Today I was off from work

I had a nerve-wracking drive across town early this morning to see my psychiatrist, and the gas light was on the whole way (it had gone off yesterday, but then it came back on this morning). I hadn't been able to get in touch with the my friends the day before to ask if they could help me out, so I just went over on a wing and a prayer. The doctor (finally) got the notes from my psychological testing and gave me a sample package of Strattera, a medication I'd been on before for my Attention-Deficit Disorder. Before though, I don't think we went as far up in the dosage as this will be eventually. My experience before was that Adderall seemed to have more effect, but it also may have made my heart race a few times, so he thought the Strattera would be safer. Also, it works through the day and night, as opposed to the others, plus, it's not a controlled substance, so I don't have to pee in a cup monthly to be sure I'm not abusing or selling my meds. So, we'll try it and see. I see him in a month for my other refills.

I went over to my friends' house afterwards, again, just praying I wouldn't run out of gas. A had called right before my meeting with the doctor, and I'd explained the situation. We visited for awhile and then about 1 pm I went and got gas, and then I took them to run an important errand. Then I dropped YKWIA off at their house and took A with me to my orthopaedic appointment, as he had a nearby doctor's appointment himself in a little over an hour after mine. It took awhile to be seen--I thought we were going to be late to his appointment. The EMG shows carpal tunnel, but very mild, so while it could be causing my symptoms, it could also be arthritis, which I definitely have in my thumbs. The doctor suggested giving me cortisone shots in my wrists to see if it got better; if it does, it very well could be carpal tunnel, although it's rare that it would come back. If not, it may be the arthritis and the fact that my ulna (the smaller long bone in the lower arm) is congenitally short on both sides. And my left wrist has been broken at some point in my life, unbeknownst to me, so that's an interesting tidbit I didn't know before going about the pain in my hands. Then he had me talk things over with an occupational therapist on exercises that could help and things I should do at work. I'm going to have the occupational therapy department at work do an ergonomic study of my desk setup. He said the fact I had a drawer that went under the desk may be a problem, depending on the height of my chair, as it tends to make the wrists extend up. He also thought I should brace my wrists loosely at night to keep them from flexing one way or the other. So basically they're treating it like carpal tunnel in the hopes it won't get worse. The cortisone shots hurt a bit but not nearly as much as I expected, and the syringe and needle weren't terribly intimidating. He did it quickly and it wasn't too bad, actually.

After my appointment, we went over to A's, an office where we share a doctor. I think I fell asleep out in the waiting room, when I should have read for a bit. Then we went back to their house and then out to Captain D's to pick up food. YKWIA and I watched an episode of 'Lost Girl' and then one of 'The Vampire Diaries'. We were all tired after a full day and I came on home just before dark. I've been working on some photos for my characters, gleaned from the Internet, which I can put on my character sheets.

Okay, I think I'm going to go read some of Grave Secret, by Charlaine Harris, for a bit, and then maybe call it a night. I did find out that my car will go at least 25 miles on its gas light, so yay for that. It's back to work tomorrow morning. It was a busy day at work today (many, many kids in clinic), so I'll have lots of data entry to catch up on. :) It was nice to have the day off, and important to, although I think I have exhausted my PTO except what I'll accrue over this pay period, which isn't great, as Labour Day is almost here. I should have that covered, though, if I can manage to keep my time on an even keel. I stayed late the other day to help make up time from my EMG. I'll go in a little early tomorrow morning, if I can, to help with that. I think I'm just a half hour off my time at this point. Have a good night.

Found out a couple of things this morning

at the appointment I had with the hand surgeon. We're still going to go ahead with another electromyograph (EMG) to see if my carpal tunnel syndrome really has returned, like one doctor who did the test said a few years ago (we couldn't get a copy of the test because her office is now closed, and it's been four years or so anyway). But apparently at some point in my life I broke my left wrist and didn't know it. Also, my ulnae (the smaller long bones of the arm) are congenitally shorter than usual, which could be causing some of the wrist pain. The slight tremor I've occasionally had in my thumb did present itself when we took x-rays. It happens when my hand is placed perpendicularly to a horizontal surface, like I was using it as a knife. I do also have arthritis in my thumbs, particularly the left one. So, there you go--my upper extremities are somewhat verkakte. Fortunately the EMG is already scheduled for a week from now, and I'll see the doctor a couple of days later.

That was early this morning. Then I went to work, and it was an okay kind of day. After work I went by the bank and got my rent and then took it over to the leasing office. That leaves me very little for the next week-and-a-half, but at least that's paid, and I have enough for my car insurance. I called T-Mobile to see if I could make a payment arrangement for when I get paid next, and they were very nice about it; I've never missed a payment with them and am usually like clockwork with them.

So now I've eaten some scrambled eggs and cheese, had a little orange juice and banana, and I'm seriously thinking of taking a nap. It's getting very cloudy outside, like it's going to rain. I hope so; I hope it waters the window boxes. If not, I have to water those plus the inside plants. The poor spider plant jumped off the computer desk shelf because it was dry (the little baby plants that hang down are all one side, so it's heavier on that side). But first, that nap.

