11/29/14. The post where I am a whirling dervish.

11/29/14: woke up this morning with the realization that I had nearly a full Saturday with no appointments or social obligations.  And the realization that there are only a few days before musicians descend on our city and home for an annual three-day music festival sponsored by our church and run by my patient, long-suffering husband.  Lots to do, and not much time in which to do it.  So I got busy.

I spent most of the morning and early afternoon putting together the program and all the other necessary paperwork for the festival.  I unpacked suitcases, straightened up the house, and did three loads of laundry.  After all that, I was still standing, so I decided to start getting out Christmas decorations.  Which required cleaning out the closet where the tree is stored so I could get to it.  Then I put the tree together.  I have an artificial tree which I purchased several years ago pre-lit.  Of course, the lights that came on the tree did not meet my exacting standards for the appropriate light-to-branch ratio, so I added about four times as many lights.  Enough lights that airplanes try to land on our roof.  So every year, the annoyance of stringing lights on the tree is replaced by the annoyance of untangling the wires that somehow got knotted up and wrapped around the branches while sitting in the closet and trying to remember where to plug them in so all the strands light up.  Maybe it would be easier to just re-string them each year. 

After wrestling with a Christmas tree for about an hour, all the lights were functional and I was ready to be done with decorating.  I did a few more small chores and then went to my patient, long-suffering husband's concert.  A long, but productive, day.  Much too busy to think about my foot.  

11/28/14. The post where I am reminded of the power of positive thinking.

11/28/14: it was a Thanksgiving for the ages.  My patient, long-suffering husband did most of the heavy lifting and cooked an amazing meal.  Our entire family was there, including my godparents, so it felt really special.  Some of us did a 5K "Turkey Trot" in the morning, and I got through it without too much trouble.  As I expected, the walk didn't come anywhere near making up for everything I ate, but I guess it was better than not doing anything.  

Like most families, we spent the rest of the evening watching football, chatting, and complaining about how much we had eaten while continuing to snack.  All four nieces and nephews from my side of the family were there - ages 19, 14, two, and eight months.  As you know, I try to protect everyone's privacy on my blog, so I won't include any photos.  You'll just have to trust me when I tell you I have the best nieces and nephews in the history of ever.  It was truly a day to be thankful.  

We spent a little bonus time with Mom and Dad this morning, then after lunch (because, of course, we needed more food) we packed up and planned our escape route.  There are three outlet malls between their house and ours, so traveling on Black Friday was a bit of a gamble.  We took a route that, while a bit longer, would avoid the first one.  The traffic got a little heavy before the second one, but we got through it without much of a slowdown.  Another hour and half to the next one, so we had some breathing room.  Or so we thought.  About five miles after the second mall, things suddenly came to a screeching halt - literally.  There was an accident on a part of the freeway where there was construction going on and concrete barriers on either side, which meant no shoulder.  Of course, at the time, we did not know there was an accident.  All we knew was there was a sea of vehicles at a complete standstill.  Three lanes of traffic were diverted onto the frontage road, and chaos ensued.  After about forty-five minutes of inching forward and trying not to wish ill on any of the vehicles around us, we got past the remains of the accident, which by that time was just some broken glass and a few emergency vehicles.  It did not appear there were any serious injuries, another thing for which I am thankful.

We made it past the final outlet mall with no difficulty and got home at a reasonable hour.  My patient, long-suffering husband practiced for a concert he is playing tomorrow while I went to the grocery store for dinner fixings.  And the evening of Black Friday is the best time to go to the grocery store.  Seriously.  I wish I had made a list of everything I needed for the next month, because I was nearly alone in the store.  I started to get concerned that there had been some sort of catastrophe in the city and no one had told me.  The store was so empty that when I asked an employee for the location of an item I couldn't find, he followed me around the store looking for it just because he was "curious" about where it was.  

We spent a nice, quiet evening at home. My foot has felt a little better the last few days, but off and on it has been pretty distracting.  I always try to keep a positive attitude and I am convinced it makes me feel better.  I came across an article tonight that makes me feel justified.  http://www.rsds.org/1/publications/review_archive/BruelCBT.html. While the article is specific to CRPS, it seems like it would also be relevant for other types of physical pain and injuries.  So call me Pollyanna (just like my patient, long-suffering husband does), but I'm going to keep thinking positively.  And I encourage you to do the same.

11/26/14. The post where I enjoy a day with family.

11/26/14: we got in very late last night, but Mom and Dad were waiting up for us.  After chatting a little, we all went to bed, but not before I was reminded that daddies never quit being daddies.  He said he would take my suitcase upstairs and I replied that I could do it as I picked up the handle.  He gave me a look that I probably haven't seen since I was three years old and said, "Valerie Anne, do you read your own blog?"  Uh, oh, when the middle name comes out, he means business.  I dropped the handle and let him take the suitcase upstairs.

Today was a really nice day.  One of my brothers lives halfway across the country, and he and his wife had braved the airport on Monday with their two-year old and eight-month old, so we got to spend the day visiting and playing with the kids while we cooked.  We don't get to see the kids very often and they were a little shy at first, but they quickly remembered us, or at least decided we were okay.  The two-year old got a little rambunctious this morning and got sent to "time out", which we learned was not as effective as his parents probably hoped, because when Mom (his grandma) entered the room, he proudly exclaimed, "I'm in time out!"  Being the aunt often means stifling laughter (with varying degrees of success) at inappropriate times.  I am not a good influence.

I made three pies this afternoon and my foot behaved remarkably well, all things considering.  It was a little discolored after the pie-making episode, but quickly returned to normal after I sat for awhile, and it stayed in the 4-5 range all day.  I changed stimulator programs again today, but I actually turned the amplitude down a little since I was feeling better.  Sometimes the combination of pain and heavy vibrations gets a little overwhelming, so the lower I can keep it, the better.

