Monday, May 28, 2007
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Have a Happy Weekend
And thank you to our veterans, living and dead.
If you've been to Pat's Pond, you know that I worked a double shift last night. We are extremely short-handed, so I will be working the holiday.
Thought I'd list all the lovely sensations I experienced last night. Keep in mind that I grocery shop for two hours every Friday before I rest for work:
4pm--the classified pagination is not prepped: that person (and her backup) are out on bereavement and maternity leave, respectively. Class pagination is my supervisor's job, but he always takes two weeks this time of year.
6pm--the phones start, because we are already two hours behind. Am still prepping my class ads. Now we need to start them, ready or not. All night we will be re-prepping the class, over and over, because the system is overloaded and spitting the ads back to us.
7:30pm--finally put out the Obituary listings, because that is not tied to the unprepped ads.
8pm--now it is clear that the very late ads are not going to appear on the pages. And everything is running very, very slow. Somebody felt we would not need cable to run from Johnson City to Elmira and back. The delay is now killing us: we are prepping an extra day's class to cover the holiday.
9:30pm--turned in the Saturday class, two hours late. Stop to handle other overload related problems associated with the transmissions of pictures for editorial content. My neck is tingling so badly, I keep looking over my shoulder to see who is touching me.
At this point the fans, which we are using because the air conditioning is dead, are not cutting it. The numbness in my feet and legs is turning to dysaethesia instead. My legs are twitching and spazzing at weird intervals.
11pm--it is beginning to dawn on me that I will not get home by midnight. I estimate 2am.
12am--begin to work on the prepping for the Monday and Tuesday class. Ask a coworker to stay 1/2 hour. That poor fellow works two jobs and has joint custody of his three kids. After 45 minutes I send him home.
1:30am--realize that 3am will probably be more like it. I am now in the zone and must be careful to pay close attention to the details, because I can no longer pay attention. Then I remember a small chore that doesn't usually go well in the best of circumstances. These were not the best. Next hour spent doping out how to ship a small advertising sheet that is in a very, very, very old format. Our printers keep sending me a letter sized printout. I need tabloid.
3am--maybe I will make it home by four.
4am-practically levitate to the ceiling when a truck driver drops a bundle of papers on the table in the back of the room.
5am--finish the Tuesday classifieds, by killing an inhouse ad that I have been warned "absolutely must run." It doesn't fit and I can't change the position. Client ads take precedence, so screw the marketing department. Screw them, screw the horse they rode in on. Screw everyone and their pets, all fast asleep at home.
5:30am--go home, too wired to sleep, too exhausted to eat, too dumbed out to read the paper.
And who wants to read the paper after working on it all night?
pb
Little Pond
If you've been to Pat's Pond, you know that I worked a double shift last night. We are extremely short-handed, so I will be working the holiday.
Thought I'd list all the lovely sensations I experienced last night. Keep in mind that I grocery shop for two hours every Friday before I rest for work:
4pm--the classified pagination is not prepped: that person (and her backup) are out on bereavement and maternity leave, respectively. Class pagination is my supervisor's job, but he always takes two weeks this time of year.
6pm--the phones start, because we are already two hours behind. Am still prepping my class ads. Now we need to start them, ready or not. All night we will be re-prepping the class, over and over, because the system is overloaded and spitting the ads back to us.
7:30pm--finally put out the Obituary listings, because that is not tied to the unprepped ads.
8pm--now it is clear that the very late ads are not going to appear on the pages. And everything is running very, very slow. Somebody felt we would not need cable to run from Johnson City to Elmira and back. The delay is now killing us: we are prepping an extra day's class to cover the holiday.
9:30pm--turned in the Saturday class, two hours late. Stop to handle other overload related problems associated with the transmissions of pictures for editorial content. My neck is tingling so badly, I keep looking over my shoulder to see who is touching me.
At this point the fans, which we are using because the air conditioning is dead, are not cutting it. The numbness in my feet and legs is turning to dysaethesia instead. My legs are twitching and spazzing at weird intervals.
11pm--it is beginning to dawn on me that I will not get home by midnight. I estimate 2am.
12am--begin to work on the prepping for the Monday and Tuesday class. Ask a coworker to stay 1/2 hour. That poor fellow works two jobs and has joint custody of his three kids. After 45 minutes I send him home.