So tired

It's been a long day,  about 16 hours or so of a doctor's appointment,  work,  and class.  The first was utterly frustrating.  I went to my psychiatrist expecting to discuss my test results showing I had attention-deficit disorder, and perhaps getting treated for it.  But he didn't have the report yet, which means either the psychologist hasn't finished writing it yet,  even though we discussed the results earlier this month and she knew when I was seeing the doctor,  or it never made it upstairs from the other office (the practice has two floors--the counselor and testing centre are on the first,  but the psychiatrist is on the second). I like both of the clinicians who oversee my care,  as they are competent and easy to discuss my issues with,  but their office organisation leaves something to be desired.

Years ago,  when my old psychiatrist was closing her office and I moved to theirs,  they accidentally shredded my medical records that had been sent over because they had my last name wrong. When I went back several years later,  they couldn't find my newer records from their practice.  My psychologist finally had her hands on them at our last visit, after I'd been going there for three months. And not once have the two floors communicated each one's notes to the other.  Really.  So this morning I was frustrated,  as all the doctor could do was give me refills on my other meds and tell me to cone back in two months,  meaning I wouldn't be treated for the ADHD until September at the earliest.  I complained about this to the woman at the checkout desk,  who said she could made me an appointment in a month instead.  I may have to come back in September,  too,  but at least we could address the other then.  So that helped. I must say,  I handle frustration much better than I used to.  Maybe I'm finally growing up.

Work was okay,  nothing exciting to report.  I did wear my bracing gloves today because my wrists and hands have been hurting. I really need to go to a hand specialist.  I've known the carpal tunnel has been back for awhile,  but haven't done anything about it.  I've even noticed a twitching in my thumb occasionally.  I don't know if that's a symptom- -I don't remember it before my carpal tunnel release surgeries.  But I should go have it checked out in any case.  Anyway,  the gloves did help.

Class was great.  It was our session on communication.  A really liked it, and he did really well. This one was mostly hands-on exercises,  without much lecture.  Next week's is about self-care.

Okay,  I've been writing with my phone,  swiping as I go. My hands are totally cramping now, so I'm going to go now.  Good night!

*Facepalm*

So my little finger on my right hand has been randomly spasming lately, and last night I mentioned it to a friend on the phone. He pointed out that it could be from the carpal tunnel that had returned in that hand years after my surgery. It started doing it a little while ago and suddenly I realised that of course using the walker to ambulate for over eight weeks now would certainly exacerbate my existing issue. Sometimes it takes me awhile to get the obvious.

On a brighter note, I actually have been reading tonight. I am reading The Hangman's Daughter by Oliver Pötzsch. It's an historical mystery set in seventeenth-century Bavaria, and so far it seems like it will be very good. The author writes in a style that puts you directly into the setting. I am right past the murder, at the beginning if the investigation, but I am already enjoying the book. I also have the second on my Kindle, and there's at least one other.

I think for now, though, I am going to turn in for the night, even though it's a bit early. It's been a full couple of days and tomorrow should prove to be as well. Good night.

So last night

Jay Leno was on when I closed up shop, took my insulin and other nightly meds, got all ready for bed, and was in it prepared to sleep when I realised the one thing I hadn't done was take the Tylenol. But, with the trouble I have schlepping my way out to the other room these days, I decided to screw it and see if I could sleep without it. I'm very stiff and sore this morning, but I made it seven hours in bed for the first time in days, waking up just once briefly at 2 am. Needless to say, the first thing I did once I got out here was take the capsules. And it does hurt, but I can tolerate it with some mild breathing exercises while the medicine kicks in.

Every morning when I wake up, though, the stiffest part of me are my hands. I have carpal tunnel. For years, I couldn't feel either of my hands, and then they started to contract up at night. Seven years ago I had surgery for it, with instant relief, but there is some residual impairment in the left and it's back on the right (no doubt from using that touchscreen at the gas station for five years). So since I'm mostly ambulating on my hands these days via a walker, that makes a difference. I also have some blisters on my hands from using it, but those are getting better. There isn't much to do about the carpal tunnel now, I don't think, beyond hand exercises and some physical therapy. I keep my mouse on the left side to offload some of the work at the computer, which causes no lack of consternation when the tech guys remote into my work station at the hospital (it changes to a left-handed mouse for them, too). Fortunately I have a lot of coordination with my left hand. On the other hand, I am finding that while I suck majorly at upper body strength, my left arm, which should be stronger because I carry everything with it, is actually not when it comes to do repetitions with a band over my head. In other words, the muscles that hang and carry sacks, etc. are fine, but the others are very weak. But I am doing my exercises to help with that.

