OT September Chit Chat

[Howie]

Sally, please keep in touch. Sounds like you have a good plan. One day at a time, and make each count.

[Howie]

I just got a notice that Windows 10 will be available FREE for one year! Maybe they will have it working correctly by then.

[Virginia]

Sally hope you can convince your daughter you are worth $500.00 per day. We think you are, but that it quite a lot of money. If you do get to go home under these conditions maybe you can prove that you only need some help in the daytime and of course your trusty "push button" will always be there now. Also, make sure you go with all the help you can get free. If you have forgotten everything Cat mentioned go back and read all her post again. Some of this might be coordinated so that you need less of the help you have to pay for.

Cherie, I agree with Gary about being careful when traveling alone. I use to do it a lot and was not afraid, but think I would be now. I can't anyway, but I use to love to start out on a trip. At least Bethesda is a nice place, or use to be. I haven't been in awhile. You will get to see some new faces and it will be a change of scenery. There are a lot of women who travel alone for their jobs. I would want some safe guards, but I am not sure what they would be.

Happy New Year to all our Jewish People.

Nuthatch, how goes the fires out your way? It looks so bad on the news.

Agate, you are still in some smoke I guess - and possibly Gary.

Cool temps here for the past couple of days and also low humidity. Soooo nice! However, it is to get back into the 80s tomorrow and temps are to rise through at least the week-end. Heck!!

My brother came one day last week and took my care to be worked on. He does not live real close by me, but is a good brother. The check engine light was on and I was feeling bad, so he took it in and they had to put in a new thermostat. It was $317.00. I thought a little expensive, but then I don't know about these things and he trust the people involved. So be it.

Howie, hope you have not pulled your hair out by now with windows 10. It is giving many problems. I get so many pop ups, but they can just keep on - I don't plan to do a thing at this time. Love my windows 7.

[Gary]

Howie?!? Just say NO to Windows 10.

We had something different last night.... water fell from the sky! We actually had .23 inches of rain. Nearly a quarter of an inch. Not much compared to the east coast but its quite a bit for us. And more importantly it is needed to put out the wild fires. Many areas cannot safely reached with fire crews and many areas cant be reached with air drops due to the mountains and up/down drafts.

Sally when I was posting about the e-cigs I was thinking about you! I am sure that they are not good for you either but In my mind (in the cobwebs) I just feel that they are the lesser of 2 evils. Now if I could go back in time and convince a teenager to NOT smoke........

Got the lawn mowed yesterday and the rain gutters cleaned. I have to admit my son did the lawn and he helped with the gutters too. But I did do the heavy duty looking on. And I provide the needed supervision.

My blood pressure is behaving it is actually down to 140/88 that is the average on my BP machine. I am now on 5 meds to get it there and they want it down further. I am wondering about a balance as While it is down I could fall asleep all day. I am soooo tired. Not the MS tired but I can close my eyes and miss 20 min of TV. So I guess I have to wait and see how it goes as I am still recovering from the UTI anyway plus the med changes.

Don't you hate it when the Dr says lets give it a couple weeks or a month and see how it looks then. I want it fixed now and I am willing to take a pill for as much as 2 days but then I want it fixed. Doesn't seem unreasonable to me.

Edited to add:
I guess we were posting at the same time, Virginia. I wanted to comment about traveling alone, I would not want to try it now. The last time we traveled bu air I got so confused in the pat down area I didn't know which way to turn. The inspectors try to hurry through and keep people moving. They separated my wife and I near the metal detectors and I hated it. I heard people giving directions and I followed all of them! And we were in relatively small airports I could not imagine being in LAX or Chicago. When I worked for the State of Oregon I traveled all the time but now....

[Frog42]

Howie was obviously lying when he said he was going to stick with what he has now. I have no idea why he's fixated on something he claims to dislike.

That doesn't seem unreasonable to me either, Gary, but doctors don't seem to roll that way. They apparently think that "patient" is a description not a person.

[Gary]

. They apparently think that "patient" is a description not a person.

That is so true. I actually see a Physician Assistant. The same one that I have seen for about 10 years. He has suggested that I see a specialist from time to time and it is usually up to me whether or not I do. Every time I have seen one (other than ER doc) they look over my meds and say well your PCP is doing a good job and there really isn't much more that I can suggest, pay the receptionist $300 please. He has strongly suggested that I go to the ER and has even called my family to pick me up from the office to go straight to the hospital. And on front of my chart there is a big red X. I asked the nurse about it and she said that is the office code for a patient that if they call we need to see them right away.

I have to say that he has pulled my feet out of the fire more than once. One time I went into septic shock he had my wife take me to the hospital as getting an ambulance would take too long. To be honest I really dont remember it other than I thought it was funny that they took me out the back door.

[SuzE-Q]

A big airport alone would overwhelm me too. If I feel hurried, that would be even worse.

Renee, happy birthday! Sorry I missed it.

Gary, glad you got a smidgeon of rain...it's something at least. Hope the California fires got some too...scary stuff happening there. Nuthatch, hope you are nowhere near there.

