Back to Business

Apologizing for not posting enough is the ultimate blogging cliche. So I'm going to skip the part where I say I'm sorry, but the whole illness, fire and rehire thing pushed the blog to the back burner.

I haven't felt quite like myself because I haven't been knitting, crocheting, spinning or blogging. When I'm not at work, I've been watching TV, messing around on Facebook and taking naps.

So I've decided to start with the blogging, and the rest will follow. Although I feel unmotivated now, I know I'll start to feel better once I get back to things I love.

I think my elbow is better now. I went the morning they announced the layoffs, so I forgot about it for a while.

I didn't see my usual doctor, I saw someone else in the practice. I brought in my top secret project to demonstrate the motions I'd been making with my arms. It turns out she was a knitter. She was working on something from the new Mason Dixon book. She could even identify the yarn I was using for this top secret project. Awesomeness!

Meanwhile, I finally got some glasses, but none of these. I'll post a picture later.

The first two weeks with glasses were fine. I had no idea how bad my vision was until it was corrected.

Then the glasses started to hurt.

After several visits to EyeMasters, I realized that the nose pads were upside down. Apparently, this makes a difference. However, my glasses still hurt after turning them around, and then trying smaller nose pads. The skin on the bridge of my nose is raw. I've been choosing between the headache from eyestrain and the headache from glasses that don't fit.

I e-mailed EyeMasters customer service. I got reply asking for the location where I purchased them. I replied back. Hopefully I'll find a way to get around the 30 day limit on the money back guarantee.

Keep your fingers crossed.

I'd give my left foot for my right elbow

I'm settling into my part time work schedule, with plans to go back full time in the future. Jules is settling into his new job at Five Guys Burgers and Fries, where they make burgers good enough for Obama:

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Jules' new job gives me a little more time to myself. It's a good time to try to get my blogging groove back.

Believe it or not, I have been knitting fairly steadily throughout this little break from my normal life. I just haven't documented my knitting here like I normally do. I started an awesome (but top secret) project, and made a lot of progress. And on Thursday, I got my Photogenic Scarf out of my desk at work. I even worked on it during my break.

But in the last week or two, my right elbow's been sore. I found my self putting down my knitting sooner than normal because of the pain.

This pain is completely unrelated to what put me out of work. Knitting (and a little crochet, more on that later) was something I could do while I was out of work. It's been a coping mechanism. But now I think I've done it so much that I've given myself some sort of repetitive stress injury.

If you search for "Knitter's Elbow" there's all sorts of advice, and different descriptions of symptoms. For the time being, I'm just not going to knit until I see my family doctor Friday morning (that was the earliest appointment I can get.) The pain itself isn't that bad, but I don't want to risk having a more serious injury that will hinder my knitting for a longer period of time.

I'm realizing how much I use my elbows, especially my right elbow. (I'm right handed.) Using the computer hurts my elbow some too, but not as bad.

Sleeping, believe it or not, is hard on my elbow. I'm a stomach/side sleeper, and all my most comfortable sleeping positions seem to involve bending my right elbow and putting the weight of my head on it.

I'd draw a diagram, but it would be hard on my elbow.

At least I can work the remote control with my left hand.

Slow and Unsteady

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I haven't had the blog in me for a while now. But I finally found a lolcat that expresses my feelings, and I decided it was time. (Of course, it's an lolcat without a cat, but that's beside the point.)

Tomorrow is my first day back at work since early June. It's time to start living my life again. Slowly. Very slowly. I'm starting by going back part time.

And I'm starting blogging again with a very short entry.

Gonzo the Great

Today I went back to the sleep doctor and got a new mask for my CPAP.

A month after I took it home, I'm still having trouble sleeping with the CPAP. Although I've gotten used to the pressure, I can't get used to the mask. The doctor said most people have trouble with the full face mask that I have been using. The thing is that I'm a mouth breather by nature. They can give me a chin strap to keep my mouth closed, but the idea of not being able to breath through my mouth makes me feel like I'm suffocating. (Even if I'm not having any trouble breathing through my nose.)

The smaller mask is a nice change, but I'm still skeptical. I'll have to see if tonight is better.



Now I look like Gonzo.

Hibbert Moneymaking Organization

After some surfing, I finally found it. Here's a clip from an episode of "The Simpsons" that reminds me of the last few months of doctor appointments. Except in my world, no one is ever under the same roof.

Transitions

I've had my CPAP for a week now, and I have yet to actually fall asleep with it.

