Had to go back to my doctor's office today

Most of the other symptoms have resolved, but my throat has been very, very sore, especially at night, to the point of keeping me awake. My ears hurt, too, to the point where I can't play music except softly or they hurt. So last night, when I was up and in pain, I sent a message to my nurse practitioner giving her the symptoms, and asking if it could be strep, regardless of the negative test the other day. She wanted to go ahead and see me, so I went over lunch. The good news is that I don't have strep--the test again was negative. I do, however, have thrush (oral Candidiasis, basically a yeast infection in my throat), probably as an opportunistic infection after being sick, coupled with my use of Breo, an inhaled medicine that can contribute to them--although I do rinse my mouth and brush my teeth after every use--and my diabetes. My ears, meanwhile, are fluid-filled (it's called otitis media serous), and bulging a bit inside where they're not draining. Rather than put me on a steroid pack, which can wreak havoc with blood sugars, she gave me one steroid shot, and I'm to continue the Stahist AD. She didn't want to put me on anything with a stronger dose of pseudoephedrine because of my ADD medicine, which, while not really a stimulant, might have reacted. She also had me go on Diflucan and I have to swish and swallow this thick-looking liquid three times a day for 17 days that looks particularly nasty. But a Candidiasis infection can go down your throat to your organs, so best to do it. One reason I went ahead and got tested for strep was that I planned to go visit my mom in Danville's hospital, and it's best not to bring strep with you to visit someone in the ICU. My throat infection isn't contagious per se--it's an overgrowth of a yeast most people already have. So I was given the okay to visit. Ironically, it turns out that there were contact precautions in place there for Clostridium difficile, a particularly nasty bug that cause terrible gastrointestinal distress. I had to use a gown and gloves. So I'm probably more at risk for infection than she is. But I did wash my hands thoroughly.

But she knew me and could talk some. That was good. I stayed an hour-and-a-half and then headed back to Lexington. The only problem I encountered was some cardboard in the road that had to be straddled and sort of obstacle-course-driven. It could run someone off the road, it was substantial enough, but I got home okay. I drove exactly 100 miles today--I put my trip odometer to zero this morning when I started out and was on my gas light, and then kept it going after I got gas. I took YKWIA to a couple of appointments and we stopped at the pharmacy to get our respective medicine between trips. I took him by the store and Jin Jin, then dropped him off and headed to Danville about 7:30 pm.

Now I've eaten and I should think about taking the scary looking stuff (I can't eat or drink for 30 minutes afterwards) and heading to bed.

Good night.

It's just starting

To unfurl... :)

Whew!

Reading goal met and I finally finished my audiobook of The Cave and the Light: Plato and Aristotle and the Struggle for the Soul of Western Civilization by Arthur Herman,  all 31 chapters totaling 25 hours and 26 minutes,  and over 700 pages.  Very interesting read spanning 2,500 years of Western thought,  and relevant to our 'post-fact' world; I highly recommend it. Very thought-provoking.

Feeling a little better today

When I started work this morning I was very behind. I managed to get caught up on my charge entry, do the charge reconciliation, and finish an audit. I didn't manage to fill an interlibrary loan, which I'll have to do Monday, or much of anything else on the library side except for helping with equipment and filling the copiers, but overall, it wasn't a bad day. My orchid is starting to open just a bit, and should be flowering Monday at full colour, which makes me happy. It's hard to believe that just yesterday I had to resist the urge to destroy the almost-open buds as part of my foul mood. But I did resist, and they're blooming today. Yay!

A wants a ride to the store later this evening, so I can't really start on my laundry yet. I think I'll work on that book review in the meantime. Yes, they said that it could be submitted for the next issue, but I'd like to go ahead and do that. I've already finished the game notes, and we play this weekend, especially if I--long story--finish that book review first.

I'd like see the movie Sing while it's still in the cinema, and had thought of using my free tickets for it with YKWIA tomorrow. But I'll have to see what plans may be in the offing.

I'm also almost finished with the book The Cave and the Light: Plato and Aristotle and the Struggle for the Soul of Western Civilization by Arthur Herman. I'd like a paperback version. I've really enjoyed it as an historical survey through Western thought, philosophy, theology, and science. It makes me think of my major professor when I was in the history programme, E. Randolph Daniel. As far as I know, he is alive and well, but last night I dreamt of his funeral, only it wasn't him, just someone with the same name. It was a weird dream. I'd like to send him a note to thank him for being a great teacher. I've meant to send it for awhile. He's been retired for about 16 years; if I want him to get it, I should send it soon. But I loved having him as a professor of Mediaeval history, and he put up with my issues, especially while I was going through my divorce.

