Terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day(s)

I’ve had a really rough couple of days…

It all goes back to Friday’s rheumy appointment, I suppose.  My system isn’t sure what to do with the sudden changes in medications.  I’m no longer on Cymbalta, which might be making a difference, as well as the fact that the new stuff I’m on (Tylenol w/codeine & Skelaxin) is strong and the side effects all warn about drowsiness and all that fun stuff.

(I’m rambling and ranting and I’m sorry.)

Monday was alright.  Long and draining, but alright.

Tuesday was mean and nasty.  I didn’t get enough sleep the night before, which doesn’t help anything.  My first class is in a room with 48 (I think) desks in it.  The prof thinks that there used to be a sign over the door that said the capacity was 30.  The table at which I sit is off to the side by the door, but it’s so crammed that there’s no room for my rollator near me.  And everyone has to trip over me and my stuff on their way in and out.  And I end up running into things– desks, chairs, doors, walls… (which adds to the pain)…

I then had an hour long break, during which I trekked to another building for a club meeting, which went fine, I guess.  (But once again, it’s a Normie world… sigh… I don’t want to get into this right now, but it sufficeth me to say that Normies generally only see things from the Normie perspective.)  Oh, and at this meeting I had to sit in the chairs with which the room was furnished, which caused more pain…

Then off to my second class.  In lots of pain, so it’s time for the new, stronger, brain foggier painkillers.  Which meant that of course, I couldn’t think of the words I wanted to coherently answer the professor’s question, even though I knew the answer.  It’s beyond frustrating to not be able to articulate what I know. 

And then, of course, more tripping over and running into things getting in and out of class.  And nearly falling over when I ran into the door frame.

Yeah, by this time I was in true tears.  (My apologies to my professor, in front of whom I have cried multiple times…)  And of course, I had left my laptop adapter at home, so I had to drive back home to get it (instead of doing the reading for my third class of the day).

Of course, I probably would have had time to do the reading after picking up my charger, but I was so unhappy and upset that I made a detour at my LYS (local yarn store, for all you muggles/non-knitters out there) to buy yarn and a circular needle to make scarves.  (Hogwarts house scarves, mind.  A Hufflepuff for my smallish sister, Ravenclaw for me.  And when those are done, I think I’ll make myself a Slytherin as well…)  This brightened my day considerably.  Nothing like new yarn and the prospective of a new project and new, potential-full yarn.

Then off to my last class, where, although I didn’t do the reading, I was able to keep up and answer the questions.  (Except for the in class assignment, about which even the prof wasn’t sure, so I don’t feel bad about that one.)

After that class I went to Panera to meet with some friends to work on the Mayan dictionary.  This went well–we had a lot of fun and learned the names for the parts of the leg.

But I did leave my computer charger there, which contributed to the chaos of today.

Another long day today.  Worked with my second graders this morning.  (And trust me, second grade is NOT NOT NOT for me.)  Then off to class (boring lecture in the library.  I know how to use Boolean operators, thanks, and how to determine if an article is scholarly or not).  Then off to my other class, where I realized I had no charger (but had NO idea where my charger was…).  Which meant, naturally, that my laptop DIED in class, making me unable to do the quick-write or take notes.

Then there was an arts event–Native American art, ethnobotany, and culture.  I only stayed for the 1st half– too much sitting, and homework waiting.

Got home and could not find my charger anywhere.  Burst into tears again (after crying Tuesday night as well).  Ended up calling around and finding it, but now it is 22:15 and I still have two homework assignments to do for tomorrow…

Blah.  It’s a good thing I love linguistics (both of the assignments are for ling classes) or I’d say forget it.

Tomorrow had better be better than Tuesday.  I don’t think I can handle any more hard days this week… I’m liable to become a turtle– crawl into the shell of my bed and never come out ever again.

(Originally published on another of my blogs: http://ruminarispoonie.wordpress.com)

It’s a Normie World (pt. 1 of many)

We shan’t debate here how the world was created, but the Normie built it.  (Normie– a person who isn’t a Spoonie.  Simple enough, yes?)  And when the Normie built the world, they did not think about the Spoonie.  Sure, the lovely Americans with Disabilities Act and other such legislation has brought the Spoonie’s needs to THE Normie’s attention, but  A Normie can never understand what it is really like to be a Spoonie until he has been a Spoonie himself.

Are you a Normie who has graced my blog with your presence?  Next time you’re out somewhere, stop thinking about yourself for a moment (everyone does, it’s ok) and think about the place you’re in.  Imagine you rely on a wheelchair.  Or crutches.  That makes you a Spoonie who’s at least lucky enough to get out of the house.  Now–how does your new imaginary mobility aid impact your life?

Let’s look at my outing today, shall we?

Today we (hubby & I) went to the bookstore at my university to buy textbooks.  I praise my university because there are power switches on the majority of the doors, at least the ones to enter buildings.  It doesn’t have them on all the classroom doors, though.  Time to turn on your imagination again.  Let’s pretend that there weren’t power doors.  I am a forearm crutch user.  Doors on college campuses are, in general, heavy.  Now, pushing on a door is easier.  I unlatch it so it’s cracked open, then turn around and back through it, so that my whole body weight is used  to open the door.

Pull doors are much more difficult.  I have to get the door open, wedge it open with my crutch, and then try to keep the door open while both my hands are trying to use my crutches to help me walk through the door.  Not easy.  Not really even possible.  I praise the inventor of the power door.

Now we’re in the bookstore.  I have a lean build, but then add crutches and I need three feet of space to walk through.  Piles of books and boxes in aisles do not help me.  I’m likely enough to fall on my own as it is.  Fork, that’s part of the reason I use the crutches!  Getting my crutches tangled up is frustrating and painful.  And it takes even more effort walking around trying to find a more accessible route.  And a wheelchair would not have fit down the aisle.  Many walkers and rollators would have the same issue.

And with crutches, your hands are occupied.  You can’t carry things, like, say, a stack of textbooks, or a basket, etc.  Crutch users wear backpacks.  They stay out of the way of the crutch and keep the weight balanced.  But stores generally frown upon shoppers putting unpaid merchandise in their backpack.  Yes, I had my husband with me.  In fact,that’s the reason I took my husband with me.

The bookstore list came out this morning.  I raced to the bookstore today partially to get as many books used as possible, and partially to avoid lines.  Part of the reason for using a mobility aid is because I can’t stand for long periods of time.  Standing causes pain and muscle fatigue… standing in line for an hour to pay for books could well mean bed-rest for the rest of the week.

Fellow Spoonies, I’m sure you commiserate, and even have your own horror stories to tell.
Normies, I challenge you to try once in a while to look at the world from a Spoonie point of view.

As you may have noticed, this post says “part 1 of many.”  I plan on writing several other posts to this effect, about grocery shopping, school, the park, the doctor’s office, my apartment complex…

(Originally published on another of my blogs: http://ruminarispoonie.wordpress.com)