The doctor warned me about the transition period. I think I had a false sense of security after the CPAP titration. I figured it was because they gave me Ambien.

I took Ambien on a regular basis for a couple of years when I was in college. Taking Ambien is like being hit in the head with a mallet. Once you swallow that pill, the clock starts ticking, and you have 20-30 minutes to get to bed before you fall over.

And I didn't sleep right away during the sleep study. And last night I was awake for nearly two hours with the CPAP on before I took it off and actually fell asleep.

I'm a stomach sleeper, and that's a big part of the problem. I'm considering buying a great big body pillow to help me sleep on my side.

So I need some encouragement right now. I know I've gotten a couple o comments from people with CPAPs. If you had trouble with yours, but you got used to it, let me know.

As for my glasses, I've decided to wait until Jules arrives here this weekend to pick out frames. My insurance will get me a discount on glasses by anyone covered by Davis Vision. My HR director said I could try Goggles 4 U. And the same day I went to the optometrist, Amy Singer wrote about Glassy Eyes on the Knitty Blog. Would I be a total stalker if I ordered the exact same glasses she ordered in the exact same color (black and turquoise)?

I think I'm going to at least try on some frames in person before making a decision.

I need some awesome glasses that are just like Lisa Loeb and Tina Fey's glasses, but are also uniquely mine. Oh, and they also have to be light, durable, comfortable and not too expensive.

That's going to be a tough order to fill.

You wouldn't hit a knitter with glasses, would you?

Today I found out that I need glasses. And I'm kind of excited.

I actually went to see the family optometrist check on a condition I have called Pseudotumor Cerebri (aka Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension.) I was diagnosed back in 2000. The very same optometrist saw that my optic nerve was swollen, and got me in to see a specialist the same day. I'm very thankful that they caught it early. Some people go blind. Fortunately, I had only lost a very small amount of my vision field, and it came back once my pressure was under control.

I had a spinal tap and took medication for a while. Eventually I tapered off and stopped the medication, and haven't had any symptoms since.

Except in the last few months, when in the midst of all my other medical crap, I started having headaches. They were mild, but they were almost everyday.

So I added the optometrist to my list of doctor appointments. I've seen other specialists, but today was my first visit with the optometrist since that scary day in 2000.

It turns out my optic nerve is just fine. They took a digital retinal photo and did a visual field test to prove it.

But my vision is somewhere between 20/40 and 20/50, enough to require a corrective lens restriction when I get my driver's license renewed. Apparently my astigmatism went from 0.75 in 2000, mild enough that we forgot about glasses after I was rushed to the specialist, to 2.0 today, bad enough to cause the headaches I keep having.

I'm just excited that there is a solution to the headaches that doesn't involve medication.

Granted, I am experiencing a little bit of medical device fatigue. I just got the CPAP last week, and I'm having trouble adjusting to it. Now all I need are orthopedic shoes and a back brace. Then all the kids at school will beat me up.

(No disrespect to anyone who actually wears orthopedic shoes and/or back braces.)

Seriously, I don't think there's much stigma connected with glasses these days. But there's another adjustment period I have to go through. Apparently with an astigmatism like mine, things are going to look kind of weird and "swimmy" for the first few days.

It'll probably be a few days before I pick the frames and order the glasses. I think I want Lisa Loeb glasses.

If I were a rapper, I'd be Emcee Pap

It's hard to knit with my CPAP mask. I have to look around that big thing in the middle.


Today I had a follow up appointment with a sleep therapist after my CPAP titration, and I got to bring home my very own CPAP with it's own carrying case.

I spent about half an hour getting to know all the features, learning how to put it together, adjusting the the mask and learning how and how often to clean everything.


Tonight will be my first night trying to sleep with it. I feel hopeful. Wish me luck. I'll let you know how it goes.

I have even more pictures of my CPAP here.

CPAP Titration Win

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I had another sleep study win last night. I had my CPAP titration, where they helped fit me with a mask and adjust the CPAP pressure.


This time was a little different that the first two times. I was in a different room with a different sleep tech. The tech used less goop in my hair, which I was thankful for. (I only had to wash and rinse once. No repeat.) But we had a little more difficulty getting my ponytail fixed after all the wires were in.


When I got there, these two masks were on the bedside table. They're both nasal masks.

Before I got all the wires on we "practiced" with a couple of different masks on the CPAP. I didn't like the nasal masks. I think I've mentioned that I am a mouth breather for life, and I made a point of telling the sleep tech. I really had to focus on breathing through my nose in the nasal mask.


