"Difficult??"

Have you ever seen that Episode of Seinfeld where Elaine gets quoted as "Difficult" in her Dr's file?

Elaine at the doctor's
Attendant : The doctor will be with you in a moment .
Elaine looking at her chart
Elaine : Difficult ?
Doctor : Elaine . You shouldn't be reading that . So tell me about this rash
of yours .
Elaine : Well it's , it's ..... You know I noticed that somebody wrote in my
chart that I was difficult in January of 92 and I have to tell you that I
remember that appointment exactly . You see this nurse asked me to put a gown
on but it was a mole on my shoulder and I specifically wore a tank top so I
wouldn't have to put a gown on . You know there made of paper .
Doctor : Well that was a long time ago . How about if I just erase it. Now
about that rash ......
Elaine : But it was in pen . You fake erase .
Doctor : All right Miss Benes . This doesn't look to serious . You'll be fine
.
Elaine : What are you writing ? Doctor .

That would probably be me! ha ha!

No kidding! Believe it or not, I actually had a "file" at Blockbuster Video one time. It's a long story, but the just of it is that the lady manager and I about 8 years ago got into a dispute over a late fee. I actually PROVED my case that I had gotten the video in on time by reminding her that I greeted her on the way into work that morning. How else would I have known that she had worked that particular morning unless I had actually dropped the movie off and seen her go into work?? So "yadda, yadda, yadda" her and I got into an argument. And apparently she wrote something in their system about me because from that point forward, anytime we checked out movies, all the employees would read something on the screen! :) I was not pleased to say the least. I KNEW I was right! ha ha. And I will note that she was ultimately fired not due to me but because at the time Blockbuster was going through a huge lawsuit over late fees and apparently maybe she had something to do with that. In my eyes, I won. :)

Well, today I thought I just may end up with another one of those files! This time, in the Dr's office like Elaine on Seinfeld.

See, right after my Dad passed and about a week before I went to Tuscon right around the first of March, I got sick with my usual allergy/asthma/ sinus related illness. I get it roughly twice a year, and then have asthma problems periodically through spring, summer, and fall. Typically, I have an inhaler I use to get me through these rough time periods. I'll go into the Dr.'s office, he'll write me an Rx for some sort of sinus infection medication, I'll feel like I have the flu for about 5 days and then life will resume. More often than not, my shoulders will get screwed up in the process. I cough so hard that I'll totally blow out my shoulders to where they're all cricked up! It's really rather unpleasant.

But generally things suck for 1 week, maybe 2 and then life eventually gets settled again.

Due to a combination of things... my 1-2 weeks worth of suffering has turned into a 2 month battle with a week or two here and there where things are getting back on track only to get hit again right afterwards.

For one, my recovery has really sucked over the past several months. It is what it is. I'm no longer in that "boo-hoo I am feeling sorry for myself" modes. I am seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and doing the best I can. That's all any of us can do. :)

#2- It's been a really rough allergy season around here. Lot's of rain, which you would think would be good, but actually more stuff growing.

#3- The Dr. I went to this time was all about long-term, preventative medicine. Ok, good if you actually are capable of following through. The Rx he wrote me would have cost me $200 to get filled at the grocery store pharmacy. $20 if I do it through the mail order system. So, of course I decided to go through the mail. By the time I actually got it IN the mail and the 2 week turn-around, the flare-up would have gotten a little better through rest, and some breathing treatments, but then flared up again.

After yet ANOTHER flare up again this weekend, to the point last night where I considered going to the ER because I couldn't breathe, I went into the Dr.'s office today with one thing in mind... Steroid shot!

After a 2 hour visit last time, I knew this guy wasn't going to just hand over the good stuff. I explained to him that I definitely agreed with him that I needed to focus on the long-term, preventative stuff. BUT, I've been sick now way too many times for way too long and I wanted something NOW! :) I could tell he was going to give me a little bit of a fight. Look, I appreciate all of you "bigger-picture/ we give too much meds" folks out there. BUT... one thing I actually do pretty well is know my body. And I know what works for ME. And I was done... over it... My shoulder just got to feeling better and if it goes into another spasm, I'm checking myself into the loony-bin for a few weeks. :)

So here's my new system.... Full of quick-fix stuff and the long-term preventative stuff. Oh, and I got my shot as well! :)

Let's hope This keeps me away from That! :) Oh, and the green thing, is this special self massager thing for your shoulders so I can hopefully take care of the knots before they get TOO bad! :)

Hopefully by this time tomorrow, I'll be well on my way back to my usual self!! :)