Tired

Apex Janice Mary Jane shoe

I went into work by 7 this morning, even though my normal Thursday time is 8:30 am. I was trying to make up some time, as I had an appointment about mid-morning at the podiatrist to pick up my diabetic shoes. They're very nice--Mary Janes that are actually wide enough for my feet (7 extra wide; my foot is about as wide as it is long). The doctor was a little concerned about the straps, which are a kind of Y-shape with Velcro fastening, in a sort of hook and loop. But the nice thing is that I can wear them with pants or skirts, socks or hose, and they're pretty comfortable, although I'm breaking them in. I also got some inserts that can be moulded to the foot by using a hair dryer to warm them, sticking them into the shoe, and then inserting the foot and standing on them a couple of minutes. I'm allowed one pair of shoes a year--my insurance pays for them--and over the last three years I've gotten some New Balance walking shoes, a pair of A2 boots for winter wear, and now these for dress wear, so I'm pretty set on shoes at the moment. The other great thing about the Mary Janes is that they are closed toe but don't have a heel (I can't walk in heels), and if I were to get a job at the Lexington Public Library, one of their rules is closed-toe shoes only, so the Vionic sandals I wear in the summer would be right out, and these make a great alternative, as they're not heavy like my others. The podiatrist did want to see me back in 9 weeks to do another x-ray; last time he discovered a piece of bone had broken off and might be causing some of the mild pain I've had in my ankle. He suggested getting a sleeve for my ankle (which I did) and also checking with the representative who delivered my bone stimulator three years ago to see if it can be reset and used. My understanding is that it's a single use, single person device that shuts itself off after about 270 days. If that's the case, I have a $5,000 paperweight in my closet, which did help a lot in terms of building up my ankle after I broke it, but may not be used now, and might as well be recycled. But I'll see. I doubt my insurance would pay for another one due to a fragment of bone that's come loose. But he thought the sleeve would at least provide a little support, and if I could get the bone stimulator reset, it might help the situation.

Today I also got my flu shot and TB skin test. After work, I went and got some medicine for my friends and I. I accidentally got home with someone's dementia medicine (Aricept/donepezil), so I need to take that back. After that I took care of one of my friends who wasn't feeling all that great. We watched 'Heroes Reborn'. I recognised Harris as the same actor who played the first Ash in 'Lost Girl' (he has an extremely deep and hypnotic voice, and comes off a bit creepy because of it), so I felt a little proud of myself. But despite having great blood sugar all day (it was 126 this morning before breakfast) and taking my medicine, I was a little off when dealing with YKWIA--I just didn't seem to get the banana at times. That might just be me being tired for having been up since 5:30 or 6 am, and waking up practically every hour on the hour throughout the night.

Speaking of which, I think I'm going to go on to bed. I think I'll totally unmake the bed this time, because I want to rub some lemon lotion on my feet and give them a good rub, and I think the lotion would discolour the comforter, but not the blanket. Good night.

I had an x-ray at the podiatry appointment

and apparently there is a reason for the occasional pain I'm having in the ankle that was operated on three years ago. A small piece of bone has come off near the screws, and the screws themselves may be irritating the area. So, we wait and see if the pain gets more than occasional or worse, because if it does, then they can go in and remove the screws and possibly do a bone graft to help the situation. But right now it's really minor and happens only sometimes, so I'll wait.

I also ordered some shoes. About the only perk of being diabetic is that my insurance will pay for a pair of shoes once per year. This year I'm trying to get some dressier shoes that I can wear with a skirt (still closed toe, for the winter), and I just hope they're wide enough. That's always an issue with my feet, and the swelling doesn't help. I did get the extra wide, but depending on in the shoes run narrow, that may still not be enough. We'll see.

I need to work on the bedroom and vacuum the carpets, along with taking out the trash. But first I'm going to take a short break (maybe 20 minutes), as my stomach's a bit woozy. I haven't eaten yet today, but I took my medicine, so that's probably why. But after it settles down I'll make some pasta (which is basically the only thing in the house, except for some crackers and I think a can of soup) to settle my stomach. Hope your day is going well.

I'm boot free!

