Let's Get Caught Up, Again

 For the first time in over a month, my brain feels clear. That's fibro for you. Can't think for days and then it's like you've been through a colon cleanse in your head. 

I know, it sounds gross. However, the sensation of having all the gunk flushed out of your brain is amazing.

Now I just have to get stuff done. Well, if the clarity lasts. I haven't written in over a week, except for brief scenes. It's worrying me. I want this first draft of the second book done. Yesterday. 

I'm up late because I have not taken my medication they gave me to help me sleep. Why? Because I think it is conflicting with another medication I'm taking and leaving me with brain fog. Tonight, the fog cleared, and that's rather weird how it did that. I've been tired until about eight o'clock. If I had taken the pill, I'd already be in bed and asleep. I need to sleep. But natural sleep. 

I've been walking since last October, hurt myself by overdoing it, went to PT and started back in February. I'm up to 1.6 miles as of Tuesday. But the fatigue and fog were really giving me a hard time. I was fine while walking, but once done, I really wanted to lie down. This week, it seemed worse. So, I stopped taking that medication.

Now we wait and see. I should know for sure by the weekend. The bad news is, it has been helping with some of the pain I've been having because of the pinched nerve. 

Lord help me, I hate this mess. I have the nerve conduction test in two weeks. That will be so thrilling. Electrifying. I will become a test dummy for the zombie line. They'll stick pins in my spine, neck, and arms and zap them with electricity to see if I react. Not sure what is appropriate, but it will certainly jolt me. The goal is to trace the nerve's restriction. 

Lately, I'm just tired of all the stress from never knowing what will affect me and how. Medicines that cause side effects or neural functions that suddenly go haywire for no apparent reason except I opened the fridge or turned on the faucet. (Analogies).  Or cramps in the middle of the night. Although since I switched to magnesium malate, they've stopped. Thank God for that. Now I get cramps from the carpel tunnel brought on by 50 years of computer work and writing. 

I've had wonderful times in my life, but I really could have done without the penalties. 

So, I'm headed off to the land of Nod. If you know, you know. If you don't know, you can ask me.

Shocking Findings

Well. The old year is gone and we have a brand, spanking new year. With brand, spanking new problems. Isn't that nice?

My car was totaled December 17. Not sure y'all knew that but if you're on Facebook, you might have read it. It is now January 26 and I still have no car and no payout from the insurance of the person who hit me. I'm so annoyed. A whole list if issues resulted from that. The claims adjuster went on Christmas vacation and left me hanging. 

Word of caution here: Auto Owners is the worst insurance agency I've ever had to deal with in an accident. I've had three accidents where the other driver totaled my car but this is the first time I've ever had nearly two months to settle. And they're not very helpful. People didn't answer the phone, didn't respond to my voice mails. Yes, I'm aware it was a holiday but has anyone ever seen an insurance agency who didn't have claims adjusters working at all hours of the day and night? Of course, it could have just been the agency I was dealing with but they've convinced me never to buy insurance with them.

I had my second round of Covid the week after Christmas. Rebecca, my ex daughter-in-law got sick first. I really think she'd have died if I hadn't got to her when I did. She could not breath. I brought her and Madilyn, who is only 6, home with me but Rebecca got so bad I had to take her to the hospital. They gave her monoclonal antibodies and that really helped get her back on her feet in a couple of days. I was not very sick at all and needed only cold medicine and acetaminophen. We both got back to business in two weeks. Madi seems to have missed the bullet.

Yesterday I had a nerve conduction test done, my third in four years. This time they sent me because I keep waking up and my hands are numb. Really numb. I can't feel them or use them. If you've never had a nerve conduction test, think Taser, on repeat. 

They take an electrode and send a shock through various muscles in the area you're having a problem with. Then, they start over with needles and jab, no really jab, those into the muscle and send the shock through the muscle while telling you to push against something, tightening the muscle so they get a reading of how well it is sending the signal. This is very uncomfortable and increases the feeling of electrocution. Yesterday, I had about 10 shocks on each arm: 5 electrode shocks and 5 needled. He hit a small vein in my hand and I bleed a bit. Took a bit for him to get it stopped. However, I say again, this is not a painful procedure. Well, not much.

The nice neurologist gave me the results immediately. In my right hand I have carpel tunnel. In my left hand, I have a pinched nerve in my elbow. He wanted to know why they operated on my neck when it was my hand that was the problem. I explained the ruptured disk and how my whole left arm had been affected. He said he didn't know how they'd missed the elbow problem. I had no answer to that since it was their doctors who checked everything but I suspect the compressed spinal cord was a bigger priority than my elbow at that time. Since I'd begun to have fainting spells, it was for me. 

So, now I have to go to my doctor and probably get sent to another, or two other doctors. No idea. Don't you love surprises?

That's about sums up my January... well, mid-December through January and since there are about four more days this month, who knows what joy awaits. 

May the Lord's face shine on you. May your road be smooth and your burdens light.