We spent the evening with family, including our other brother, his wife, their two kids (one of whom was home from college), my aunt, and her friend.  We ate entirely too much for a pre-Thanksgiving meal.  Maybe it will keep me from overeating tomorrow. I doubt it, though.  Some of us are walking in a 5K in the morning, which makes me feel slightly less guilty, but only slightly.  I don't know if I will check in tomorrow, so I will wish you all a very happy Thanksgiving.  Enjoy your time with loved ones and remember all the things for which you are thankful.  

11/25/14. The post where lanes are closed.

11/25/14: my foot wasn't any better in the night, but it also wasn't any worse.  It was cold enough this morning that I didn't want to walk outside, so I rode my bike on the trainer instead.  I needed to make a trip to the grocery store at lunchtime, so I wore a comfortable pair of loafers and an uncomfortable pair of pants to work.  At least they kept me on my diet.  There's no way I could have overeaten in them.  Come to think of it, maybe I should have packed them for Thanksgiving.

Traffic was really light yesterday and I figured a lot of people were taking the day off work, so I was surprised when everything came to a sudden stop.  At least, I was surprised until I saw the "left lane closed" sign.  It looked like some kind of utility work. It's a good thing a lot of people had taken the day off, or traffic would have been even more snarled up than it was.  It's also one of those days I'm glad I bought a car with an automatic transmission this time.  I don't think I would have been up to that kind of clutch work today.

I was dreading my grocery store trip, so I left a little before lunchtime.  And I'm glad I did.  Because a lane was closed.  This time, a traffic light was out and an officer was directing traffic.  When I finally made it to the store, it was actually not that crowded.  Maybe because traffic was so bad no one could get there.

I finished up at work and came home to start packing.  My patient, long-suffering husband had a meeting at church tonight, so we knew we'd be getting a late start.  A late night drive was probably our only chance of staying out of holiday traffic, so we didn't mind.  (The three hour trip to my parents' house regularly turns into a five to six hour drive on Thanksgiving weekend, so you have to plan carefully.)  As soon as he got home, we loaded up the car and got on the freeway.  To find one of the lanes closed.  Of course.  Fortunately it didn't last long and things quickly started moving again.  

I was able to get an appointment for Monday morning to have my stimulator updated.  Until then, I'll keep rotating between existing programs and amplitudes and hope this flare-up disappears as quickly as it came.  I'm writing this on the road while my patient, long-suffering husband drives.  Here's hoping for no more closed lanes. 

11/24/14. The post where I face facts.

11/24/14: my foot pain didn't keep me awake last night, but I felt it every time I woke up.  It was still unhappy this morning when I got up, but as I got ready, it improved quite a bit.  I took my walk and it didn't feel too bad.  Although I was feeling pretty good by the time I left for work, I decided to go a little more conservative in my shoe selection today.  It was a beautiful day, nice enough to take my car out at lunchtime to be washed after its scary weekend journey and make the 10 minute drive back to work with the top down.  

I hadn't been in the office in nearly a week, so today was catch up day.  It was a relatively quiet day and I spent most of it at my desk.  As a result, it was mid-afternoon before things started to go south again with my foot.  But they did go south.  I continued to slog through the day, making it through handbell practice and doing a little cooking afterward.  But my foot was back to the familiar red splotchy color and I noticed a bruise in the "usual" place.  I changed the stimulator programs several times, but it didn't seem to make any difference.  

I will call tomorrow for an appointment to get some new stimulator programs, but I'm not convinced that is the issue, or the cure.  Something else is happening.  I guess this is officially a flare-up.  I'm back at a 6 again, but I wonder where I would be without the stimulator. The timing on this sure could have been better.  (Like, for instance...never.)  Tomorrow is my last day in the office before the holiday, and then we will pack up and head to my parents' house to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family.  And guess what? I intend to enjoy it.  Flare-up or not.  

11/23/14. The post where I take a step back.

11/23/14: by bedtime last night, my foot was pretty riled up.  It was splotchy and swollen and the pain level had inched up to a 6.  http://youtu.be/lTSVOnhLtCs  I changed the program on the stimulator, turned up the amplitude, and went to bed.  The thunderstorms continued all evening and much of the night.

By morning, things were looking up.  My foot felt much better and the sun was back out.  I took my morning walk without any major issues and made it through a full morning at church, complete with choir and handbells, in a pair of my favorite suede pumps.  Must have been a fluke.

My patient, long-suffering husband had to travel for another gig today, but this time I stayed home because I was having a couple of friends over.  It was a makeup date from last week, which I had to cancel because of my stomach bug.  We made brunch and binge-watched a TV show we all like but rarely make time to see.  It was a fun, low-key afternoon and everyone was gone by dinner time.  I had plenty of time to do some chores and start some advance Thanksgiving meal prep.  

Or so I thought.  My foot objected.  Pretty strenuously, in fact.  Normally, I have a policy of not negotiating with terrorists, but it was all I could do to get the most pressing chores done before giving in to my foot's demands.  I tried to turn up the stimulator again, only to discover that I had already turned that program up to the maximum amplitude.  So I went back to the original program.  This time, I don't think I turned it up all the way.  At least, I hope not.  

This is really disheartening, but I hope it is only temporary.  I'm still willing to blame it on the storms, the likes of which I doubt we'll see again for some time around here.  It looks like the weather will be beautiful for the next week, so I'll know for sure in the next day or so.  I knew this wasn't going to be an easy journey, but things had been going so well I had convinced myself the story was coming to a conclusion.  Now, it appears there is a plot twist.  And this is one story where I can't just stay up all night reading to get to the end and find out what happened.  

11/22/14. The post where it rains.