This is the mask I ended up with. It covers my nose and mouth. It still felt weird while I was awake, but it was much more comfortable. However, I could see how this type of mask leaks more. I felt leaks when I spoke, although I didn't do much talking in my sleep. (I think.)


This is the CPAP machine itself. It was sort of "hidden" on the lower level of the bedside table. I noticed there was some water in it. I think it was to keep the air from being too dry.


Here I am, all strapped in and ready for bed. (Not the most flattering shot in the world, but what do you expect.)

Compared to the first study, I slept pretty well. I know I had dreams this time. I did woke up around 1 a.m. for a while, and that probably wasn't the only time. Perhaps it's my imagination, but I think I felt well "oxygenated" when I woke up, but still tired. I'm guessing that I slept for 5 hours or so.

The mask itself was a bit of a hassle. I found myself scratching around my mask occasionally. Also, I had trouble sleeping on my stomach and getting my head in a comfortable place. I woke up on my back at one point. I may become a back sleeper.

Next week I take home my own CPAP. I can't wait to get finished with the "transition period" and start getting some real sleep.

Friday Bits and Pieces - a list

1. I'm approaching the halfway point on the Tapestry Cowl. However, it hasn't seen much action recently because...


2. I've been swatching my KnitPicks yarn for Decimal. The swatches above are, from left to right,CotLin, Merino Style and Shine Sport. I haven't broken into the Gloss yet. I don't have official measurements, but it doesn't look like I won't make gauge with the Merino Style. The CotLin may be hard to make gauge. Right now I'm using a US Size 1 with the CotLin, and it just doesn't feel good. Shine Sport seems more promising.

3. I have a new screen on my bedroom window, and there hasn't been any flies since last week.


4. After nearly eight years, I decided it was time to get the bunny some new stuff. Her water bottle has been leaking for years, and either her litter box is leaking, or she's hanging her butt over the side. So I put in an order to Bunny Bytes and it came in today. The litter box was bigger than I expected, but I think she needs it. I also got her a toy as a treat.


5. Bunny Foo-Foo is cute.

6. Tonight is my CPAP titration study, where they'll help me get fitted with my CPAP while I sleep. I'm excited because I'm looking forward to sleeping better. Still, I suspect it will be a long night.


7. Here's my parting shot - a little OPP (Other People's Projects.) This is Carrie, and apparently she is the Noro Queen. I loved her "fake isle" sweater. (Not to mention the Noro Clapotis she's holding.)

Im in ur hospital, getin mah recordz

Today I had an appointment with my family doctor. I can quit taking iron supplements now, which is good news. Iron supplements are rough on the digestive system.

During my appointment, I asked if the doctor's office had received the ultrasound of my thyroid.
Of course they hadn't.

I decided it was time to take matters into my own hands. I was already going to be late for work, and I was in the neighborhood, so I stopped by the hospital to get my own records.

After much debating, questioning and haggling, I left with a think envelope of notes from my hospital stay and a CD of my thyroid ultrasound. (Which included the picture above.)

I have no idea what the pictures mean. I assume that's actually my thyroid because it says so in the upper right hand corner. Tomorrow I'll take the CD to my endocrinologist during lunch.

I found lots of interesting stuff in my medical records. Here are some of the highlights:

-One doctor described me as Caucasian female. I'm half Hispanic, and I always wonder about the labels in these situations. I suspect they assumed I was white because I was with my (Anglo) Mom. I wonder if I would have been described as a Hispanic female if my Dad had been there instead of my Mom.
-The same doctor described me as an "obese lady." The word "obese" gets thrown around a lot in the records. I wish they would just say I'm fat. Obese sounds like an accusation rather than a statement of fact. Still, it sounds really funny in this instance, like a Jerry Lewis bit. And Obeselady1055 would make a good screen name. (1055 was my lipase level when I was admitted.)
-A "sedative drug warning" was given to me several times in the ER. I find the formal wording amusing, considering most of the people had cutesy ways of telling me the meds would knock me out. (Something along the lines of "This will make you a little goofy." or "This is some 'I don't care' medicine.")
-"I THINK I HAVE FOOD POISONING." I wonder if caps means the same things as quotes in medical records. This was the very first thing I said to the nurse at the front desk when I checked in. I'm impressed she got down a direct quote in between everything else she was doing.
-They also mention the seafood enchiladas I ate before I got sick several times. Yuck. I'm *still* trying not to think about those.
-I was described as "alert and oriented" at a point in the ER when I wasn't. (Or at least I wasn't by my standards.) Especially the alert part. I guess knowing that I was in the hospital because I was sick counts as oriented and alert. However, they basically had to wake me up to ask these questions. Also, I thought about 20 minutes had passed when they took me to my room, when it had actually been a couple of hours.