Well, I did it again

Listening to 'Fire on the Mountain' by Rob Thomas
Reading Proven Guilty by Jim Butcher

I was so tired last night I laid down at 8 pm and I was gone until 8 this morning. I did wake up hourly from about two to seven. I had finally decided to get up when a friend called. I was up early yesterday for the cable guy, have catalogued many books (48 since Monday), did all the other library stuff, and had a lot of fairly complex data entry to do (but I still left at 6 pm when I finished). I guess anything that takes a lot of concentration tires you out, but, gee, I'd like to stay up some night and get stuff done, or get up early enough to do them. The next house-related thing is to do dishes. I'll try to do that tonight. And while that's running, I need to work on game notes.

Today is jeans day at work, yay! I'm in my 'The League of Extraordinary Librarians' shirt and some khaki jeans. It's been hot as fire outside (although not as bad as some places), so I hope I don't burn up in them.

On the agenda today is more cataloguing (I have some books left from awhile back, and a new order on its way). I also have a project to work on, and then later, of course, there's data entry, but it's a light clinic today so that shouldn't take the whole shift, either. One of my co-workers suggested I should go to school for medical coders--they're always in demand and our tuition reimbursement would pay for it, since it's a position we hire for (that's the caveat on ours; it doesn't work for history or such, but does if I took a library science class). It might be worth considering, I don't know.

I did run some numbers last evening regarding my pay (I don't remember if I wrote this last night or not). Anyway, the gross pay from 20 hours at the library + 28 hours at the store was about $40 more than the 20 hours at the library +15 hours at the data entry + the 8 hours I'm doing at the store right now. Now, more money is taken out for taxes (they always take out too much at the hospital, and not enough at the store) and retirement (I changed my withholding to 6% because they're matching up to that now, and of course that's 6% of more money). So I'm technically making less net if I don't get that extra 5 hours a week. Plus, it's still not getting off early enough to do much with friends or for that matter really working an extra shift at the store. Plus I won't be getting that shift differential. That means I'm unlikely to save for a car or pay off my debts as easily. I don't know. I'll give it a couple of pay periods to figure out if I can make it on 35 hours a week at the hospital or not. But that, coupled by the fact that I have about $3 to my name at the moment, means I'm a little worried financially. I'm used to getting about $180 a week from the store, and now I'm getting about $60, which I'm mainly using for food. And last time I got paid at the hospital went to rent and medicine. Ironically, that was most likely my first full paycheque, but about $250 was taken out to repay where I'd been overpaid in July. I'm tempted to use some of my PTO (personal time off) to make up the difference and get a whole cheque this time, but I have a limited amount of PTO, and Labour Day is coming up. Right now I have three days' worth of PTO, which is what I need if I get sick, since it doesn't kick over to my EIB (extended illness bank, which I have several months of, even now that I'm working at least theoretically 8 hours a day) until the fourth day. I may double-check to see if I need to use any to get that 15 hours (I think I left at 5:30 a couple of times, rather than 6, but I stayed till 7 at least a couple of times) and leave it at that. Then I'll see about how much I'll make normally.

Anyway, that's what I'm worried about these days.

PS I think the data entry is making my carpal tunnel a little worse. I dropped and shattered a plate the other day. Unfortunately my schedule doesn't really allow for hand therapy. Somewhere around here I have some hand braces I got before my surgeries. I need to find them. They're probably in a box in the closet. (Keep in mind that was five years ago). On the other hand, my feet are doing much better now that I'm not standing on them for days on end. :)

I've been trying to get up since 6 am

with the idea of going into work early and making up some time I've lost, but to no avail. I did get up at 8:30, giving me a chance to drink a couple of cups of coffee and write this, but that's about it. Between doctors' appointments, daylight savings, pills that make me sleepy, and higher blood sugars in the morning, I just haven't done well in getting in all my hours. I'll check to see what the official tally is this morning and see if I can use PTO time for it. I think it's about 2 hours off.

Speaking of doctor's appointments, I didn't write about the results of my nerve conduction/EMG tests. The good news it there is no sign of diabetic neuropathy, which is good, as there isn't a lot to be done about that. It's also not coming from my neck issues. The bad news is, yes, I have carpal tunnel. The left side isn't too bad, and the problems conducting signals probably are a residual from before my surgery. The right, however, is definitely conducting signals abnormally, which isn't surprising since I've been dropping things, feeling numbness, and having pain when I fill out paperwork--I've been through this all before. They don't tend to do surgery a second time (I wondered about that) and instead suggested hand occupational therapy and splinting, although the place that sent me doesn't take my insurance, so today I need to see if there's an alternative, as $100 a visit is really going to eat into my flexible spending account.

I'm a little disappointed that my body is doing this again. I felt so good after the surgery; it was like a miracle to suddenly feel fingers again. But carpal tunnel does recur even after surgery, and although I don't type a huge amount anymore, I do have repetitive motions with my right hand only when I use the cash register--it's a touchscreen, and you hold your hand out in front of your chest. I started at the gas station about a year after my first surgery. I think the surgeon did an excellent job, but the repetitive nature of my job has contributed to another flare up. But even so, this is nothing compared to how severe it was before surgery.

So I'm hopeful that therapy and splinting will help, especially as we're catching it early--I've only had noticeable numbness for a few weeks.

Okay, I've got to get ready for work. Have a good day.