11/22/14: when I last checked in, I was about to leave DC for home.  I made it home with no snafus.  Both flights were uneventful except for the three servicemen on the first flight with their canine units in tow.  The dogs were supposed to lie under their feet, which sounded terribly uncomfortable for both dog and handler.  Fortunately, the flight was not completely full and some passengers moved around so the dogs could sit in a seat next to their handlers.  One of the dogs was on the row in front of me and it was fascinating to watch.  He had a window seat and he spent most of the flight sitting in his seat looking out the window.  I have no idea whether he understood that he was in the air, but he seemed to enjoy the view and he did not even flinch during the landing.  The dogs were better behaved than most human airline passengers. 

I got home just in time for a haircut ("Sassy, with a side of sassy, please!") and a race to choir rehearsal.   After a long week, I took a day off work on Friday, because my patient, long-suffering husband had a concert in a city about an hour and a half away.  We decided to make a micro-vacation out of it, staying overnight in a fun tourist area, and one of my dearest friends accompanied me.  She and I wandered around the pedestrian area of town enjoying the sights until concert time.  The concert was held in a historic church.  The historian in me spent quite a bit of time ruminating over the fact that while the church existed during the lifetime of the European composers featured in the concert, it is highly unlikely that either the composers or the worshippers at the church knew of the others' existence.  Still, the music seemed perfectly suited to the setting.

After a beautiful concert, we had a late dinner and a nightcap, and then enjoyed a restful sleep, courtesy of a steady rain.  It was still raining this morning as we ate breakfast at the hotel and checked out.  We were in two vehicles, and the girls had planned a leisurely trip home with a few fun stops, but that was not to be.  Because the rain continued to increase, until it became a gully washer.  A frog strangler.  (Insert your own regional colloquialism for a heavy rainstorm here.)  It took both of us, and every bit of concentration we had, to get home without injuring ourselves or others.  And we made it.  We're a good team.  

After getting our two new cars home safely, neither I nor my patient, long-suffering husband were anxious to get out again, so we spent a quiet afternoon and evening at home.  Our biggest decision was what we could put together for dinner without a trip to the grocery store, which was more difficult than it sounds, because our pantry and refrigerator were nearly bare. We came up with a main course but it really needed bread and we were all out.  But guess what? We did have all the ingredients we needed to make bread, and we both know our way around a kitchen.  So we made our own.  

Oddly enough, after my foot made it just fine through a week of air travel, sub-freezing temperatures, and a long, rainy drive, the bread-making was one step too far.  After about 20 minutes of mixing and kneading, it was suddenly red for the first time in a long while, and started to really burn.  Was it the kitchen work, or a combination of everything that has happened over the last week?  I don't know.  It's confounding.  Time to turn up the stimulator.  I guess it's all part of the grand experiment.

11/20/14. The post where I get used to the cold.

11/20/14: started the morning Wednesday with a big breakfast at the pub, the first time I'd really felt like eating since I got sick.  It was a nice experience. I was sitting by a window with a view of a beautiful historical building, I had a cute Irish waiter who called me "dear" (thus ensuring a hefty tip), and I was seated next to two businessmen speaking French.  I felt very cosmopolitan.

It was still really cold, but I was ready for it.  Tights and socks, wool skirt and sweater, warm gloves, scarf and coat.  I had also brought ear warmers, but they wreck my hair, so I decided to go without them.  For two blocks.  Until the cold restored my sanity and I put them on for the rest of the walk.  My classmates would have to ignore my wrecked hair.

My class was in a very secure building, which meant x-ray machines and metal detectors.  I'm starting to get better at explaining my implant without sounding like a crazy person or a criminal.  I'm also starting to get used to being wanded and patted down.  The class was very useful and I was glad I went.  We did not get out in time for me to fly back last night, which meant I had a free evening.  It won't surprise anyone who knows me to hear that I made some new friends in the class and we decided to spend the evening exploring.  The cold almost made me reconsider, but I figured I would regret it today if I spent the evening in my room.  We had all been to DC before and had seen the sights, so we walked to a nice pedestrian area and checked out the night life.  Which was a little quiet on a blustery weeknight, but that was okay by us.  We ended the evening back in the pub, with promises to stay in touch.  One of the purposes of the class was to build a good network of people all over the country who perform the same job duties I do, so I would say it was a success.  

Back to the airport this morning to fly home, where it is considerably warmer.  Guess I'll put away my cold weather clothes for another year.

11/18/14. The post where I reminisce.

11/18/14: as you would imagine, I slept horribly, spending the few hours I had in bed worrying that I'd forgotten to pack something or that somehow neither of my alarms would go off.  As a result, I was up about five minutes before either alarm went off.  The entire journey went off without a hitch.  Not surprisingly, there aren't many people on the road or in the airport at 4:30am.  I made my connection easily and arrived at my destination in time to check into the hotel before going to the training class.

I am in Washington DC, where it is bitterly cold (at least, in my opinion), but sunny and beautiful.  I prepared well, wearing several layers of clothing under my warmest coat.  This meant I was able to walk the half mile between the hotel and the training site. Something I wouldn't have been able to do pre-stimulator.  I even had time to stop for a sandwich, my first "meal" since I got sick a few days ago.  And it was the most delicious sandwich I've ever eaten.  Although my judgment may have been a little clouded after three days of saltines and ginger ale.  

The training went well and the trainers invited us all to an early dinner afterward.  This meant that by 6:30pm, I had eaten dinner and walked back to my hotel.  A little early to turn in, even for a girl who'd been up since 3am.  Fortunately, my hotel happens to have an authentic Irish pub attached, which meant I had somewhere to go without having to brave the cold again.  It was warm and cozy, and I enjoyed it even without any company.  It reminded me of the only trip I've ever made to Ireland, which was in similar weather, and I felt at home.  (Between the weather and travel, my foot was pretty unhappy all afternoon, but now that I am sitting inside a toasty pub with an appropriately-themed beverage, it has stopped protesting.)