Maybe it's a good thing the medical records staff didn't bother to walk across the hall to get my ultrasound. (Radiology is literally across the hall.) Otherwise, I would have missed out on all the fun.

Dude, you're getting a CPAP!

On Tuesday I went to see the sleep specialist and get the results of my second sleep study. This time, the diagnosis was moderate sleep apnea.

I'm getting a CPAP!

I'm actually thrilled that they found something wrong. Unlike the first study, I feel like they got good results. I had one episode of REM sleep, and the doctor said it was unusually long. (If I remember correctly, I think it was about 90 minutes.) This was a sign that I am having trouble sleeping. It's like my body has so much trouble getting to REM sleep that once it gets there, it doesn't want to leave.

In general, my sleep was disrupted a lot. I meant to ask how normal it is to have so many "spikes" indicating that I was waking up.

In the past, I've doubted it was sleep apnea, because I didn't have classic sleep apnea symptoms. That's because I'm mostly having hypopnea, partial obstruction, rather than true apnea, where you quit breathing. It makes sense with all the weird breathing I do.

Also, I dipped just below the ideal oxygenation level, which explains why I don't have the typical morning headaches.

In a couple of weeks I go back for a another sleep study, except this time they will focus on finding a mask that fits and the right CPAP pressure. Then a few days later I will go in and talk to a sleep therapist, who will send me home with the CPAP and all the necessary instructions.

I'm actually looking forward to the CPAP for the most part. Everyone I've talked to who has used one says they feel so much better once they get used to it. It's like a miracle cure.

Of course, there are downsides.

Sleep Study Win

Last night was my second sleep study, and it went much better than the first one. I took the Ambien, and I slept a lot more.

I killed about an hour after I got to the lab working on the Tapestry Cowl. When ever I get more than a round or two done on it while I'm waiting, I know that it's taking a long time.

This time I think all the beds were full. They had two sleep techs, and the same tech who was there before worked with me again this time.

I forgot to take pictures, but I looked the same as I did last time. I was even in the same room.

Here's a picture from the first study.


I can't remember if they woke me up or if I was already awake, but at least once the tech came in because the thing in my nostrils wasn't working. I hate that thing. It's the least comfortable of all the stuff they put on you.

I also woke up once when I was pretty sure all the wires were wrapped around my neck. I had to get the tech to help untangle me.

I was already awake when they ended the study. But when I looked at my cell phone, it was 6:45. They had let me "sleep in."

I've gotten a lot better at getting the goop out of my hair. I found all the gooey spots in the shower and scrubbed them really hard. Then I shampooed my hair a second time.

As I was checking out, the other sleep tech asked me if I'd seen Nadya Suleman, the mother of the octuplets, on television. He said he thought I looked like her. Apparently this had been a point of conversation between the techs during the night. I took it as compliment. I think she looks pretty good, and I could see a resemblance. (Maybe more so if she were 100 pounds heavier.)

I pretty sure I had some REM sleep this time. I think I dreamed. I can't really remember it, but I have a feeling I did. I also woke up warm and a little sweaty, like I often do when I've been dreaming.

I suspect I looked like this while I was asleep:

WIP: Tapestry Cowl (and some more loose ends)

I'm making steady progress on the Tapestry Cowl. I'm enjoying it, but I need to "activate" another project that requires less concentration. It's not a very good knit for waiting rooms. (Unless you're going to be waiting for hours, which hasn't happened. Yet.) It also isn't very good for talking with other people or watching TV.

Medical Crap

I think I've been spending too much time in my head with my medical crap. My family doctor said the sedimentation rate I talked about on Friday was something they'd watch, but probably doesn't mean anything. He also had me add iron supplements to my regimen, but that should be temporary. Now I'm just going to focus on my sleep study this Friday and getting on with my life. I'm making myself depressed.

I got this nifty little pill minder today to keep track of all my medications and supplements. The individual containers slide apart so you can carry one day of pills at a time. Sweet!

Crockpot

I have managed to stay on track with my crockpot. It's saved me a lot of money which I need, because I keep spending money on supplements.

This is the Brown Sugar Chicken I made earlier this week. Stephanie said her kids called it "Candy Chicken." It tasted more like a vinegary teriyaki when I made it. Most of the brown sugar slid off the chicken in the pot. Still, it was a pretty decent meal.

