Text 9049, 168 rader
Skriven 2008-06-14 15:07:19 av Ruth Haffly (1:396/45.28)
     Kommentar till en text av Sean Dennis
Ärende: Ugh!                                                     [1]
====================================================================
Hi Sean,


 RH> I know the feeling. We're not anticipating any travel (other than to
 RH> Fort Stewart) before we take off for New York next month. OTOH, things

 SD> With the exception of running over to Villa Rica (about a 15 minute
 SD> drive west) for the POLITICS echo fest, I'm not going anywhere the
 SD> rest of the year due to finances and my hand.  I even volunteered to
 SD> work the holidays-not that I will get extra money as I'm hoping to be
 SD> put on salary, but because it's a gawd-awful mess to do /anything/
 SD> that time of year for me in my current situation.

I understand. Looks like we might be able to try for some time next
spring maybe?

 SD> However, my mother-in-law is close (30 minute drive north), so Maura
 SD> can spend Thanksgiving with her and for Christmas, we may celebrate it
 SD> a day or two later by going up to my MIL's house and cook up a storm.
 SD> The holidays are a favorite time of mine to cook.

Sounds like fun. I'm sure Maura would enjoy the chance to visit family
and cook up a storm--if it's rain, it's needed in the state anyway. (G)

 RH> Let's hope the settlement comes thru quickly. I am not looking forward
 RH> to having to deal with Tri-care more often for medical work after

 SD> We will be finding out next Wednesday about what's going on in our
 SD> case.  My lawyer told me six to twelve months for a settlement, but
 SD> I've talked to several former clients of my lawyer and they all said
 SD> he was able to settle their cases in six to eight months.

That's relatively quick, all things considered.

 SD> I was also warned about taking a settlement in December; seems
 SD> insurance companies like to try to low-ball their settlement amounts
 SD> with me, I'm cheap and generally do not buy presents at Christmas (I
 SD> send them
 SD> throughout the year and my wife and I treat each other every so
 SD> often), that tack won't work.

I know you'll just be happy to see it whenever it comes. Splurge on a
nice dinner out and then hang on to the rest until you make your
decisions as to how best to use it.


 SD> What's even worse is that I'm having to fight my own insurance
 SD> company!

That is bad.

 RH> Any brace is probably better than no brace at this point.

 SD> I do wear a brace while at work due to what I'm doing, save for the
 SD> times I'm making network cables by hand.  I need my full dexterity to
 SD> play with all of those little pairs of twisted wires...

Sort of like me and sewing some times.  Or, chopping up lots of
stuff-=the brace doesn't work too well with the knife action.


 RH> Good. I'm somewhat limited in what I can do. I think there's a touch of
 RH> CTS in my left wrist but it's not confirmed.

 SD> Doc told me there will always be limits.  I'm not expecting a "full"
 SD> recovery; I do have arthritis in my knees and I'm already starting to
 SD> feel problems in my hand.  The humidity that we've been collectively
 SD> sharing in Gawga has been causing the hand to swell up.

It should do better next year; you're still dealing with a new injury.


 SD> However, I was told by several people to talk to a plastic surgeon
 SD> instead of an orthopedic surgon for that; it seems the plastic surgeon
 SD> will do it cheaper and generally do a better job of it, from what I've
 SD> read.  Unfortunately, that's probably too far in the future right

The right doctor will be there at the right time with the right fees.


 RH> That's a good thing to know. You may not be in acute pain but there
 RH> will be a "dull roar" as I call it. Damp weather will accentuate it, as
 RH> will hours of use. (G)

 SD> Oh, that's already been showing up. *sigh*  It's a
 SD> keeps-me-awake-at-night dull roar.

I know, I usually don't notice things until I try to get to sleep. Then
it seems every ache and pain and break I've ever had comes out.


 RH> Interesting to have it start developing so relatively young.

 SD> Both my mother and stepfather have had it.  It's from the life I've
 SD> lead and all the hand-intensive things I do (typing since I was 8,
 SD> electronics
 SD> assembly for a living, a lot of fine handwork in my hobbies) that have
 SD> caused me to get to this stage.

I've probably had it longer than I've been aware of then; I've done a
lot of fine hand work (and pot stirring) in my life.

 RH> I agree, I don't care about push ups but being able to do the basic
 RH> things is important. Stirring a pot of sauce, chopping vegetables, etc
 RH> are covered--as long as I watch how much I do.

 SD> Exactly.  I can cook to a limited extent, but I've found if I really
 SD> put my back into it (meaning moving my entire body to compensate for a
 SD> reduced rotation of my wrist), I can do a lot more.

Switch hands--I do it all the time!  Back and forth, one hand to the
other, as one tires out, the other takes over for a bit.

 RH> You will be aware of it--far longer han you realise. Then one day you
 RH> will do something and realise that you didn't feel the pain you had
 RH> before.  Don't lift too many gallon jugs at a time. (G) I generally
 RH> grab the handle with one hand and put the other under the jug (or
 RH> pitcher) for support.  Even half gallon containers are usually lifted
 RH> this way, especially if I'm using my left hand.

 SD> I've been doing that (using both hands).  However, I have a very nice
 SD> wife who will, upon my asking, pour me a glass of water from our
 SD> pitcher even though she's doing something else.  But I can manage to
 SD> carry a plate and a glass of water to our coffee table (we eat in the
 SD> living room).  Plate in left hand, glass of water in right.

Steve helps if he's around. If he's not available tho, I've got to do it
and deal with it.


 SD> And on a side note, I think our conversations are getting farther and
 SD> farther off-topic.  As a point, can you send/receive netmail?  If so,
 SD> I'll use netmail to chat with you; I'd rather not rattle the
 SD> powers-that-be in here as I've done it once...don't want to do it

I can get/send net mail. Or, if you'd rather, my e-mail is at the bottom
in the signature section.

 SD> This does sound good for breakfast (even though it's not the most
 SD> healthy):

 SD> MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06

 SD>       Title: (GST) Bacon & Egg Pizza
 SD>  Categories: Mains, Snacks, Pizza
 SD>       Yield: 1 Servings

 SD>       1 tb Tomato paste
 SD>       1 tb Tomato puree
 SD>       1 tb Sp- parsley flakes
 SD>       1 lg Pizza base
 SD>       3 sl Bacon rashers
 SD>       2    Eggs
 SD>       1 c  Mozzarella; grated

There's ways to make it healthier--but do we really want to? (G)


---
Catch you later,
Ruth
rchaffly@earthlink.net  FIDO 1:396/45.28


... It isn't hard to meet expenses...they're everywhere!

--- PPoint 3.01
 * Origin: Sew! That's My Point (1:396/45.28)