Thursday, January 31, 2008

Why blog...

...when you can just go for blood tests?

Well, it seems my case of shingles is so mild that I actually don't have them. There's something wrong with how you earn a living when you'd rather have shingles than show up at work. Maybe not quite, but it's a coin toss.

The short story of the ongoing Health Caucus 08 is that my suspected case of shingles turned into not being shingles but then the doctor(s) were perplexed with some odd symptoms I was having (including numbness in my right arm), fevers, lethargy. I was ordered to the ER with a perscription and described as looking "fachada." My sister, Roni, has diagnosed it as Blogitis only to be cured by locking up my computer and throwing away the keyboard. That Roni.

Once in the ER, blood was drawn by an 80 pound resident. If I closed my eyes, I was certain that it was a 300 pound gorilla working the tubes. The ER said everything looked okay. Not so, says my internist the next morning. Come into my office this afternoon. It seems the results from the ER showed an extreme decline in my iron to the tune of about 30% drop in just one month. The doctor drew new blood and I had a day to again, imagine my children motherless, only to find out that the ER results were actually incorrect and I am fine. It's enough to raise your blood pressure and mine is holding steady at 100/60. As my mother would ask, "Are you sure you're breathing?"

Back to earning a living. Just in time to return to the office to a resignation; a splitting of accounts back into our offices in Manhattan and back with me into a newly formed department (so new, they don't even know what its purpose is yet) in Manhattan. I'm actually looking forward to being back in the city as it is definitely time for a change. Now if I could glean a few more details of the position, that might be good.

I wish I could be enthusiastic but I'm tired of earning a living and not really enjoying how it is I do that. But short of sitting home in our "playroom", making something artisitc (more specific than that, I can't be) and looking into our backyard, I don't think I'd be happy. Change of scenery of course takes care of that for a while.

Maybe in the meantime, my ship will come in. Boy do I sound wistful and pathetic or what? Maybe I should just make absolutely sure that I don't have shingles...

15 comments:

tsduff said...

Sheesh! I don't think anyone could make up a better story than your true-to-life one. On the one hand, oh happy day that you don't have shingles (now wait a minute - or do you?) I think the weirdness of not knowing versus the alarming unknown symptoms of numbness, fevers... (um, not sure what fachada is - is it contagious?) ha ha. Just get better soon. I like that you will be in Manhattan - I can picture that place. Nice hot dog vendors there :) Now go get a blood transfusion to make up for all the red stuff they sucked out of you, and feel better, will ya?

Nessa said...

If you want, I'll write you a note saying you have shingles and are ordered to stay home for, hum, let's see, how about ten business days?

Doug The Una said...

You can't be too careful with shingles and associated psychosomapathies.

Minka said...

That was one well written post and I apologize for laughing through it. health is not a laughing matter, I know. I am reading books in that field right now and have diagnosed mysefl with at least one disease a day...some quite contradictory to each other.

taking a deep breath seems to be a good start to overcoming things and then we take it from there...one step at a time...can I make you a cup of tea?

You have strong roots, this storm will not un-earth you ;)

Heather said...

Hold on sistah, hold on. It's the JaunuFeb blues I think, it hits this year every time...weird huh?
I hope you are feeling in better sorts soon.

Anonymous said...

First let me tell you how happy I am for you that you don't have Shingles.
Now your NYBF can make the roof and siding jokes...or you can write a post for Humor Blogs in your wonderful style...you will have me laughing.
Second: don't you think it is time to get a new Dr.? and to stay away from that Hospital that gets it wrong? Quoting your NYBF "Just saying"

Jeff and Charli Lee said...

Whew! I've been worried about you ever since you thought you had shingles. I've heard nothing but bad things about them so I'm thrilled you're going to be ok.

Manhattan sounds kind of cool, at least to a guy from MN.

Tom & Icy said...

It might be a stage humans go through at your age, Icy says. It seems so serious when you take your situations too seriously. This, too, shall pass. Anxiety makes you nervous.

Anonymous said...

That was a wonderfully/horrible story. Welcome back to Manhattan

The way I'm going, I will probably still be here :)

Ariel the Thief said...

I am sorry you lost your nice little shingles! Doctors are good for nothing!

Hope you'll be better soon. A change will sure do good now. :-)

jrnez - Juan grabs Inez (under my facada)

Sweet and Salty said...

Yay, no shingles, at least probably not. Blogitis is definitely something you could live with, and we could share together with you. Can you imagine the support group?

"Hi, my name is G and I've been away from my computer for (checks his watch) 3 hours and 25 minutes."

Class claps, then says, "welcome G."

Well written and thoughtful post, G, as always. I do hope something new and exciting comes your way at work

TLP said...

Rabbit rabbit. I hope February is good to you.

I just got the shingles vaccine. Since I'm retired there's no point in being sick.

They took enough blood that maybe now you could say you're sick because you're anemic. Worth a try.

Ariel the Thief said...

Rabbit, rabbit! Doctor Who said, anemics come from the werewolf.

G said...

Terry, I'm leaving out quite a bit to make it blog-able. Yes Manhattan is a nice sidetrack to work, even though I stopped eating "the dirtwater dogs" a long time ago. I had chicken liver this past weekend - I am like a werewolf Ariel!

Was that a full moon I saw...

Nessa, could you? I could call in sick again tomorrow.

Doug, especially the psychosomapathies!

Minka, oh don't worry - I laughed living it (when I wasn't crying). The truth is I fit into every possible illness my symptoms could indicate. Glad I'm feeling all better - really I'm not the hypochondriac type.

I took a deep breath and patted the soil down by my roots so I'm ready to move forward :) Thanks for your kind words.



hmbt, I believe that may be a much more plausible diagnosis and it won't leave my children motherless, which is a bonus. Thanks.


Mo'a, thank you so much - for your wishes and recommendations. Let the jokes fly, I say.

Yes, I guess I should have been a little suspicious when the dermatologist's super duper magnifying glasses were actually his regular glasses.

Jeff, thanks buddy, but I just have a case of an overzealous dermatologist. Manhattan is pretty cool, I've actually worked there for my adult life except the past three years. It will be good to get back (well the commuting by subway again - not so much).


Is Icy saying that I'm of a certain age? Well close actually. Any time now. Icy you crack me up - anxiety does indeed make me nervous!


Pia, don't take this personally - but I hope that you're gone by then ;)

Ariel, it was a terrible blow as they weren't hurting as I'd heard they would and so I thought I might just be able to get through them and enjoy some time off. But alas, I'm fit as a fiddle :) Thanks for your good wishes just the same.

Pavel, that support group would be too busy to actually attend meetings. Maybe we should start a blog... :) That's just crazy enough to work!

Thanks my friend.


TLP, Rabbit, rabbit and the same to you. I took an extra day to recuperate from it all ;)


Ariel: Rabbit, rabbit to you! Well then, I'm in good company - look out.

Kyahgirl said...

man, it really makes you wonder what the medical 'professionals' really know. Not much sometimes.

I hope you're feeling physically better soon and mentally too. Its easy to get a bit down when your health is not 100% and when you have to manage work and family on top of it.

Maybe a change back to Manhattan will be energizing. Just think of all the perfect perfume stores at your fingertips...no, that would be me I guess. :-)

big hugs G.