I had three appointments today:

• I had my teeth cleaned, which really was the most painful of the three as it involved taking those damn bite-wing x-rays of my whole mouth. Thank goodness they recommend that for only every three-five years.
  
• Had two porcelain crowns and a temporary filling put in (the latter to replace one that had broken when I chewed a sugar-free mint too hard). We're going to pre-authorise a bridge, assuming the crowns haven't taken all my benefits this year. It may have to wait for next year. I think that's all the crowns needed for root-canaled teeth, though. If you don't crown them, they get brittle and break after a root canal, as I found out.
  
• The podiatrist was happy to be able to touch my feet without my nearly yelping. She suggested I use my lace-up brace (much smaller) on my ankle when working for awhile and to do stretching exercises such as tracing out the alphabet with my ankles each day (this is apparently one way to get total range of motion). If it had been really bad still, she would have sent me to physical therapy. I worked yesterday without the boot to see how I would do and am just a little sore today after being on my feet for seven hours, so I think I'm on the mend.
  

I was off from the hospital due to the appointments. I also:

• Went to the public library branch between my house and the doctor's office (it's about a block away from where I live, and both dentist and podiatrist are near the hospital, which is just about the same distance further). I picked up several interesting books, including one that seems to argue that the UFO phenomena/ideas that ancient astronauts came and founded civilisations entered the public mindset through the writings of HP Lovecraft. Hmmmm...well, there are extraterrestrial Mi-Go, Cthulhu, the Elder Things, the Great Old Ones (whose bodies, though conical, were actually already here, but their minds are alien), etc. It might make for an interesting read, anyway.
  
  
• Went over to Sqecial Media and nearly died of coughing because I forgot how incense-laden the store is. I went in to look at earrings but they were working on that section and had it pulled apart. So I picked up a birthday card for my mom, a scarab sticker for the car, a bumper sticker to replace my old one, and a package of charcoal for incense (to be burned at the appropriate time when I'm not still having times where I'm fighting for breath). I had to ask for the charcoal. The two girls looked at me like I meant the stuff that goes in grills. The man was more knowledgeable and pulled out three packets, one of which he said was slow-burning and better for a hookah. Since I just needed the bricks for a censor, I took the cheapest packet. :) Hookahs have apparently become pretty popular around the university. There was a hookah bar that opened where people could go to smoke flavoured tobaccos, but I don't know how it has fared. I'm just glad I don't smoke. Even being around someone who has been smoking has been setting off my coughing fits (as has perfume, to be fair). Thank goodness Lexington has an indoor smoking ban on businesses that aren't primarily tobacco-related.
  
  By the way, Sqecial (yes, I'm spelling that right) had these cards that were neat in that they folded up and had stereoscopic lenses (think Viewmaster) with art prints such as Dali and Münch to make them look 3-D. Very nice, and although 'The Scream' might have been appropriate for a birthday card in retrospect, I went with a Albrecht Dürer print of a small owl for my mom. She used to collect owl pictures and figures.
  

What I didn't do:

• Call my mom. I got a cell phone call from her yesterday but I don't know if she intended to call me or not. The voice mail sounded like background noise. Or maybe it was garbled somehow. Anyway, I should check.
  
• I didn't call a friend who's really been having a difficult time. I'm going to message her MySpace page and then try to call on Saturday and see if she wants to go out next week, my treat, so I can see how she's doing.
  
• I haven't filled the fish tank yet. That's on the agenda for tonight or tomorrow morning.
  

Saturday I work in the evening. I'd like to spend the morning and early afternoon working at home. I have a lot stuff that just needs to be thrown away, taken to Goodwill, etc. I really need to clean out my car; you can only fit two people in it right now comfortably. I have nearly every shoe I own in it at the moment, the boot, two empty copier boxes, my winter coat, you name it, it's in there. Plus a bunch of trash. My house isn't hoarded up, it just has a lot of drink bottles and stuff like that to get rid of, plus the bathroom needs to be cleaned and the dishes done. Oh, and I'm sure I'll still be working on notes, although I'm trying to be a little better prepared than I was last week. There's a lot more investigation to get in this week, and that takes more transcription time.

Okay, that's all for now. I'll write more soon. Good night.

