Oh, by time I went to sleep last night I felt like shit. Blowing my nose until the rims felt rubbed rough and red. Coughing and sneezing, each time invoking a chord of pain across the left side of my body. Trying to go to sleep, my nose wouldn’t stop running no matter how much I blew it, had to change the pillowcase in the morning. I did end up sleeping okay, I guess. I woke a few times coughing and adjusting positions, yet mostly went right back to sleep each time- the ocean was playing.
I think there was a solid chunk of sleep towards the end and I did wake up feeling rested, and better. Still bit congested all day (until I finally got some medicine- now the pasty dry feeling,) yet it’s been getting better and the coughs and cords of pain, may have been helpful. My body has learned I think what muscles to avoid using to avoid pain. My sneeze is not so smart. Whatever part of the brain triggers that uses the entire body to launch its nasal exodus in sometimes dramatic fashion.
Each time it felt as if muscles were being shredded and torn apart (perhaps, for disclosure, I should mention that I’ve been described as a ‘baby’ when I’m sick- not that I agreed with the assessment,) yet to some small degree, maybe that is what is happening. The ‘dead pork chop’ feeling I have in my left ass has to be just a clump of unused muscle tissue, I clump that my nerves haven’t figured out how to touch yet.
My nerves may not reach the pork chop, yet somehow my sneeze does. Oh, and coughs. It’s a habit now to hold back and restrain any coming cough, in an attempt to moderate it, to slowly dole it out over a bit more time than with any sudden amount of gusto. Bending over and curling up my body helps shield that pain, yet I coughed so much last night that I began to see how little I could bend over and still endure the pain.
Oh- speaking of pain, I passed my drug test today. Negatives in all the right places (so many more tests than pictured,) and the two positives right where I told them they would be: THC and Vyvanse.
Along with the drug test, I had a whole suite of “pre-op” testing for me. Odd, as this was not part of the prior procedure for Henry Ford. This coming surgery is out-patient as well… who knows, I also had to take a chest X-ray, a MRSA swab, a full range of labs (including a few things I was too high or too low on, so I’ve been googling.)
Then even an EKG. Those are cool, right? Nice people, except as always the techs can’t “read” your results. I was able to snap a photo of them though- later I noticed at the top that my results were “abnormal”, yet after a few more hours of googling, I don’t think I have an enlarged heart, also the chest X-ray said my heart was normal sized. So the other option for “Biatrial enlargement”, is a condition called athletes heart or something like that, essentially- my heart is pumped up and in good condition. Til some doctor calls and tells me otherwise, I sticking with that prognosis.
One week to go until my first Botox treatment on my foot, two weeks until I the Dremel on the base of my spine (and ‘coincidentally’, I met a rather nice lady at the profession building that had wonderful things to say about Dr. LaMarca, my spinal surgeon. With the recent cracking my back giving me a better swing in my hips, I am so hopeful that these procedures will bring relief to my foot and the feeling back to my leg.
Alive and breathing, yet the leg still acts like it’s in a coma. Just barely responding to commands at all some days, usually doing more work to lift itself off the ground rather than push and hold by body up off the ground. It’s been doing well though, the last few days have been nice. Each day getting a bit better.
Coming downstairs this morning, I was in no rush to do anything. Also, I was out of pot- smoked the last bowl last night. And that, was probably a good thing- one bowl might have caused me to curl up in the chair for several hours. Rather, after some random internet browsing on my phone while I drank my tea, I prepared a letter for Dr. Bell to accompany the DHS “Medical Needs” form, then took off headed to the SOS.
With the handicapped parking form also in hand, I headed to the doctors office. Some great service there, I was able to drop off the forms I needed and explain them at the counter, I hope to be able to pick them up tomorrow or Thursday. With that done, I stepped to my left and began to check in for my labs at the next window. Pulling my name, she asked what labs I needed done and I handed her my pre-surgical form.
Oh, she said, explaining that the could only preform my labs, urine screen and MRSA swab, but I would have to go down to the main hospital for the chest X-ray. “Really though”, she began and explained that since I had to go the main hospital anyway, it might be faster to just do them all there. Looking to my left and seeing a full waiting room, I agreed with her and headed out. She even gave me specific directions to the nearest entrance I would use.
Onward to the professional building and a great staff there (even the one that stuck the swab up my nose- perhaps especially her, if not…,) the woman checking me had the most beautiful dark eyes and I told her as much and she smiled and took the compliment well (I’d left out ‘beautiful’, to stay out of the ‘creepy’ range, I hope…) Maybe twenty minutes, twenty five at most, never sitting and waiting for that two or three minutes as I was passed along from one station to the next, an assembly line of medical tests.
Then, out to Stone Depot, just to realize I hadn’t brought my wallet with me today, so back home, then back to Stone Depot for another ounce. This works out even better than the CBD, as that amounts to $35 per week versus half that for the ‘lower class’ product- literally the loose shake and dust left on the table once they’ve picked the all the good buds, even all the ‘popcorn’ buds out. Shake. Yet, what do you do with pot first? Grind it up into… shake. Whether you roll it or pack it in a pipe, all but heathens break up the bud to some degree.
Back home and enjoyed, truly enjoyed smoke. Also, truly glad I got my important errands done before I smoked (which, is mostly usual.) Also, realized how hungry I was (yes, I had eaten breakfast before I’d went out,) and although I delayed another hour or so, even making a list that I ending up forgetting to bring anyway, I finally, finally went shopping- really shopping, to Kroger.
Though nothing special, that went well and I only forget to pick up some more mac and cheese, otherwise I did okay (even without a list.) Having decided that I need to work on my diet, I asked myself really, why am I having a problem? I have a kitchen here and I did okay eating without one, so… And, well, I didn’t have much of an answer for myself, other than that I cooked simpler there- pot roast out of a can, steak on a flat pan, premade salad.
Did all of that stop existing in Michigan? Oh, silly me, basic things seem to trouble me. For something that I’ve been doing three times a day for over forty years, it seems like I would be better at feeding myself. I raised children for crying out loud, and always fed them. Yet me? Oh, no, I’ll just delay and smoke a bowl, then maybe a bag of popcorn and promise I’ll eat a big breakfast.
I should probably count my calories sometime and make sure I’m getting enough each day. Also, refilled on my boost shakes, seems like I’ve been out of those for some time. At $30 per case, I think they feel off my budget sometime in early July, yet for the protein if nothing else, I need it. Especially, as it feels I’m starting to trigger some new muscles- they’ll need some protein to start growing, as that is what follows pain.
I’ve had enough pain <insert timeframe> and I’m ready for a season of growth.
Time to rest.