left side and is the probable cause of my lower back pain and the pain/tingling/numbness down my left leg. I’ll need a MRI on my lower back for a better idea of the situation with the discs. I’m guessing this might be the cause of the hip pain at night as well. I’m wondering if that horse-riding accident in 2008 might have caused some damage to the discs which has worsened with time. The tingling down my left leg sometimes makes me think it’s my phone on vibrate because I usually carry it in my left front jeans pocket except it’s usually not the phone, just that nerve tingling in my leg. The kids find it amusing when I’m trying to answer my leg. I’m now having issues with both feet feeling like pins and needles, and sometimes just numb. That’s not so amusing. I’ve been waiting four weeks now for my insurance company to authorize the MRI for my back. It looks like I’ll probably require chiropractic treatment or physical therapy.
The neurologist said the results of my brain MRI need to be studied further because it looked unusual with evidence of a mild stroke on the left side. I had to smile as I asked wouldn’t I remember something like that. I know you can experience some memory loss, but would you forget the entire stroke itself? I have no medical history of that event. I did have a head injury in 2002 which could have possibly caused internal bleeding as well as the massive hematoma. Some Halloween I’ll post a pic of myself with that Neanderthal forehead. An x-ray was done that night in the ER but no CAT scan because I was my usual cognitive self at the time. So nothing definitive yet on the cause of the daily headaches.
I was written a prescription for an alternative med in lieu of the one originally prescribed that the insurance company had refused to cover. Thirty minutes after I got the alternate prescription filled, I received a call from pharmacy telling me that the original one had just gotten approved. I called the neurologist, who said taking the original was preferable if I could. So I went back to the pharmacy and bought the original med which meant I had wasted $$ on the alternate one which I won’t need now. So after five weeks of denying me a headache preventive medicine, Anthem decided to cover two comparable meds in one day. Dealing with insurance companies is not conducive to alleviating headaches. I’m hoping this new med helps because I can’t remember the last day I didn’t have a headache.
I’m also now taking another prescription med which is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory, like a Motrin/Aleve mix. I take it twice a day but it doesn’t seem to take care of the overall pain. I still have to take Excedrin during the day and sometimes when I wake with pain during the night. I’m 'managing' (which for me means getting through the work day and getting through the night) on half doses of mild muscle relaxants for the back pain. So far, I’ve been refusing anything stronger than these prescriptions for pain. If I can get this back issue alleviated, I can deal with the headaches and other ailments. Given the other recurring flare-ups, the neurologist is still thinking fibromyalgia might be the cause. The body aches/pain feel much like having the flu - every day. Bah.
Work: After working for the same company for 21 years, we’re experiencing a slow period which has rattled the one boss in charge of personnel. He’s mandated a reduced work week (32-hours) for all non-salary employees until further notice, unofficially until business improves. Ouch. This is the first time I’ve been hit by any such decision and it’s hurting the paycheck. There’s also the possibility of a lay off if the situation doesn’t change for the better. My son was the last hired at the company so he would be the first to go. We’re both scrambling as we look at all our options right now. Scary times. I’m nauseated thinking I might lose my health insurance just when I need it most.
May: The month of May has seen its usual blitz of birthdays for my family. I can’t believe my nephew is now a teenager. We had four family birthdays and Mother’s Day crammed into a span of five days. We were all gagging on frosting by the end of Week O’Cake. I usually don’t mind the week of dinners, parties, cookouts and loads of cake but one of my meds’ side effects is a decreased appetite. Where has this med been all my life? ;) I can now barely finish one item on the dollar menu. I have to make myself choke down a cracker when I take another med labeled Must Take With Food. When I say eating is exhausting, you know something is definitely off with me. ;) The whole month of May has been one thing after another with computer problems at home and work, helping my sister with my niece/nephew’s extracurricular activities, family obligations, a cousin’s wedding this coming Saturday, etc.
Single Again: I finally broke things off with the boyfriend the weekend of my birthday. Two weeks ago? It was long overdue and it feels like a load has already been lifted. He was just such a negative person. Seriously. That brain MRI I had? He never once even asked about that, but instead afterwards whined how he thought he might be coming down with something. He has the most disturbing lack of empathy for others I’ve ever witnessed. Also after 14 months of dating, he didn’t even know when my birthday was. He was just that self-absorbed. I googled his shortcomings and determined he’s classified as having Narcissist Personality Disorder, his subtype being compensatory including negativistic (passive-aggressive), avoidant features. He presented himself well at first with somewhat normal functioning capabilities, but I honestly never got emotionally invested because there were always some warning signs. I was always in the getting to know him stage while he tried to rush the relationship saying he loved me just a few weeks in. I told then, he didn’t even know me and at the end - he would have still failed a pop quiz on me. I think the pressures of the job he took in November and his complacency in thinking the relationship was a done deal, made him relax his guard and reveal his true nature. He’s been like a complex puzzle I just couldn’t quite figure out but then all the pieces started falling into place. I could have abandoned the relationship before now with valid reasons but not quite understanding why it hadn’t worked, but now? I know without a doubt, that boy (and yes, boy is the correct term for that 39 year old male) has some deep rooted issues which contribute to his immaturity (mindset, personality, actions, behavior, tethered to an umbilical cord, etc.), personal insecurities (which make him clingy, needy, dependent), lack of people skills (meaning zero friends, seriously nada, none), etc. I called him on every bit of nonsense each step of the way and never catered to his needy ways. In hindsight, I think his inner toddler respected the role model of independent adult I provided and to which he aspires to be some day. Have mercy, and good riddance.