It also reminded me of the last trip I made to our nation's capital, approximately nine years ago.  It was a mother-daughter trip I made with my mom and two dear friends (and their moms, of course).  It was one of the best trips ever.  Due to some once-in-a-lifetime circumstances, we traveled like celebrities, hobnobbing with important people, going to special events, eating in the best restaurants, and staying in a fancy hotel, in a city decorated festively for Christmas.  But best of all, Mom and I got to spend some precious time together, making special memories.  This trip is nothing like that one.  I'm by myself, traveling on my employer's meager budget, and concentrating on work.  Still, it's nice to be back and remember the last trip. 

Come to think of it, one of the great things about that Ireland trip was the festive Christmas decorations.  I've never been that excited about decorating for Christmas (or any holiday, for that matter), but maybe there's something to it.  Guess I'll have to get on it this year.  After Thanksgiving, of course.

11/17/14. The post where I win the battle of wills.

11/17/14: woke up this morning feeling better.  No fever in 24 hours and no more joint aches.  Still nauseous, but as you know, I can handle that. I got on the scale to find I have lost six pounds since Friday.  Not the way I would like to have done it, but hey, at this point I'll take it.  A few more days of this and I can buy a pair of shoes!  (And I certainly won't blame my weight-loss challenge friend if she is also looking on the bright side.)  I also took the opportunity to squeeze into a dress I haven't been able to wear in almost a year, in case this is temporary.

I made it into work on time, which was a good thing, because I walked in to find my boss had to be out at the last minute and needed me to cover a big meeting for him.  Since I was still pretty puny, it was fortunate that I didn't have to say much.  I made it through the rest of the work day with no major events (and still very little in the way of food).  Handbells, then packing for my trip.  I have a very early flight (which means I have to wake up before most college kids are getting to bed), so I set two alarms, just in case.  Belt and suspenders, you know.  Now I'm off to bed for a few hours of sleep.  Pleasant dreams, everyone.

11/16/14. The post where I rest.

11/16/14: before I went to sleep last night, I passed from the "afraid I might die" part of the virus to the "wishing I would die and get it over with" part.  You've all been there - you know what I mean.  I woke up this morning feeling significantly better.  It's amazing what 11 hours of sleep will do.  My fever was almost completely gone and I was much less achy.  My stomach was still adamant that it did not want any visitors and I obliged for the most part.  Today's nutrition included Sprite, a few saltines, and a piece of toast.  Or rather, about 3/4 of a piece of toast.  That's as far as I got before my stomach gently reminded me of the no visitors policy.

I spent the day rotating between resting and doing some easy chores around the house.  Besides missing church, I had to cancel afternoon plans with friends.  It was another cold, drizzly day, and it would have been great to have a free day at home if I'd felt better.  And if my patient, long-suffering husband had been home to keep me company.  But he had to travel today for a concert, so I settled for my stereo, books, and social media for company.  Probably for the best - less chance of passing it to him.  And I wouldn't wish this on anyone, especially him.

I've left the stimulator turned down pretty low, because it really seemed to exacerbate my symptoms.  My foot definitely feels worse with the volume low, but it is bearable and right now it is the better option.  Hoping things continue to improve, because tomorrow is my only day in the office before a work trip.  It is a training trip I've already had to postpone twice and I am adamant that I am not going to cancel again.  Almost as adamant as my stomach is right now about the no visitors policy.  Time will tell who wins this battle of wills. 

11/15/14. The post where I jump-start my diet.

11/15/14: everything went like clockwork yesterday, thanks to a lot of assistance from my patient, long-suffering husband.  Since it was a cold, blustery night, we made a variety of soups and served them with grilled cheese sandwiches.  We had a lively book club discussion and a fine time was had by all.  Being on my feet all afternoon was a little difficult, but I turned the stimulator up near the maximum and it helped quite a bit.  

I felt pretty rotten this morning, not surprisingly.  I still have quite a bit of drainage from my sinus infection and my joints were aching, maybe from all the work yesterday and maybe from the cold weather.  I had a pretty slow morning and then went out for a manicure and pedicure.  

Let's talk for a minute about vomiting. (Yes, I know, you are thinking, "Let's not." But I'm going there.)  As you know, I have a tendency toward nausea when taking any kind of prescription medication, but otherwise I generally have a pretty iron constitution and don't get stomach bugs very often.  But when I get them, I generally don't get a lot of warning, leading to some very interesting situations.  Here's a quick rundown of various places I have "tossed my tacos," either from prescription medications or ailments:

- every home I've ever lived in (and most of my family's homes)

- every school I've ever attended and every office I've ever worked in

- the drinking fountain in my high school principal's office suite, and 

- the summit of a hike in a national park (so much for "Take only photos, leave only footprints.")

I suspect my family will remind me of other instances after they read this.  But the point of my story? Now I can add a nail salon to my list.  The good news is that I had enough warning not to do it in a public place.  And my manicurist was very kind and helpful.  I felt much better afterward and was able to finish my appointment.  ("How Great is Your Dane?" From the OPI Nordic collection.)  Must have been all that sinus drainage.  

After my appointment, I met my weight-loss challenge friend for "coffee" and to talk about jump-starting our diets.  (I say "coffee" because I am not a coffee drinker.)  Since I was still feeling a little under the weather, I opted for an Italian soda, which helped my stomach.  We had a really nice time catching up, although my joints were still aching.  Darn this cold, wet weather!

We had a friend's 50th birthday party to attend this evening, a party I've been looking forward to for quite some time, so I thought I'd lie down for a bit.  Hmm, I'm a little flush.  Maybe I'd better take my temperature, just to be sure.  Well, $&*%.  I'm no doctor, but 100.8 doesn't seem right.  So much for the party, or for dong anything tomorrow, I suspect.

