The physicality of being
Mar. 25th, 2012 02:50 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
debgeislerSo...a combination of issues has conspired to convince me that having my personality uploaded to the cloud (and eschewing these too-fragile human bodies) wouldn't be so bad.
The first, which has been dogging me for nearly four months, has been a shoulder/neck problem that, because of inefficiencies at my HMO (someone left; balls got dropped; tests were not approved by my PPO), just finally diagnosed in physical therapy on Friday. Turns out to be a rotator cuff injury, and the hope is that a (probably lengthy) course of PT will resolve the problem without (even lengthier) surgery. Already, the combination of exercise and icing with a special cold pack has meant throttling way back on vicodin - which I was eating far too much of. Hoping that tomorrow will be the start of drug-free days. Yay!
The second involved a cold that, for a change, did not come from my students. All winter, things were germ-free...then the Mikester came down with something. My hopes of escape were foiled six days later, and the cold hit during spring break (for which I am actually grateful) when I was driving long distances (this could have been better managed, however). Last Monday, I was put on a tapered dose of prednisone to resolve oxygen intake issues...and found myself getting freakier, more anxious, moodier, with major swelling of hands, feet and legs...until yesterday, when I called the HMO. "Go to the emergency room for re-evaluation" actually translates to "we don't want to deal with this right now." So I just stopped taking the stupid prednisone, and find myself much happier (and more comfortable) today. (Yes, I looked up all of the drug warnings, first.) Will talk to the prescribing physician on Monday and see if she wants to see me. Otherwise, we can probably assume that prednisone will be added to the list of "Deb does not take these" drugs.
But right now, I'm more comfortable than at any time in the last four weeks...we'll take that. :-) Hope this finds you all healthy and happy, too!
The first, which has been dogging me for nearly four months, has been a shoulder/neck problem that, because of inefficiencies at my HMO (someone left; balls got dropped; tests were not approved by my PPO), just finally diagnosed in physical therapy on Friday. Turns out to be a rotator cuff injury, and the hope is that a (probably lengthy) course of PT will resolve the problem without (even lengthier) surgery. Already, the combination of exercise and icing with a special cold pack has meant throttling way back on vicodin - which I was eating far too much of. Hoping that tomorrow will be the start of drug-free days. Yay!
The second involved a cold that, for a change, did not come from my students. All winter, things were germ-free...then the Mikester came down with something. My hopes of escape were foiled six days later, and the cold hit during spring break (for which I am actually grateful) when I was driving long distances (this could have been better managed, however). Last Monday, I was put on a tapered dose of prednisone to resolve oxygen intake issues...and found myself getting freakier, more anxious, moodier, with major swelling of hands, feet and legs...until yesterday, when I called the HMO. "Go to the emergency room for re-evaluation" actually translates to "we don't want to deal with this right now." So I just stopped taking the stupid prednisone, and find myself much happier (and more comfortable) today. (Yes, I looked up all of the drug warnings, first.) Will talk to the prescribing physician on Monday and see if she wants to see me. Otherwise, we can probably assume that prednisone will be added to the list of "Deb does not take these" drugs.
But right now, I'm more comfortable than at any time in the last four weeks...we'll take that. :-) Hope this finds you all healthy and happy, too!
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No fun.
on 2012-03-25 07:40 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2012-03-25 09:14 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2012-03-25 10:37 pm (UTC)Jim's had a longtime neck problem...don't think it's ever been suggested to check his rotator cuff. Hmmm...
I'm still not so hot and have to have an MRI tomorrow.
no subject
on 2012-03-26 07:30 am (UTC)no subject
on 2012-03-26 05:56 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2012-03-27 01:42 pm (UTC)Glad to hear of progress on all fronts. More comfortable is *good*.