Okay, time to read the book for review. It's a book on communication and having difficult conversations in the workplace. Considering my fear of confrontation, I think it would be a good read for me.

I should be doing laundry tonight, but

I've been letting the stress of life really get to me lately; things have been harder than normal with the impending job loss and half a dozen different stressors knocking at my door. Two separate people asked me how I was doing today. I'm having a bit of a breakdown. I know it. I'm not coping with the stress in some misguided belief that I won't have to keep dealing with things, according to my best friend, and I think he's right. That's my messed up brain chemistry trying to cope ineffectively. I'm slipping into the depressive side of my Bipolar Disorder II, after a long remission, and I recognise that I'm on the cusp of relapse. I see my counselor Monday and my doctor in twelve days, so perhaps they can adjust my therapy and/or medication. But in the meantime, I'm going to take a hot bath, take the night off to try to relax, and get some rest, because that's the first step to meeting stress full-on rather than just curling up in a ball and hoping it goes away.

Eilir and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (with apologies to Judith Viorst)

I started my morning with my account overdrawn due to a cascade effect caused by the bank's algorithm, a very unsatisfactory call with the bank representative, who kept talking over me, and a determination to switch back to a credit union, which at the very least isn't interested in making money off my misery like some soulless machine. I went to my allergist appointment all upset, red-faced, and crying, still managed to do my pulmonary tests well (and my blood pressure was just 107 over 60-something, which was amazing, as I thought I'd die of apoplexy while on the phone), then went to work, where I continued to be upset and had a difficult time getting pretty much anything done properly. Then it was over to YKWIA's to take him to an appointment. He took pity on me, bought me a salmon salad at Captain D's (what can I say, he's Jewish, he feeds people to comfort them, and it is greatly appreciated), I took him to the library and grocery, and then we watched an episode of 'Shadowhunters'. Now I'm home. I feel like a wet rag someone's wrung out. I'm going to try to get up early in the morning and deal with life a little better, so I'm going on to bed. Good night.

I don't know if I mentioned it

But last week I found someone's driver's licence in the parking lot of a local store and since it isn't smart for a single woman to just drop by a stranger's apartment,  I sent it back to the owner via mail.

I'd pretty much put it out of my mind until I got a message via Facebook Messenger today from the young man thanking me for sending it to him.  I'm glad he got it okay (I was afraid his address had changed,  or he'd gotten a replacement already,  but he got it fine and was very happy.)  So I felt better and was happy,  too,  to have done something that helped another person out. Between that and the car,  it's been a good day.

And there was much rejoicing

Well, it took $601.43 total, but:

1. I have working rear brakes that are safe and happy...
2. My ball joints were fine (take that Tire Discounters, who tried to get me to pay for a replacement), but my ignition coil was causing all the engine misfiring, and that was fixed...
3. I got an oil change, which was overdue, and they threw in a new stopper, replacing the old one, which was threaded...and
4. My windshield wipers, which basically shredded, were replaced.

Tire Discounters quoted about $800 for the first two alone. Thanks Kenny and the folks at Mitch's Auto for the great service. I've gone there for years, and they're very straight-shooting and reasonable. And thank you to YKWIA and A, who helped out by paying half of the bill, since I give them rides quite often. And thank you to Jackie, from work, who came and got me and took me into work and then brought me back, so I didn't have to ride the bus and take time out from my workday. It drives like a new car. :)

After I got the car, I went over to YKWIA's, had dinner (it was very yummy) and took A to a meeting. Now I'm home, and I have my choice of:

1. Laundry,
2. Kitchen, or
3. Book review, or
4. Some sort of combination of the above.

I also told A I would do some checking on the computer for him. So there's definitely that. I also want to listen some more to my audiobook (I'm five chapters away from finishing). If I did laundry and went over to the facility here, I could listen and work on the computer, too, and even work on the book review, perhaps. On the other hand, the kitchen really needs help. So we'll see. Right now I'm going to change into comfy clothes and wind down a bit, without actually relaxing to the point of sleep. I'm thinking of putting on some peppy music. :)

I stayed pooped

The kitchen will have to wait.  I'm feeling congested and achy again,  even with the meds.  Tomorrow a friend from work is picking me up at the car shop so I can get some work done on it but not miss work either. So, I have to go on to sleep. A's safely home and I'm in bed. Good night.

Tree is down

And I am not ready to tackle the kitchen quite yet.  In fact,  I'm pooped (well,  I have been sick,  after all).  So I'm going to rest for awhile and try in an hour or so.  Whew!