One interesting thing I've learned about my stimulator - it is really annoying when you have a stomach bug and achy joints.  I had to turn it down enough that I can barely feel the vibration, which of course means my foot is very unhappy.  It's an okay trade-off, though, and I'm hoping this will be over quickly. In the meantime, I'm enjoying some delicious Gatorade and saltines.  Which I have been keeping in stock over the last year for medication-induced nausea.  In case you are wondering, this is not the way I intended to jump-start my diet.  

11/13/14. A brief post.

11/13/14: my parents-by-love returned today after an extended absence and treated us to a wonderful evening of eating, drinking, and catching up.  Now it is late and I am thinking of my agenda for tomorrow:

 - work all morning

 - shop for groceries

 - cook all afternoon

 - host book club (for a book which I have not quite finished)

Wish me luck.

11/12/14. The post where I ride my bike (sort of).

11/12/14: winter has arrived. Or at least, as close to winter as I want to be.  It was too cold to walk this morning, but after my debauchery yesterday, I desperately needed some exercise.  My bicycle was still attached to the trainer downstairs, so I decided it was time to give it a try.  It has been long enough since I rode it that I had to pump up the tires.  I set myself a 20 minute limit and started pedaling. 

I learned several things on my ride:

1.  I can do it.  My foot didn't feel great pedaling, but it wasn't horrible, either.  The color was okay afterward and I didn't seem to do any major damage.

2.  I am really out of shape.  I had convinced myself that as soon as I was feeling better, I would be able to go right back to my old activities.  Not so.  Twenty minutes of pedaling, in a low gear with no incline in a climate-controlled environment, and I was beat.  My arms are sore, my core is sore, my legs are sore.  Which leads to...

3.  It will be awhile before I can go for a real ride.  I am going to have to go through a serious reconditioning period before I am up to riding outside in traffic and on hills.  And besides,

4.  I look terrible in bicycle shorts right now.  It's pretty much a given that everyone looks terrible in bicycle shorts, but this is worse. Much worse. For the sake of my vanity, the aesthetics of the neighborhood, and the well-being of the general public, I think I'd better stick with the trainer for awhile.

5.  While my health monitor often mistakes driving with the top down for cycling, it does not recognize riding on the trainer as cycling. Or as any other physical activity, for that matter.  In fact, it just seemed to be confused about why my heart rate was elevated.  Whether that is a statement about the speed of my pedaling, my current physical condition, or the sophistication of my health monitor, I'm not sure.

Looks like we're in for a cold spell at least though the weekend, so I think I will try to ride for the next few days.  After a full day at work and choir rehearsal, I had to turn up the stimulator a few tics, but all in all, I'd say the bike experiment was a success. 

11/11/14. The post where I have a good day off.

11/11/14: finally slept through the night with almost no coughing.  I may have this thing licked (more or less).  Started my day off with laundry, which I did on and off all day.  Maybe not the most glamorous way to spend a day off, but it means I won't have to do it this weekend, so it was totally worth it.

I went to the doctor's office to meet with the medical rep for my new stimulator program, and she gave me two new programs!  Bonus!  She spent several minutes adjusting minimum and maximum amplitudes and then I was on my way.  I was already feeling better by the time I got home.  I'm hoping that having multiple programs will allow me to switch back and forth when I start to have breakthrough pain and keep things interesting for awhile.

My patient, long-suffering husband was able to swing a long lunch and took me to a new place to eat.  It was a hipster's paradise, full of people enjoying their food ironically.  While I didn't feel quite cool enough to be there, I sure did enjoy it.  Everything we ate was delicious, and they had a surprisingly impressive bar for a place that looked like a diner.  (Part of the hipster irony, I'm sure.)

It had been a cold, dreary morning, but the sun came out in the afternoon and I took my car for a spa day.  They removed all traces of the foam dust and it looked like it did when I drove it off the lot a few weeks ago.  To be safe, I left the top up on the way home.  When I got home, I continued the car TLC theme.  I read the owner's manual, set up the satellite radio and bluetooth, and set the buttons so I could open the garage door without the opener.  More importantly, I did all these things without the assistance of a 10 year old.  I feel so technologically savvy!  We'll see if I remember how to work any of it tomorrow.

We ordered some sparkling wine a few weeks ago and it happened to be delivered today, so we had a few friends over for a little taste.  All in all, I'd say it was a pretty good day!  And tomorrow I will drive in my clean, organized car to my clean, organized office.  With some good vibrations in my foot. http://youtu.be/hoJnNYUhwcQ

11/10/14. The post where I learn another thing about my car.

11/10/14: Monday mornings are always hectic.  Packing breakfasts and lunches for the week, last minute straightening before the cleaners come (I'll skip the obvious joke here), and gathering up anything else I need to take with me to work.  Inevitably, it usually looks more like I am going on a camp-out than to the office.  This morning was no exception and, after coughing through much of the night, I was not at the peak of my mental sharpness.  So it was no surprise when I got to work and found I'd forgotten my work and home cell phones, as well as my cough medicine and tissues.  

Happy Monday.  I figured it wouldn't hurt me to go a day without my cell phones.  In fact, it might even be a treat, or at least a good life lesson about priorities.  The medicine and tissues were another story, although that could be resolved with a trip to the drug store five minutes from work.  I decided to see how long I could tough it out.  Fortunately I didn't have to find out, because my patient, long-suffering husband saved the day.  He arrived at my office late morning with an armload of my forgotten goodies.  Potential crisis averted.  Sorry, ladies, he's taken.