Yes, there was a recent study out of the UK that said that ecigs are safer than regular cigs. Not safe...but safer. Glad Sally can smoke them while in rehab, it's at least not something else you had to give up, which would probably be too much. Hopefully homecare will allow you the comfort of home which is always helpful at facilitating recovery...even just to get the people out of your home full-time - it can feel intrusive. But I'm sure you'll feel better and can get comfortable manoeuvring in your own environment with the safety of care staff to assist you if you need help.


PS - Howie, do NOT reinstall Windows 10, ok? I'm so glad I read this before doing it myself...I won't be doing it either now!!!

[Howie]

Unless to really need some extra money, I wouldn't do it. But if you are looking for something to feel needed and useful, there is all kinds of volunteer work available that allows you to help others.

Just my 2 cents.

And Windows 8.1 will be in this computer as long as I own it. But thanks for the heads up!

[Cat Dancer]

Do you have a wheelchair, or a scooter? Is the floor you're working on a single level floor? I'd probably just show up with the scooter/chair, and go about my business. If they see you can still do it, there shouldn't be an issue.

[agate]

SuzE-Q, I think Cat Dancer's suggestion is good.

Much depends on how badly they want you for the job. You may have a sense of that from your dealings with them. If you feel that they've got a long list of candidates to choose from, you might want to hold back on any special requests. But if you sense that they think you're an especially good fit for that job, you could risk being more forthcoming about your concerns.

They probably don't want to be expected to make any "reasonable accommodations" that will cost them money, but if you make it clear that you can work with them and get the work done, this might be doable.

A primary care doc I had for about 20 years had a bad leg. I'm not sure what the problem was but she moved around the office on a stool on wheels. When she was up to walking, she walked.

Of course doctors are pretty much their own boss and can get away with this kind of thing. Still, if an employer trusts you to do the job in spite of your limitations, I should think you could set up an arrangement.

Just having to be at a job at certain times every day or even just a few days a week can be a strain though. If you're having a slow day or a generally bad day, you might find it difficult. Much depends on the difficulty involved in getting to and from the job. An easy commute would be a huge plus.

You might want to check out the doors you'd routinely need to use on the job. With or without a mobility aid, people find some doors very difficult to maneuver.

I have similar problems with my left leg. If I didn't have other MS limitations I'd try for the job as you describe it.

If you rack up a good record there for a while, they might be more flexible too because by then they'll know you better and want to keep you around.

[Sunshine]

If you want this job, just show up with your scooter or wheelchair. After first days you'll know if you need that help. Worse thing that can happen is they'll initially look shocked, until they see it works out just fine. Go for it! You can quit if it's too much! You may regret it if you don't try!

[Virginia]

SuzeQ, do you think a cane would possibly give you the edge you need for that one day? If so, when asked you could just say that you had noticed a slight weakness in the left leg since the shoulder incident and just thought you would be on the safe side.

I couldn't possibly consider working again because there are days when I can hardly get out of bed. Also, just sitting at my desk for long periods of time makes me dizzy. I was fortunate that I worked into my 70s, so I can't complain. However, for the last 10 to 12 years it was part time and the last 3 was out of my home.

If you want it that bad you could try it with whatever aid you think might be necessary for your particular situation. However, I do understand the reluctance to want to try and fail, feeling that you might have let them down since they would have no one to turn to other than you. I was always overly conscientious, so therefore can relate to that part. I remember going to work one day when I could not focus out of my eyes and attending a business meeting that was quiet important to the company. I never told anyone. Glad that part is behind me. But you are younger and stronger and I understand the desire to do what you can.

Good Luck with this decision!

[SuzE-Q]

Thanks!

Thanks for the feedback, I so appreciate it!

[Cherie]

OK guys...I am a big girl...and I mean big. I've done lots of solo travel. David is dropping me off and picking me up and I have a shuttle service from Dulles to Bethesda and back again. Not hailing taxis. In a program that is paying for all transportation and transfers. I think I am OK.

So tired tho'. Haven't slept well in 4 nights due to pain in my hips and walking worsens it so perhaps it will be a difficult travel. Add to that the fact that I am having an MRI arthroscopy next Tuesday and have to go off all NSAIDS, Milk thistle and Fish Oil as of tomorrow till the test is completed on the 22nd, and I am concerned about the extra walking and sleep while I am away. I am up before 4 in the morning and off to the airport by 4:15. Won't get into Dulles till nearly 11 nd the conference starts at 1 tomorrow. Finishes at 4:15 Friday and my shuttle picks me up at 4:40 and I land at Providence at 12:54 PM and will be home at nearly 2Am Saturday. I think Saturday will be a wash. We have two events to go to Sunday and I have an appointment every day of the next week then to the condo Friday for Financial planning meeting and home on the 28h. After that, I think things will smooth out.

[SuzE-Q]

Or, since it's just the one long day I'm concerned about, not the rest of the part-time days where there's no walking involved...maybe I can just fake an ankle sprain in the days leading up to the long day to explain to the bosses why people will need to come to me on that day, and I won't be able to go to them?

Virginia, yes, I couldn't do this long-term either because of the fatigue issue. But because it's part-time, with days to sleep in between, and because it's short term and I'll be able to sleep lots after it's over to recuperate, I'm thinking I can pull it together to get my butt there a couple days a week for a few hours per day. It's just the long day I'm worried about getting through.