A Bit Better

My workplace is coordinating EAP counseling with medical care and since I scored so horrendously on the wellbeing survey, I signed up and it is definitely helping. I'm also seeing my talk therapist. More tools to help me get through a difficult time. EAP sets defined goals and helped me with my seizure situation. I got an appointment with a neurologist at Tufts pretty quickly thanks to them!

The awesome supportive neurology resident and attending listened to me, assessed, and discussed possibilities. My Keppra dosage is being bumped down to 1000 mg daily. I'm also going to consult with a cardiologist just in case my seizure was really syncope.  I'm also getting a sleep study done. Because the side effects I'm blaming Keppra for could be a sleep disorder.

Tufts does have occasional turd doctors but who can bat 1000? I saw another doctor for pain. After a good half hour of realizing she wasn't listening to me, being told about carb portioning, and getting an order for a vitamin D blood test because overweight people tend to have less vitamin D in their system and that could kick off pain/nerve issues - I realized I should not be seen by the doctor again. I also sent the doc some great weight sensitivity training material my HR department has available. BUT! This story has a kinda awesome ending.  The doctor contacted patient relations to get feedback - which I freely gave. So, points for wanting to learn/be better.

My new PCP is great. She listens really well and absorbed  A LOT of information.  Then we worked out a plan of action - to address health maintenance stuff at a physical but first deal with more emergent things now. Like my blood pressure really stinks. I'm no longer pre-hypertensive. I'm adding a baby dose spironolactone to my current hydrochlorothiazide then coming back to check my blood pressure.

All of this is my decision to get my "house in order". Increasing activity, cutting out added refined sugar in my diet, and eventually carbs. What kicked all this off is that I spent a lot of May spending time with my mom.  She told me all the things my dad had been doing in the past year to stay healthy. He exercised every day and managed to eat better so his diabetes wasn't completely out of control. But despite all his work, his 86 year old body was not building muscle mass or even red blood cells. He needed blood infusions several times.  I am 42 years old and am not doing half the stuff my dad did to stay alive so that is ridiculous.  Time to change. Side bonus after my first week without sugar, my mood feels so much better and manageable.

Work is going really well.  I like my co-workers, feel like I'm accomplishing a lot, and getting excellent feedback. No one really is around my age in my department location.  There are a bunch of 50 year olds, then 20's to mid 30's.  Guess which ones I wind up befriending?  Yup, the 20 year olds.  It always happens that way. I guess I like their energy? Or what is that "Dazed and Confused" quote? I get older, but they stay the same age. One particular young'un brightens my day. She lives in JP, is liberal politically, and loves murder stuff. I laugh so much chatting with her and sometimes our morbid humor sounds bizarre to others. Besides the social stuff, I have kicked ass on a couple huge projects and my boss told me that I am taking a lot off his plate - so happy, happy, joy, joy.

Yesterday, I went to Enterprise and bought a 2017 Hyundai Accent. It is the right basic car I need. I love how roomy it is.  The trunk space is fantastic.  It has great pickup on the highway.  Plus, the dashboard doesn't look like a spaceship. Since I could put so much down from my totaled car insurance money, I only needed a loan for under $8K! Yesterday, I really really missed my dad. Buying cars was our thing. I had my cries and know it's okay. So meet Habanero above.