You'll all be relieved to know that I finally unpacked my boxes today.  (Other than those that do not need to be unpacked.  You know, the ones with the files I need to access about once every three years.  But when I need them, I really need them.) My office looked as good today as it will ever look, so I did my best to savor it for awhile.  And it will be clean for at least one more day.  Because I am off for the holiday tomorrow.  All bets are off on Wednesday, though.

Today was the last "convertible weather" day in the 10-day forecast, so I rode to work with the top down again.  Better get my money's worth while I can.  (Of course, this might also explain why I can't shake this infection...)  When I left work, I learned another thing about my car, or at least about convertibles in general.  Don't leave the top down all day when roof repairs are being done on the building next door.  I came out to find the entire cabin of my car covered in a heavy layer of white dust from the foam being cut nearby.  (I guess it could have been worse, because I smelled tar.)  It looked like a cross between a white Christmas and Pompeii.  Guess my first errand tomorrow will be a trip to the car wash.

My foot pain level is steadily increasing - I am now consistently at a 3-4, with spikes up to 5.  Enough that it is starting to be distracting again.  I am also starting to notice a little discoloration again, although nothing like it looked pre-implant.  Looking forward to my appointment tomorrow.  I'd like to nip this in the bud.  Or at least in mid-bloom.

11/9/14. The post where I remember to slow down and appreciate my life.

11/9/14: the sleep night started off badly Friday night, with a serious coughing fit that got me out of bed for about 45 minutes.  Once that was over, though, I was able to sleep pretty well.  The best part? I slept lying down.  It felt quite luxurious.  Of course, I woke up in the morning completely congested again, but it was worth it.  

On Saturday, I had to miss an event I enjoy every year - my friend's holiday cookie exchange party.  All week long, I had hoped this would clear up in time, but by Friday night it was obvious I wouldn't be up to making cookies.  Nor would anyone want to eat cookies I'd made in this condition.  I guess this year I will have to be responsible for my own holiday cookies. While I hated missing the party, I felt much better after having a lazy morning.  I've had several reminders over the last few weeks to slow down a little.  Maybe I'm actually starting to pay attention.  

It was back to work Saturday afternoon, for an evening concert in my patient, long-suffering husband's music series.  As is usually the case for these concerts, we had a house guest afterward.  A singer from Estonia.  His English, while tentative, was certainly better than our Estonian, and we communicated pretty well.  We offered him a glass of wine or a cocktail, and he informed us he'd never had a cocktail.  That was the wrong answer in this household.  We spent the next two hours making him various concoctions while we snacked and chatted.  We learned that he was a professor at a university with six children and four grandchildren.  We also learned that he had been a member of the national go-kart team many years ago when Estonia was part of the USSR.  (I was not aware that countries had national go-kart teams.  I'll have to check out the World Wide Web and see if the U.S. has one. And if so, whether it's too late for me to join.)  And that he had never seen a grape tomato before.  We had put out a spread of charcuterie and cheeses, all of which he enjoyed, but he spied the container of grape tomatoes on the counter behind us and asked if he could try one.  Of course, we were happy to oblige, and he was fascinated by them.  

He had a very early flight this morning to his next U.S. concert location, so we sent him on his way with a recipe for his new favorite cocktail, and probably a massive headache.  It was a great joy to speak with him and learn about his life, and also a great reminder of all the things I take for granted.  Like a fully stocked bar and a grocery store five minutes away where I can buy just about anything a person could ever want or need.  I will think twice next time before I throw away half a container of grape tomatoes because they are "past their prime."

Today was another fairly quiet day, consisting of church, a few errands, and some college football recorded from yesterday.  I slept much better, although I was still too congested to sing in choir.  This meant I got to hear the choir, which was a real treat.  It sounded absolutely beautiful, certainly much better than it would have sounded with me croaking along with them.  I'm doing my best to get some rest and shake this infection this weekend, because there is a lot of life going on over the coming week and I want to enjoy it.  

I am looking forward to getting a new stimulator program on Tuesday, because I am officially over this one.  This is the most my foot has hurt since the implant surgery, and I suspect that without a change soon, it will only get worse.  I feel extremely grateful to have the stimulator in my tool kit.  Even more grateful than I am for grape tomatoes.

11/7/14. The post where I learn some things about my new car.

11/7/14: am resigned to the fact that I may never sleep horizontally again.  While I feel like I am on the tail end of this thing, I have officially entered the coughing stage.  I mean the hacking, wall shaking, "sounds like I live in a shanty in London in the 1800s" kind of coughing.  The kind that causes my co-workers to follow me around with cans of Lysol.

My patient, long-suffering husband came to my office this morning and hung my art.  Because he's the BEST.  For the rest of the day, everyone complimented me on how good they looked.  Of course, these are the same pieces of art I've had for years, but he arranged them in a way that is much more aesthetically pleasing.  Now, all I have to do is unpack about a dozen boxes and my office will look like it is inhabited by a grownup.

A few days ago, the weather turned much cooler.  My friend, a former convertible owner, asked me if I had heated seats so I could still drive with the top down.  No, I told him, my patient, long-suffering husband's new car does, but mine does not.  I assured him that because it was a two-seater, the heater worked very quickly and I would still be able to drive with the top down on cool days.  That same day, I rode with my patient, long-suffering husband and got to use his heated seats.  They were wonderful.  I mentioned that I wished my car had them, too, and he expressed surprise that it did not.

Fast forward to yesterday afternoon.  I ran an errand in my car with the above-mentioned friend.  After a few minutes, he said, "Yes, you do."  "Yes, I do, what?"  "Have heated seats. The controls are right here."  Well, what do you know?  I'm disappointed that I haven't had a chance to read through the owner's manual yet (or at least, the interesting parts), but I suppose taking a thorough look at the car would be a good start.