I just missed the bus

I've been trying to wake up ever since 6 am, but strange dreams have drawn me back downward at each attempt to rise. My ankles are the right size again this morning after keeping a cool fan on them all night (this will change over the course of the day), but my left ankle is just throbbing, even when I'm not standing on it. Also, a thunderstorm is on its way, so I may get caught in that.

Argh.

Fortunately it is also pay day. I don't have quite as much as I'd hoped for, but it's enough to cover rent, get some bus money, and go out with my old boss if we choose somewhere fairly cheap.

I think I'm going to go get my umbrella and try to walk over to the store, get some money, and go from there. Today I plan on:

1. Calling my old boss and arranging to meet today or tomorrow.
   
2. Calling someone I know about borrowing his van in the interim.
   
3. Calling the podiatrist and making an appointment for Monday.
   
4. Cleaning up my apartment some.
   
5. Working on notes, both new and old.
   

Wish me luck!

Got a clean bill of health from the podiatrist

and some samples of a foot cream that soaks in through the thick skin of the foot. It's over the counter but kept behind it in the pharmacy.

I'm about to go on an adventure on the bus for the first time in a couple of years. I'm going to get a 20-punch pass for $15 dollars and a brochure with all the times and maps in it if possible. Coming back home from YKWIA's is a bit of a challenge; the night service runs on a different route, and it's unclear from the map which bus stop at the designated crossroad I take to go back in.

But first, I'm at the library right now (it's near my doctor's office), I'm going to head over to the bank and gas station to get money/laundry quarters and check on whether there's a new schedule or not, and maybe go by GB Warehouse to see about some sturdier shoes since I'll be walking more. My sandals and New Balance athletic shoes are both in sad shape. I don't have much to spend, maybe $20, but it may be enough to find something that will work for now. Fortunately, although I have to cross two major roads, I live near a grocery, several eateries, clothing and department stores, etc., etc. Another good thing, at least I don't have to worry about gas for the next couple of weeks at least. :)

Tomorrow I have a library seminar/consortium meetingn for the Kentucky Medical Library Association at Central Baptist. I'm glad it's in Lexington and on a bus route, at least. But I'm not going to be able to do both that and my physical therapy. :( I'm not sure if the bus even goes down to Tates Creek Centre yet, so that may be a challenge.

I'll write later. Remind me to tell you about the game. Have a good day.

I got off from work early today

because I already had my hours in for the pay period, which is good, because I have a 2:15 podiatry appointment, then I have some other things to do running around town. I couldn't make physical therapy appointments for next week because he was booked up when I wasn't working, but I have a couple the first week of August. My first appointment went rather well, mostly assessment. To give you an idea of how my elbow is affecting things, I can grip 65 lbs with my left hand when my arm is stretched out, and only 45 lbs on my right, which is bad because my right should be stronger because it's dominant.

I'm glad the weekend is here. I do work tomorrow, but not a 10-hour shift, and I think I get off at 6 pm, which leaves some time to do other things.

I've been happily starring items in Google Reader to share with you. Some have already made it to the box at the top of this page, but I'd like to write about them, so I hope to post some tonight, depending on when I get home. Last night it was 4:30 am before I came in, and I had to get up at 9 am, so it's a little iffy in predicting.

Okay, I'm going to go now. Hope you have a good weekend.

I am soaking my foot

in epsom salts because I had in-office minor surgery to remove an ingrown toenail at the podiatrist's today. It was supposed to be numb and wasn't completely, but I managed to get through it with a stiff upper lip. It is interesting to see just how much even a fourth toe is necessary to your balance, for getting up, etc. Going up on tip-toes is right out. But ibuprofen's taking care of the pain and it's not too bad in any case. I have to soak it in the salts two-three times a day for 15-20 minutes and then pat it dry, put on Neosporin, and wrap in a Band-Aid. I thought it would be disgusting when I took off the bandage, but there's just some blood. I didn't look too closely at the nail this time though, I admit. There's also blood where she put in the needle around the base of the toe for the local anaesthesia. I go back in about 2 1/2 weeks for follow-up.

Tomorrow's my follow-up for my elbow. I'm still having trouble, even with the brace. Lifting at work isn't helping, especially on Thursdays when I put away the truck. Maybe we'll have an extra person who can lift the crates next time.