drugged and rambling, as it were
Jan. 17th, 2010 11:53 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
floatingleafI've been wanting to post an update for days, but my brain is feeling strangely disconnected, so the only way I can do it is in random bullet points. There's no method whatsoever to this madness, I'm afraid.
- My dad had another blackout episode at work. He fell, knocked over some stuff at his workstation, hit his face on something and got a number of bumps and scratches. Nothing serious, but he gave his coworkers enough of a scare that the incident reached upper management. Someone drove him home, where he stayed for the next two days to recover from his minor injuries - but while he was getting ready to go back to work the next week, his supervisor called him and told him not to return until he can bring a note from a doctor saying that he is OK to work. So he is basically on a forced extended vacation right now. He thinks there's a very real possibility that he might lose his job. Obviously, no doctor can give him the OK now, because he has barely started the long series of medical tests & procedures meant to diagnose his problems. He has four different doctors' appointments next week, in fact. My sister & brother-in-law are taking him to the first two - a gastroscopy and a laryngologist. I am taking him to a neurologist on Wednesday, and then to the gastrologist's follow-up appointment on Saturday. And that probably won't be the end of it. Also, his insurance will only cover part of those quite impressive medical costs - and if he should lose his job... let's not even go there for the moment.
- My chiropractor offered a brilliant psychological explanation for my chronic stiff neck & upper back problem. She said I was carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders. It was meant as a joke, but I think she hit the nail on the head with this one. My constant struggle with reality manifests itself in two ways: either ignoring it completely and escaping into a beautiful fantasy world, or being forced to face it and letting it crush me. Metaphorically, at least. And even while I'm ignoring it - keeping it out of my brain, so to speak - the subconscious tension settles in the body, turning my shoulder muscles into rigid battle armor. Or a protective shell, if you please. Which doesn't really protect me from anything, but never mind. Maybe I'm subconciously trying to build a shell to hide in, so that the evil world would leave me alone. Or maybe I'm just hell-bent on over-analyzing everything for no apparent reason, lol.
- Note to self: when plagued with the dreaded monthly physiological inconvenience, stick to regular painkillers instead of some fancy multi-symptom menstrual pain relief. Some of that stuff (namely, Pamprin, which my sister deemed appropriate for some reason to include with my Christmas gift this time) could kill a horse. I only took two pills, as directed - and spent most of the day either asleep or in a powerful, mind-numbing, drug-induced stupor. As in, lay flat on the bed, stare at the ceiling and wonder lazily whether you have the energy to get a glass of water, or drag yourself to the bathroom. It was downright scary - and the funny part is, I could still feel the cramps. They were dulled down considerably, of course, because I was so out of it could barely feel ANYTHING - but they were there. So, summa summarum, Pamprin = FAIL. The same thing happened with Midol, btw, when I tried it out a few years ago - TOTAL KNOCKOUT. I really don't need a drug that makes me even more sleepy, weak, nauseous, dizzy and disoriented than I am already during that time of the month - thank you very much. Ibuprofen/Advil takes away the pain without making me feel drugged - which is really all I need. Chances are, I will sleep for most of the day anyway - but when I finally wake up, I will at least have the strength to shower and get something to eat before I pass out due to low blood sugar. Today, I didn't eat anything until around 5 p.m. Blargh. I'm still kinda hazy. Which probably explains the random/whiny nature of this post.
- My dad had another blackout episode at work. He fell, knocked over some stuff at his workstation, hit his face on something and got a number of bumps and scratches. Nothing serious, but he gave his coworkers enough of a scare that the incident reached upper management. Someone drove him home, where he stayed for the next two days to recover from his minor injuries - but while he was getting ready to go back to work the next week, his supervisor called him and told him not to return until he can bring a note from a doctor saying that he is OK to work. So he is basically on a forced extended vacation right now. He thinks there's a very real possibility that he might lose his job. Obviously, no doctor can give him the OK now, because he has barely started the long series of medical tests & procedures meant to diagnose his problems. He has four different doctors' appointments next week, in fact. My sister & brother-in-law are taking him to the first two - a gastroscopy and a laryngologist. I am taking him to a neurologist on Wednesday, and then to the gastrologist's follow-up appointment on Saturday. And that probably won't be the end of it. Also, his insurance will only cover part of those quite impressive medical costs - and if he should lose his job... let's not even go there for the moment.
- My chiropractor offered a brilliant psychological explanation for my chronic stiff neck & upper back problem. She said I was carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders. It was meant as a joke, but I think she hit the nail on the head with this one. My constant struggle with reality manifests itself in two ways: either ignoring it completely and escaping into a beautiful fantasy world, or being forced to face it and letting it crush me. Metaphorically, at least. And even while I'm ignoring it - keeping it out of my brain, so to speak - the subconscious tension settles in the body, turning my shoulder muscles into rigid battle armor. Or a protective shell, if you please. Which doesn't really protect me from anything, but never mind. Maybe I'm subconciously trying to build a shell to hide in, so that the evil world would leave me alone. Or maybe I'm just hell-bent on over-analyzing everything for no apparent reason, lol.
- Note to self: when plagued with the dreaded monthly physiological inconvenience, stick to regular painkillers instead of some fancy multi-symptom menstrual pain relief. Some of that stuff (namely, Pamprin, which my sister deemed appropriate for some reason to include with my Christmas gift this time) could kill a horse. I only took two pills, as directed - and spent most of the day either asleep or in a powerful, mind-numbing, drug-induced stupor. As in, lay flat on the bed, stare at the ceiling and wonder lazily whether you have the energy to get a glass of water, or drag yourself to the bathroom. It was downright scary - and the funny part is, I could still feel the cramps. They were dulled down considerably, of course, because I was so out of it could barely feel ANYTHING - but they were there. So, summa summarum, Pamprin = FAIL. The same thing happened with Midol, btw, when I tried it out a few years ago - TOTAL KNOCKOUT. I really don't need a drug that makes me even more sleepy, weak, nauseous, dizzy and disoriented than I am already during that time of the month - thank you very much. Ibuprofen/Advil takes away the pain without making me feel drugged - which is really all I need. Chances are, I will sleep for most of the day anyway - but when I finally wake up, I will at least have the strength to shower and get something to eat before I pass out due to low blood sugar. Today, I didn't eat anything until around 5 p.m. Blargh. I'm still kinda hazy. Which probably explains the random/whiny nature of this post.