Today was a sunny day, so I rode everywhere with top down and a toasty warm bum.  Even to my patient, long-suffering husband's concert, which was in a town approximately 30 minutes away via toll road.  A toll road which has no gas stations for at least 20 miles.  When I started the trip, my gas gauge read about a quarter of a tank.  I wasn't sure if I had a low fuel indicator light, so I have been watching fairly carefully.  I learned that my car does in fact have such a light.  I also learned that when the light comes on, the gas gauge almost immediately swings to "empty."  Well, this is disconcerting.

I gritted my teeth and kept driving, glad that my AAA membership was up to date.  At the first possible chance, I pulled into a gas station and completely filled my tank.  It took a little over 11 gallons to fill it up, and it holds...well, to be honest, I don't know how much it holds.  More than 11 gallons, I hope.  Yes, I should really crack open that owner's manual.

Lots more to say, but I'm worn out from the day, so I'll try to finish up tomorrow.  In the meantime, I'm off to bed, to "lie down," or at least to recline a little.  

11/6/14. The post where I narrowly avoid a third wardrobe malfunction.

11/6/14: I'm starting to get the hang of sleeping sitting up.  At least my health monitor thinks so.  I got a 98% sleep score, although my neck and hips might disagree.  I felt like I was starting to turn the corner with respect to my sinus issues and I had enough of a voice that I thought I could get through my final two classes today.

I was very careful with my outfit this morning.  Shoes with intact heel caps?  Check.  Comfy dress with plenty of breathing room?  Check.  Matching jewelry?  Ummmm...rats.  I combed through my carefully organized jewelry box with no luck.  How could I lose a matching necklace and earrings?  And how could I wear my dress without the jewelry?  (Yes, I know.  I have at least a dozen other sets of jewelry that would match the dress.  But this quickly became a quest.)  I sat down and tried to think it through.  I had packed the jewelry for my recent trip, so I checked my luggage.  No dice.  Then I remembered wearing it to work last week on a day I had rehearsal.  So I checked the small bag where I put my jewelry on rehearsal days.  Strike two.  I tore my purse apart, opening every nook and cranny that could possibly hold jewelry.  Sigh.

I went back upstairs to change clothes.  Because at this point, the dress would just remind me of the lost jewelry.  As looked for another outfit, I suddenly had an epiphany.  I checked the athletic bag I use to transport my rehearsal clothes, which contained a small zipper pocket I would swear I had never seen before.  And guess what was inside?  While I was relieved to find the jewelry, I was also a little concerned that I had no recollection of storing it in a place I didn't even recall existed.  I'm no longer on any prescription medication, so I have no excuse.  Welcome to the next forty years.

I made it through both classes at work, although I coughed through the last half of the afternoon class, which I suspect was as annoying to my students as it was to me.  I also got some preliminary cleanup work done in my office so I can start unpacking in earnest tomorrow.  And this time I mean it.  I had a lovely evening catching up with good friends and at the end of the night, my patient, long-suffering husband made me another hot toddy.  I could get used to that.  

11/5/14. The post where I have a wardrobe malfunction of a different kind.

11/5/14: ugh. Day number three of "sleeping" sitting up.  It started raining last night and it was cold and drizzly all day today.  Not the best weather when you are already sick.  I considered staying home, but since I couldn't sleep anyway and I knew I would be miserable, I decided I might as well be miserable at work.

You may recall that a few weeks ago, I packed up my office because I was getting new wallpaper.  Well, guess what?  My office is still filled with boxes and unhung art.  I unpacked just enough things to do the projects I am working on, and the rest has fallen by the wayside.  Every day, I vow I will unpack the next day, and this morning I decided today would be the day.  Since the weather was bad and I planned to be emptying boxes all day, I decided to dress casually.  Which is not as awesome as it sounds.  With all the swelling from my surgery (and by that, I mean all the weight I've gained during the last year), I don't have any pants that fit well, and I am much too stubborn to buy bigger pants.  I tried on pants in my closet until I found a pair that I could get fastened and went to work, hoping they would stretch out a little.

They didn't.  I spent the entire day holding my breath so the button didn't fly off and put someone's eye out, and I had a permanent wedgie.  Lesson learned?  I'm at least five pounds away from comfortably wearing my pants again.  And the worst part?  I didn't unpack a single box today.  I had to put out a couple of fires at work and before I knew it, the day was over.  I won't get to it tomorrow, either.  I have to teach two more classes, although I'm not sure how I am going to do that, since my voice is completely shot.  Class may turn into a games of charades.

One thing I did accomplish was making an appointment to have a new program added to my stimulator next Tuesday.  Not a moment too soon.  I have the amplitude turned up enough on the current program that the tingling is starting to really annoy me, and increasing levels of pain are sneaking through.  I know I haven't really talked about pain levels since my surgery, but these days I am hanging around the 3-4 range.  Not bad in the scheme of things, considering how much I've increased my activity level, but I'd like it to be better and I'm a little worried about it getting worse.  So I'm doing my best to stay ahead of it.

I snuck in a manicure at lunch ("Malaga Wine" from OPI's Classic Shades collection) and my poor manicurist sounded just as bad as I did.  I also went to choir rehearsal tonight, but just as an observer.  There was no way I could sing, but I've missed so many rehearsals already that I felt like I needed to be there.  After we got home, my patient, long-suffering husband made me a hot toddy.  And I was surprised to find that they really work!  My throat felt quite a bit better afterward.  Or maybe I just didn't care that my throat hurt.  Either way, I suspect my employer would frown on me having one at work, which is a shame. 

11/4/14. The post where I have a wardrobe malfunction.

11/4/14: still feeling pretty poorly this morning, but I got up and went to vote before work.  I stood in line for almost 40 minutes to vote.  And you know what?  It didn't bother me a bit.  I would be perfectly happy if there were long lines at every election.   

