FEELING SUPPORTED

Now you might think I am writing about my ankle, but I am not. I am writing about a situation that occurred recently when some was very condescending toward me. It was a work situation and the person was, in my opinion, very rude.

Today I was given some good news in the form of a phone call by a superior to her. She was told to back off and stop being so pushy. Hurray! I thanked the superior very much.  This pretty much made my day.

In my experience folks that act condescending, rude, pushy in the workplace eventually get their comeuppance. I have outlived many of these types and they eventually get what is coming to them.   You just have to keep your head down, do your work, bite your tongue and ride out the storm.  Most times that works.  Supervisors usually get tired of their BS.

Someday I will tell you about a place I worked. Give you a good laugh!

Until tomorrow...

2ND PHYSICAL THERAPY SESSION

Today was physical therapy session number two.  My therapist is really working me this time around.  Floor exercises and then 10 minutes on the stationary bike.  She seemed pleased that I kept my promise of three days on the recumbent bike and walking my dogs almost every day.

I asked her about wearing regular shoes.  I am tired of wearing sneakers every day.  She said I should bring my shoes to the next appointment so she can assess.  She is worried that my shoes are more clog-like (they are) and therefore I can step wrong and twist my ankle.  But we will see what she says.

I have therapy appointments through the month of December to see if intensive therapy makes a difference.  I will have another physical therapy update next week.

Tomorrow a terrible storm is supposed to come through our area.  Kinda wish I could wear boots!

Until tomorrow...

REMEMBERING ENBREL

I have a problem remembering to take my Enbrel.  Okay I will tell the truth.  I have trouble remembering to take almost all my medications.  I want to take my medications (okay I will try to stop lying), I want to take most of all my medications.  I don't like to take the potassium because it doesn't taste well.  I don't like any of the medications that I have to drink. They make me nauseous.

I will remember to take the Enbrel out of the fridge early in the day but then forget later on when I need to take it out.  I get caught up doing work or watching TV and it slips my mind.

I was supposed to do my Enbrel shot last night but remembered to take the medication out of the fridge at midnight.  Too late to wait the 30 minutes for the medication to warm up and do the shot.

Tonight I remembered to take the shot out at 10:45pm.  Kinda late but I can still do it and get to sleep at a reasonable hour.

I used to have a system but then I stopped taking Enbrel when I had my surgery.   My system was to take the medication out of the fridge at the beginning of Grey's Anatomy and then do the shot at the end of Grey's Anatomy.  That way I had something to remind me to do the shot each week.

I have to create a new system.  Now my shot is done on a Tuesday so I have to pick another show.  I guess Parenthood will have to do.

Well, I am off to do my shot.  Got to get up early for physical therapy and we are expecting a gigantic storm so I am thrilled.

Until tomorrow...

TO FLARE OR NOT

Went to see my rheuma doc today. She asked how it was going. I hate that question. How is it going today? Okay hands kinda swollen. How's it going since last visit three months ago? Gee I don't know. Lets see: Brenda's surgery, I got the flu, shot in my ankle, MRI of leg, no tumor, vacation, fat lobula, and back to physical therapy. Hard to remember it all in one visit. I get home a realize I forgot half the things I was going to tell her.

She is concerned that my ankle is not healed yet. She also wants to check my potassium levels. I told her I have been bad about taking the liquid potassium.

She also brought up changing from Enbrel to Humera again. I don't want to for so many reasons. It is a pain to change meds. I like Enbrel. It is easy to use. Going through the authorization process is such a pain in the butt.

Anyway, I go to see her again in a month.

I will see tomorrow if my swollen hands are the beginning of a flare. I sure hope not.

Until tomorrow...

CONDESCENSION

Have you ever had someone talk down to you?  Or talk to you in a way that you almost feel like they are your boss or a general in the military and you are a private?  I have some like that in my life right now and I am at a loss as to what to do about it. 

This person sends me emails that are the type that my old boss (who I called "The Devil") used to send to me.  Maybe that is why these communications are really needling me.  She says "please" but you know she doesn't mean please.  She means do it.  Comments like "Please be available for this meeting".  Now we all know what "Be available" means.  It means I don't care about your schedule get your butt to this meeting.   I just don't think a colleague talks to another colleague in that way. 


I just don't treat people this way.  I come from a different place.  This type of communication causes me such stress.  On Saturday I got an email that, I am not lying, got my blood pressure to rise.  I don't even have high blood pressure but I swear I could feel it go up.  My hands were shaking and I had to put my phone down.  The email was full of "Please do this."  "Please do that".   

Then to top it off, I cc the person I report to and she keeps taking him off the cc list in her response.  I hate that!   