1:30am--realize that 3am will probably be more like it. I am now in the zone and must be careful to pay close attention to the details, because I can no longer pay attention. Then I remember a small chore that doesn't usually go well in the best of circumstances. These were not the best. Next hour spent doping out how to ship a small advertising sheet that is in a very, very, very old format. Our printers keep sending me a letter sized printout. I need tabloid.
3am--maybe I will make it home by four.
4am-practically levitate to the ceiling when a truck driver drops a bundle of papers on the table in the back of the room.
5am--finish the Tuesday classifieds, by killing an inhouse ad that I have been warned "absolutely must run." It doesn't fit and I can't change the position. Client ads take precedence, so screw the marketing department. Screw them, screw the horse they rode in on. Screw everyone and their pets, all fast asleep at home.
5:30am--go home, too wired to sleep, too exhausted to eat, too dumbed out to read the paper.
And who wants to read the paper after working on it all night?
pb
Little Pond
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Better and better
Just came in from working on my exhaust system, so I must be getting better again. Just before inspection I took the Geo to my favorite discount place, who immediately quoted me $350 for a new system.
$350 for a new system is excellent, but right after taxes? I requested a written quote and removed my Tracker from the premises. Then I brought it to the downtown Chevy dealership, who not only passed the whole thing for NYS inspection, but fixed my horn, to boot, all for $40.00, inspection fee included. I didn't even get around the block (for a walk while waiting) before they called to tell me it was done.
The noise was a rattle, and there is a tiny hole. I stopped the rattle with some metal strapping, using some aluminum foil for padding. I'm thinking maybe some metal epoxy for the tiny hole. Or some sort of patching to make it all pretty.
Next project: ceiling fanw/light kit in dining room. And no, I will not DIY it. Got a perfectly acceptable home systems repair firm here in Elmira called Fix-Rite. Been using them for years.
The exciting part of this Father's Day project?
Looking for a remote control setup! It should add years to the life of the thing. RJ is kinda tough on those chain pulls. If all goes well, we will replace the kitchen ceiling fan before the winter. We find the fan is a very good investment, because we run them year round, changing the direction according to season. Supposedly they save on the air conditioning and heating costs. Anything that makes the place more comfortable is welcome.
MS seems to find trouble with both heat in summer and cold in winter. And, apropos of that, too: a quieter exhaust system is easier on my nerves. Working nights and driving home after midnight makes my Geo a prime target for bored city police. It's always a new, younger fellow, too. Makes for a touch of eye candy every now and again...
pb
Little Pond
$350 for a new system is excellent, but right after taxes? I requested a written quote and removed my Tracker from the premises. Then I brought it to the downtown Chevy dealership, who not only passed the whole thing for NYS inspection, but fixed my horn, to boot, all for $40.00, inspection fee included. I didn't even get around the block (for a walk while waiting) before they called to tell me it was done.
The noise was a rattle, and there is a tiny hole. I stopped the rattle with some metal strapping, using some aluminum foil for padding. I'm thinking maybe some metal epoxy for the tiny hole. Or some sort of patching to make it all pretty.
Next project: ceiling fanw/light kit in dining room. And no, I will not DIY it. Got a perfectly acceptable home systems repair firm here in Elmira called Fix-Rite. Been using them for years.
The exciting part of this Father's Day project?
Looking for a remote control setup! It should add years to the life of the thing. RJ is kinda tough on those chain pulls. If all goes well, we will replace the kitchen ceiling fan before the winter. We find the fan is a very good investment, because we run them year round, changing the direction according to season. Supposedly they save on the air conditioning and heating costs. Anything that makes the place more comfortable is welcome.
MS seems to find trouble with both heat in summer and cold in winter. And, apropos of that, too: a quieter exhaust system is easier on my nerves. Working nights and driving home after midnight makes my Geo a prime target for bored city police. It's always a new, younger fellow, too. Makes for a touch of eye candy every now and again...
pb
Little Pond
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
The verdict is in.
Baclofen works for me. I'm taking 5 mg three times a day.
The charley horse effect is gone from my thighs most of the time. I have it now, but just came from River Dogging with Ellie. I always overdo with Ellie.
I actually forgot to put on the Detrol patch! It was three days before I noticed that I was all out. Even then, I only checked because I had a note to change it.
Needless to say, no more Detrol. And now I am not logy. I feel great.
Now if I could just get rid of that pesky job (and still retain the income).
pb
Little Pond
The charley horse effect is gone from my thighs most of the time. I have it now, but just came from River Dogging with Ellie. I always overdo with Ellie.