Infinitus: Even with the job situation and finances not being as stable as I like right now, I will be going to Infinitus. I had been saving to go to Orlando since the HP theme park was just a glimmer of greed in an Universal exec’s eye so I’ve had that money set aside for that purpose for a while. I’ve never been to a HP conference though and with Infinitus happening there at Universal Studios it will be a win win for me. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park + Infinitus = Four days full of HP fun. :D I’ve already got airfare/hotel/roommates/registration/park tickets, so I’m looking forward to getting away for some fun in July. So I hope to meet up with the others on my flist also going! This is also motivation for me to get proactive about my health. I can’t be feeling like an old lady if I’m going to go act like a kid at Hogwarts! ;)
Offspring: My son was at a local concert last month and brought home … two bands. They were from Canada and New York, and needed a place to camp out for the night before continuing on their tour the next day. Two weeks before that my son had called to tell me he was at a Bret Michaels concert at the invitation of a Jagermeister girl. That was before Michaels’ health issues. Some days are normal but most are not with my kid. I thought he made a mature decision not to drive to Columbus, Ohio for an audition for Real World casting. I had been under the mistaken impression this ‘whim to be on a reality show’ phase had passed along with the gladiator fighting one. Then just as I was breathing a little easier, he gave me an even worse kind of scare that same Saturday when he was riding in the mountains on his ATV and had a bad accident. The ATV stalled midway up a mountain, and he and the ATV tumbled to the bottom landing in a ravine with the ATV on his chest. He’s still bruised and sore all over, and afterward thought he might have broken a rib but refused to go get an X-ray. I could continue with stories about how my offspring is doing but my temples are starting to throb.
Chicago: I was in Chicago April 7th through the 14th. My cousin had another conference so her teenage daughter and I tagged along. Her other daughter was doing an internship with the Kentucky Senate Democratic Caucus and couldn’t go this time. Last year the four of us made the trip to San Diego together. This was another affordable trip, given five nights were covered as a conference expense; we added one more night at the conference rate and my cousin and I split that. So my cost was $109 for a six night stay at the Sheraton and I found an excellent deal on airfare - total cost of $127.90 roundtrip Louisville - Chicago. So while my cousin was at her conference, her daughter and I were enjoying the city. Jenna is a lovely 15-year old - an Austen quoting, BBC addicted kid into art and architecture. We had a great time together.
One of the highlights of Chicago trip was getting the chance to meet up with nakeefeet! Thank you for chauffeuring us on our Glee! motivated trip to your suburb for a sneak preview of the season premiere. It was wonderful to see nakeefeet again and get to catch up a bit. It made me nostalgic about our NYC trip and hopeful maybe everyone could make it back to see Dan on Broadway again next year. ;)
Health: As fun as the Chicago trip was, I definitely noticed I was moving slower and in more pain than usual while traveling. I’ve been seeing a neurologist since March trying to get some answers for the daily headaches and an assessment for fibromyalgia. During the first visit I had the electromyography (EMG) testing with needles inserted into the muscles and the nerve conduction velocity (NCV) tests involving small electrical shocks delivered to nerves through electrodes. Those results indicated the sciatic nerve is pinched on the left side and is the probable cause of my lower back pain and the pain/tingling/numbness down my left leg. I’ll need a MRI on my lower back for a better idea of the situation with the discs. I’m guessing this might be the cause of the hip pain at night as well. I’m wondering if that horse-riding accident in 2008 might have caused some damage to the discs which has worsened with time. The tingling down my left leg sometimes makes me think it’s my phone on vibrate because I usually carry it in my left front jeans pocket except it’s usually not the phone, just that nerve tingling in my leg. The kids find it amusing when I’m trying to answer my leg. I’m now having issues with both feet feeling like pins and needles, and sometimes just numb. That’s not so amusing. I’ve been waiting four weeks now for my insurance company to authorize the MRI for my back. It looks like I’ll probably require chiropractic treatment or physical therapy.
The neurologist said the results of my brain MRI need to be studied further because it looked unusual with evidence of a mild stroke on the left side. I had to smile as I asked wouldn’t I remember something like that. I know you can experience some memory loss, but would you forget the entire stroke itself? I have no medical history of that event. I did have a head injury in 2002 which could have possibly caused internal bleeding as well as the massive hematoma. Some Halloween I’ll post a pic of myself with that Neanderthal forehead. An x-ray was done that night in the ER but no CAT scan because I was my usual cognitive self at the time. So nothing definitive yet on the cause of the daily headaches.
