Stress Relief

Do you know that feeling when you finally get rid of a bunch of things that have been worrying you - like you've just slid off a backpack weighing about 200 pounds?  That's sorta how I'm feeling today, or WOULD be feeling if I wasn't so exhausted.

For the past 2-3 weeks, a rather nasty cold has been circulating through our family, thanks to Miss J, who brought it home from school.  The primary symptoms are sore throat, congestion and cough, along with a general sense of wanting to stay under the covers and moan when the alarm goes off each morning.

I was lucky enough to be the last person affected, and for some reason, it is lingering.  I have been up every night for the past week sitting/napping in the recliner, because the cough is less persistent in that position.  It makes for a sore neck and excessive irritability.

Thankfully though, the other couple things that have been stressing me lately sort of dissipated this week, so now I feel light as a (lead) feather.

Last week I was approached by my Supervisor with the offer of a position with another local practice.  I was reluctant to jump on this because the Powers-That-Be recently told JP that they were working on ways that I could help out more at his office, and I am wary of getting in over my head.  I did agree to meet with the Dr. on Monday.  It ended up being the most awkward interview I have ever been at in my life - after being kept waiting for over 20 minutes in the office waiting room, I spent 5 minutes with the Dr.

I was informed afterwards that the chilly reception was due to a misunderstanding, but the interaction certainly made up my mind about whether or not I would want to work in that environment!  Whew...one issue gone.

For the past 2-3 weeks, I've been having numbness of my right hand and arm.  I was concerned that it was stemming from something in my neck, because of the positions that it happens in.  I finally had an appointment yesterday with the Physiatrist, who did EMGs (nerve conduction studies) in my arms.  He told me that it is coming from my neck, but there is no nerve damage.  He feels that there is likely compression at C6 in my neck, but that it should respond to Physical Therapy.  I was secretly worried that I would need to have neck surgery like my Mom, and the thought has been freaking me out.  Poof...another stress point vanished.

Today I am thrilled that I have nothing pressing to do except pay bills, do laundry, go grocery shopping, take L to the Dr., pick up J from school, and take her to soccer practice.  You know, all the regular stuff.  There is a slight possibility that I can slip a nap in there somewhere!

Essentially Unemployed

Well, I just returned home from a meeting with my employers, and I am now essentially unemployed.  I had been employed per diem, which basically means that I work as they need me, but it had been pretty steady until this past summer.  I have been working less and less over the past several months because of some changes going on.  As of today, I don't have any per diem work to do until possibly November.  I'm not exactly fired, but...I don't exactly have a job to return to later either.  Strange.

I have a couple of options on the table, but I am not sure about the viability of the one, or the desirability of the other at  this point.  Right now I am just sad.  I used to like my job, but lately it has become increasingly frustrating, and now...it's just gone.

I cleared out my few belongings from the office after my meeting, which always makes everything so final.  They are sitting on the dining room table at the moment, until I figure out what to do with stuff.

I think I'll go pull weeds in my flower bed.  Gardening therapy has been successful in the past...

Legit

After approximately 6 weeks of "observing" at my new job, I finally got word today that my paperwork was all in order to really WORK for the first time! I actually got to scrub in and assist on a case in the Operating Room...the first time in about 13 years or so! Can you believe I actually remembered my sterile glove size? (Probably just a lucky guess!)

Luckily, my job pays the same for observing as for actually working, so the only negative to the 6 weeks of limbo was boredom.

J received new materials last week for cyber school. It has been taking us almost twice as long to get the work done since then. I spent about an hour last night, prepping materials for today. My Mom worked with J in the morning while I was at work, and we finished up this afternoon in much better time than before...even with an extra hour of on-line classes, and ample time to play outside in the sunshine! Perhaps I should do this on a regular basis??



I'm feeling Spring in my blood these days. The unexpected snow yesterday afternoon did not diminish it for a moment. I cleaned out my flower beds last weekend...trimmed the old, dead stuff, pulled out leaves and scooped out cat poo (nice). This afternoon, I dug my planting trays out of the garage to start winter squash, pumpkin and cucumber seeds indoors. The sunshine makes me anxious to DIG in the dirt!

The sap is running in our Maple trees. My Dad and the girls have tapped 9 or 10 trees, and have collected gallons and gallons of sap. Dad has boiled down the sap to get several pints of Maple Syrup...the ratio is roughly 40 gallons of sap to make 1 gallon of syrup. I have only had the chance to taste a spoonful here and there, but I'm hoping to try our own Maple Syrup on pancakes this weekend.

Time and seasons continue to flow by. Now the time has arrived to fix dinner. Happy Almost-Spring!