This weekend I spent a lot of time clearing out.  I filled a quarter of the recycle bin!  I am in a throwing away mode.  I cleared out so much paper and stuff.  I have a bit more to go before I have an organized office again.  I also had to clean out the pond filter again.  I also cooked brussel sprouts again.  I made some honey butter sauce and they came out really good. 

Until tomorrow...

E-WASTE

Today marks the day we finally got rid of the old TV out of the dining room. Yay! Easily four months ago our very large, very heavy, very old TV died. We inherited the TV from my stepmother's mother. It was a nice TV to watch television on. It had a large flat glass screen but an enormous tube in the back.

Today the e-waste guy came to pick it up to recycle. His helper canceled on him so I had to ask a neighbor to assist. They estimated that the TV weighed 175 pounds. The two of them struggled getting it down the stairs and into the truck. There is no way Brenda and I could have gotten that TV down those stairs by ourselves.

We are so happy to have it gone and to have the space back in our dining room. While I was at it I also recycled an old laptop, monitor, scanner and camera.

All this clearing out and cleaning out is renewing my soul. I have been needing to light the load for a long time. Maybe start out the New Year right.

Until tomorrow...

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

I hope you all had a very nice and safe Thanksgiving. Our Thanksgiving is very low key. Since Brenda's surgery we decided to take it slow. At 3:15 we met our neighbors for a bit outside to toast Thanksgiving and to wish each other well.  It is our yearly tradition.

Then we ate and watched the football game. I spoke to a few family members. Then I watched a movie.

Yesterday we received a phone call from Sam. If you remember Sam has been a friend for almost 20 years and out of the blue decided he didn't want to be our friend anymore. See post.   Out of the blue he calls to make sure we know about a mutual friends funeral this Saturday. He wanted to make sure we were going and that we knew we were invited to the after gathering. We have already decided that we will not discuss what occurred at the funeral or gathering. We are not the West Coast Housewives!

Ankle Commitment update: walked the dogs but probably ate too much stuffing, mashed potatoes and stuffed acorn squash.

Until tomorrow...

THERAPY COMMITMENT

Today was physical therapy. Yay! I went in and my therapist said I am having pain because I have to strengthen my ankle and I have to gain more confidence. More confidence that I won't hurt my ankle when I step down. The way to do that is to keep up the therapy exercises, walking the dogs and using the stationary bike.

So, I have made a commitment to walk the dogs just about every day/night and ride the bike between 10-20 minutes at least 3 days a week. Plus, go to therapy every week to keep on track.

There it is in writing. Tonight I walked the dogs. During therapy I rode the bike for 10 minutes. I am going to get strong again so I won't be so frustrated. I know skiing is out of the question this winter but I can still go on the trip and participate in other activities like inner tubing.

Happy Thanksgiving! I will write all about the amazing food I cook.

Go Cowboys!

Until tomorrow...

PRE-PHYSICAL THERAPY

Starting physical therapy again tomorrow.  After getting the shot in my ankle with the really long needle, I felt better for a long time.  I could walk without pain.  I could almost walk fast.  I could almost close to jog across the room.  I could go quickly down the stairs.

Well, that has gone a bit by the wayside.  After the 10 sessions of physical therapy, I had the bump on my leg. It turned out to be a fat lobula so it was nothing.  No tumor or anything serious.  Then Brenda had her surgery and I got sick.  One thing after another.  I stopped physical therapy in order to deal with life.

Now that life has calmed down and I have gotten things under control, I am ready to go back to physical therapy.  Now that my ankle hurts it is time.  Isn't that always the way?  Once your body part hurts, then it is time to go get help.  Hopefully she can help me strengthen my muscles and ligaments. Get me strong again.

I am excited.  I want to get my walking going so I can go back to walking more and losing weight. Yay!

Until tomorrow...

PREPPING FOR THANKSGIVING

Is everyone prepping for Thanksgiving?  I did my shopping on Sunday.  Okay, not all my shopping but all the stuff that I could get that would not spoil in the next few days.   I also forgot to get cranberry sauce.  Can you believe it?  Cranberry sauce!  What is Thanksgiving without cranberry sauce?

I have to pick up the rest on Tuesday or Wednesday.  Just a quick run to the store.  Okay we know it will not be a quick run but a slow walk through the store and checkout line.  

This year we are having a low key Thanksgiving.  No one over. Just us.  I am cooking an acorn squash with some wild rice stuffing, mashed potatoes, stuffing, mushroom gravy, green beans, salad, and apple crisp.  Enough food to last for days. Yum! Leftovers.  Brenda is having a Cornish hen.

What are you having for Thanksgiving?  Anything exciting?  Any family recipies?

Until tomorrow...