I was written a prescription for an alternative med in lieu of the one originally prescribed that the insurance company had refused to cover. Thirty minutes after I got the alternate prescription filled, I received a call from pharmacy telling me that the original one had just gotten approved. I called the neurologist, who said taking the original was preferable if I could. So I went back to the pharmacy and bought the original med which meant I had wasted $$ on the alternate one which I won’t need now. So after five weeks of denying me a headache preventive medicine, Anthem decided to cover two comparable meds in one day. Dealing with insurance companies is not conducive to alleviating headaches. I’m hoping this new med helps because I can’t remember the last day I didn’t have a headache.
I’m also now taking another prescription med which is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory, like a Motrin/Aleve mix. I take it twice a day but it doesn’t seem to take care of the overall pain. I still have to take Excedrin during the day and sometimes when I wake with pain during the night. I’m 'managing' (which for me means getting through the work day and getting through the night) on half doses of mild muscle relaxants for the back pain. So far, I’ve been refusing anything stronger than these prescriptions for pain. If I can get this back issue alleviated, I can deal with the headaches and other ailments. Given the other recurring flare-ups, the neurologist is still thinking fibromyalgia might be the cause. The body aches/pain feel much like having the flu - every day. Bah.
Work: After working for the same company for 21 years, we’re experiencing a slow period which has rattled the one boss in charge of personnel. He’s mandated a reduced work week (32-hours) for all non-salary employees until further notice, unofficially until business improves. Ouch. This is the first time I’ve been hit by any such decision and it’s hurting the paycheck. There’s also the possibility of a lay off if the situation doesn’t change for the better. My son was the last hired at the company so he would be the first to go. We’re both scrambling as we look at all our options right now. Scary times. I’m nauseated thinking I might lose my health insurance just when I need it most.
May: The month of May has seen its usual blitz of birthdays for my family. I can’t believe my nephew is now a teenager. We had four family birthdays and Mother’s Day crammed into a span of five days. We were all gagging on frosting by the end of Week O’Cake. I usually don’t mind the week of dinners, parties, cookouts and loads of cake but one of my meds’ side effects is a decreased appetite. Where has this med been all my life? ;) I can now barely finish one item on the dollar menu. I have to make myself choke down a cracker when I take another med labeled Must Take With Food. When I say eating is exhausting, you know something is definitely off with me. ;) The whole month of May has been one thing after another with computer problems at home and work, helping my sister with my niece/nephew’s extracurricular activities, family obligations, a cousin’s wedding this coming Saturday, etc.
Single Again: I finally broke things off with the boyfriend the weekend of my birthday. Two weeks ago? It was long overdue and it feels like a load has already been lifted. He was just such a negative person. Seriously. That brain MRI I had? He never once even asked about that, but instead afterwards whined how he thought he might be coming down with something. He has the most disturbing lack of empathy for others I’ve ever witnessed. Also after 14 months of dating, he didn’t even know when my birthday was. He was just that self-absorbed. I googled his shortcomings and determined he’s classified as having Narcissist Personality Disorder, his subtype being compensatory including negativistic (passive-aggressive), avoidant features. He presented himself well at first with somewhat normal functioning capabilities, but I honestly never got emotionally invested because there were always some warning signs. I was always in the getting to know him stage while he tried to rush the relationship saying he loved me just a few weeks in. I told then, he didn’t even know me and at the end - he would have still failed a pop quiz on me. I think the pressures of the job he took in November and his complacency in thinking the relationship was a done deal, made him relax his guard and reveal his true nature. He’s been like a complex puzzle I just couldn’t quite figure out but then all the pieces started falling into place. I could have abandoned the relationship before now with valid reasons but not quite understanding why it hadn’t worked, but now? I know without a doubt, that boy (and yes, boy is the correct term for that 39 year old male) has some deep rooted issues which contribute to his immaturity (mindset, personality, actions, behavior, tethered to an umbilical cord, etc.), personal insecurities (which make him clingy, needy, dependent), lack of people skills (meaning zero friends, seriously nada, none), etc. I called him on every bit of nonsense each step of the way and never catered to his needy ways. In hindsight, I think his inner toddler respected the role model of independent adult I provided and to which he aspires to be some day. Have mercy, and good riddance.
Infinitus: Even with the job situation and finances not being as stable as I like right now, I will be going to Infinitus. I had been saving to go to Orlando since the HP theme park was just a glimmer of greed in an Universal exec’s eye so I’ve had that money set aside for that purpose for a while. I’ve never been to a HP conference though and with Infinitus happening there at Universal Studios it will be a win win for me. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park + Infinitus = Four days full of HP fun. :D I’ve already got airfare/hotel/roommates/registration/park tickets, so I’m looking forward to getting away for some fun in July. So I hope to meet up with the others on my flist also going! This is also motivation for me to get proactive about my health. I can’t be feeling like an old lady if I’m going to go act like a kid at Hogwarts! ;)