I got to work and had a fairly quiet day in the office.  It gave me a chance to admire my shoes.  I've been trying to wear as many different pairs of shoes as possible since my surgery and I had on a particularly cute pair today.  

In fact, several people in line at the poll complimented them, as well as a few co-workers.  I probably hadn't worn them in almost two years, and before today I'd only worn them a few times.  So I was surprised when I walked down the hall at work and started having trouble staying upright.  Maybe the soles weren't sufficiently scuffed?  A survey of the bottom of my shoe quickly revealed the issue.  

In case any of you are not aware, womens' dress shoes are supposed to have heel caps.  And I feel certain these shoes had heel caps when I bought them.  But the other shoe was just as bad.  The fact that I was walking on two nails on a tile floor might explain my balance trouble.  In fact, now I am impressed by my balance.  (Not enough to walk a tightrope between skyscrapers while blindfolded, mind you.)  Apparently I need to check my shoes a little more thoroughly each morning before I leave the house.

I made the discovery mid-morning, which meant I had to make it through the rest of the work day in my rickety shoes.  I stayed safely on carpet as much as possible and walked on the balls of my feet to avoid any mishaps.  I made it home without injury and enjoyed a nice, quiet evening alone with my patient, long-suffering husband for the first time in weeks.  

I still haven't called about setting up a new program for my stimulator, but I resolve to do it tomorrow.  Right after I inspect my shoes to make sure they are intact.

11/3/14. The post where I pay for the past two weeks.

11/3/14: I was looking forward to a good night's rest after all the events of the last two weeks.  But that didn't happen.  Because I have a sinus infection.  Of course.

I've been fighting it ever since I got home from my conference.  I chalked it up to allergies, and that's probably how it started.  I nursed my sore throat enough to perform Saturday night, but I started slowly falling apart on Sunday and by Sunday night I was in pretty sorry shape.  As soon as I laid my head on the pillow, I started coughing.  So it was back up to get a wedge pillow so I could sleep sitting up.  And I did manage something approximating sleep.  Although sitting up all night didn't help relieve my soreness from the show Saturday night.  http://youtu.be/CkvL6r5CMak

When I got up this morning, it was clear I had a sinus infection.  (I won't tell you why it was clear - you can probably imagine why.  Yuck.)  In addition to the headache and the stopped up nose, my throat was on fire.  Not in a CRPS kind of way, though.  Just in a sore throat kind of way.  It would have been a great day to stay home sick, but I had to teach two classes today, so I got it together and went to work.  In my orange sweater, in honor of CRPS Awareness Day.  I looked a little like I missed the memo that Halloween was over, but no one seemed to mind.  I made it through the classes without completely losing my voice, and even went to handbell practice after work.  My patient, long-suffering husband got me through the day, between wearing his CRPS t-shirt in solidarity and making me a yummy dinner after practice.  I will try to repay his kindness by not coughing all night.

After a few days of phone tag, I talked this evening with a friend of a friend who is considering a spinal cord stimulator for nerve damage in her arm.  It is amazing how many people I have run across over the last year who have similar issues.  (I think they call it "collective consciousness" when you suddenly start to notice multiple instances of something you previously thought was unusual because it becomes important to you.  Like when you buy a new car that seemed unique and suddenly you see the same make and model everywhere you go.)  My brother just told me about a friend's 15 year old daughter who has been diagnosed with CRPS, which probably wouldn't have resonated as much with him a year ago.  I really feel for her - it is hard enough to be a 15 year old without having to deal with something like this.  

Looks like it will be another night of sleeping sitting up.  Fortunately, I have no classes to teach tomorrow and it should be a quiet day in the office.  Who knows, a few more quiet days and I might feel better.  If only I could count on a few more quiet days.

11/2/14. The post where things calm down a little.

11/2/14: yesterday was a whirlwind.  I was at the theater for more than 12 hours, and that was after getting ready and packing up costumes and makeup.  The good news? I made it through the show without embarrassing myself.  The bad news? I failed to get the license plate number of the truck that hit me.  I feel like I built a house yesterday.  By myself.  With no power tools.  But frankly, I'm not sure I can blame it on the CRPS.  I exceed the median participant age by at least 10 years.  I'm just glad I made it through the production without a visit from EMS.

The "fall back" from daylight savings time didn't really help. If my experience, and that of my Facebook friends, is any indication, the fall back doesn't give you one more hour of sleep, just an additional hour to get things done.  I woke up still feeling mangled, but there were a lot of items on the morning agenda.  I played handbells (some may disagree with my definition of "played", but I got through it without cursing or quitting), I sang in the choir, and I sold tickets for an upcoming concert.  And then I rested.

And by "rested", I mean I got a bunch of neglected chores done at home.  My patient, long-suffering husband and I donned our haz-mat suits and shoveled out the refrigerator, a task we'd been dreading for some time.  I'm fairly certain the government would quarantine us for 21 days if anyone had seen the things we threw away.  Once we had the refrigerator cleaned out, we went to the grocery store to fill it up again.  

A few more chores, a simple dinner and movie, and I'm ready for bed.  This week looks a little more calm than last week, and I think I can make it.  I have to teach two classes tomorrow, but at some point I hope to contact the medical rep about a new program.  Because I am maxed out on my current one.  Things have been really nice since my stimulator implant, but it's ramping up day by day (especially over the last few days), and it's time to call in reinforcements.  

A little reminder, which is probably coming too late.  Tomorrow is CRPS/RSD awareness day.  Here are the details:  

Yes, I know.  Orange is not my best color, either.  But that's the option.  I have a new orange sweater and matching sunglasses, and I'll be hashtagging a photo, because I'm cool that way.  If you get this message in time and can get away with adding a little orange to your wardrobe, go for it.  I'll be most grateful, as will my CRPS peeps.