I don't blog about all my crockpot meals, but I take pictures of most of them. I created a Flickr Set that I plan to keep updating if you really want to follow what I'm making.

Parting Shot

Bunny Foo-Foo decided to try to get into the new bag of hay, rather than eat what she already has. Rather than stop her, I decided it would make a good picture.

More Medical Crap

I'm questioning if I'm boring my readers (both of them) with my medical crap, but it seems like the most interesting thing going on in my life these days. I haven't found the time to make adjustments to my wheel. I was going to tonight, but I think I'll turn in early instead.

Yesterday I spoke with my sleep doctor, and convinced him to redo the diagnostic sleep study, rather than going straight to the CPAP. That's a big load off my mind. I hope I actually sleep this time.

Today I got a call got back from the endocrinologist's office. They had my blood test results, but they wouldn't give them to me over the phone. Instead I had to come in and see a Clinical Nurse Specialist.

The office staff told me that they make everyone come in for test results, even when they are good. That made me think one of two things.

1) The office's policies are really that stupid, and they're going to make me go in for test results even when they are negative.
2) There's bad news, but they're lying to me because they can't tell me it's bad news.

I could have waited until Monday, but they had an appointment today. I was sick of waiting, so I took a long lunch and went in today.

It turns out the results won't so much bad, but complicated. I'm vitamin D deficient, and on the verge of being vitamin B12 deficient. This may be the cause of my fatigue, but I doubt it makes that much of a difference. I'm not anemic yet, but my iron stores are low, which means I'm on my way to being anemic. And my "sedimentation" rate is a little high. I have no idea what that means, but I have to go back to my family doctor to double check. *sigh*

So I now have prescription strength Vitamin D. The CNS suggested Vitamin B12 drops, but I just bought a supplement in pill form. I started taking fish oil recently in hopes of improving my mood. That plus getting back to a multivitamin means I have an entire course of supplements to take with dinner now. (Although I only have to take the vitamin D once a week.)

*sigh again*

Doctors and Taxes

I'm still trying to sort through tons of pictures from last weekend's Ravelry party, as well as my Valentine's gift for Jules and his gift for me. Rather than get overwhelmed and not post anything, I had a couple of quick updates.

About a month ago I talked about the nodule on my thyroid. This morning I finally saw an endocrinologist.

I was dreading the appointment. I had managed to convince myself that the doctor was going to fight with me over my weight and family history of diabetes. But it didn't come up. Instead the doctor was very helpful and answered all my questions. He said he could tell that I had researched the nodule, because patients who haven't are usually all freaked out.

He listened to all my concerns about being so tired and feeling that something is not quite right. He took me seriously, and ordered a bunch of blood tests unrelated to the nodule. I swear they took half a cup of blood out of my arm, but it will be worth it to get some answers.

The bad news is that my ultrasound from the hospital didn't make it to the doctor's office. Again. The doctor said they would only need to do a needle biopsy if it was 1 to 1.5 centimeters in diameter or more, but he didn't know how big the nodule was at the time. Later on I checked my last blog entry about it, and saw that my family doctor had told me it was about 1.4 centimeters in diameter. My blog isn't exactly an official medical record, but it's probably a good indication that I'm going to have a needle jammed in my neck.

I was also less than impressed with the practice as a whole. Last night I was filling out paperwork, and saw a laundry list of charges. $25 to write a letter? $10 to replace any missing documents? $25 to rewrite a prescription? I've never encountered charges like this with any other doctor's office.

Then when I got there this morning, I barely managed to snag the last parking spot. All the doctors have reserved spaces in the "customer" parking garage that patients can't park in. (How does that work?) Then after being completely ignored at the window, I was chided for not being half an hour early to my appointment. When it was time to check out, they ignored me again while they were on the phone. (Not even a wave to acknowledge that they'd be right with me.) And they forgot to give me the release form I needed. (Fortunately, I remembered and went back before I left.)

In other news, I did my taxes tonight at Mom and Dad's house. (And I forgot to take an updated picture of Mom's quilt while I was there.) For the second year in the row, I gave up on e-filing. I couldn't figure out some details in the codes in my W2. I decided it would be easier just to mail it in, rather than figure out how to enter in all my W2 information correctly.

I'm getting more than $300, enough to pay off my credit card bills. (The hospital can wait in line for their money. Maybe I'll pay them back when they release my thyroid ultrasound.)