I actually forgot to put on the Detrol patch! It was three days before I noticed that I was all out. Even then, I only checked because I had a note to change it.
Needless to say, no more Detrol. And now I am not logy. I feel great.
Now if I could just get rid of that pesky job (and still retain the income).
pb
Little Pond
Sunday, May 06, 2007
I finally gave up
You've probably seen the shift in attitude. There can be no doubt that I lost a lot this year. Disabled seems to be written all over me. Disgusts me when an older person runs to hold the door open for me. (Wait! I can still walk! I take Ellie to the River every day...)
My boss has made a point of reminding me to take my meds. It's embarrassing.
So I finally gave up and began to take a cane places, and I purchased an alarm watch.
The cane (or walking stick) allows me to balance myself when I need to stand still.
The alarm watch is a Timex, IronMan Triathlon. It has three alarm settings. One for my morning doses (rings daily), one for my evening doses (rings nightly), and one for the afternoon dose only on weekends. I have to remember my breakfast and (work lunch) 8pm doses on my own.
When I'm not working, the evening doses are really bed-time doses and don't need an alarm.
And the watch is on a plastic with velcro band, so I don't have to work a buckle, or get a rash from it. I'm waiting to see how long it takes me to get a rash from the back of the timepiece itself.
The rest of the problem is all griping and hyperbole. I knew from the first few years that the condition was progressive.
I'll survive.
pb
Little Pond
(by the way, does anyone know off-hand how to program a quick macro for inputting my URL while in blogger? I'm now working from Windows Vista)
My boss has made a point of reminding me to take my meds. It's embarrassing.
So I finally gave up and began to take a cane places, and I purchased an alarm watch.
The cane (or walking stick) allows me to balance myself when I need to stand still.
The alarm watch is a Timex, IronMan Triathlon. It has three alarm settings. One for my morning doses (rings daily), one for my evening doses (rings nightly), and one for the afternoon dose only on weekends. I have to remember my breakfast and (work lunch) 8pm doses on my own.
When I'm not working, the evening doses are really bed-time doses and don't need an alarm.
And the watch is on a plastic with velcro band, so I don't have to work a buckle, or get a rash from it. I'm waiting to see how long it takes me to get a rash from the back of the timepiece itself.
The rest of the problem is all griping and hyperbole. I knew from the first few years that the condition was progressive.
I'll survive.
pb
Little Pond
(by the way, does anyone know off-hand how to program a quick macro for inputting my URL while in blogger? I'm now working from Windows Vista)
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Not so positive post
Once again the visit to the neuro has brought negative news. I am losing ground again. Man, that just seems to go hand in hand with Spring each year. Let's hope I can regain ground by Fall.
Still, that is just an observation. I've almost always known, right from the start, that I have relapsing-remissive MS. In my case, it's always been a progressive thing. Little by little. It makes it manageable.
But. That is not the least positive thing that came from my visit. A few days later, his office cc'd me the note he sent to my primary care physician.
It turns out that the urologist never sent them a report! The urologist also never gave me a script for the catheters, either. My neuro's office contacted them for information, and the damned uro-people gave them the same runaround I got!
I thought maybe it was just me. Perhaps I was being a scratchy-sort of lady who made the uro-people react badly. It was not me. The neuro-people were non-plussed by the encounter.
Laugh of the morning: The uro-people wanted to know "what I was going to use them for!" The neuro-people shot back, "she's going to sip ice-tea! What do you think she will use them for?"
Like Mencia says: If you ain't laughing, you ain't living.
pb
Little Pond
Still, that is just an observation. I've almost always known, right from the start, that I have relapsing-remissive MS. In my case, it's always been a progressive thing. Little by little. It makes it manageable.
But. That is not the least positive thing that came from my visit. A few days later, his office cc'd me the note he sent to my primary care physician.
It turns out that the urologist never sent them a report! The urologist also never gave me a script for the catheters, either. My neuro's office contacted them for information, and the damned uro-people gave them the same runaround I got!
I thought maybe it was just me. Perhaps I was being a scratchy-sort of lady who made the uro-people react badly. It was not me. The neuro-people were non-plussed by the encounter.
Laugh of the morning: The uro-people wanted to know "what I was going to use them for!" The neuro-people shot back, "she's going to sip ice-tea! What do you think she will use them for?"
Like Mencia says: If you ain't laughing, you ain't living.
pb
Little Pond
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