It’s been a tough few weeks.
The week before last I had carpal tunnel. I know this because I diagnosed it myself. My nurse practitioner has cautioned me against this, but I’m practically a doctor. I read a lot of medical stuff. 😉
I’ve spent lots and lots of hours of my life in front of a keyboard, but it had never happened before. I’ve worked with many that did get it.
I had a bit of pain while typing one day and the next morning at 4 a.m. I woke up in immense pain.
Remember I’m the no-novocaine girl. I have a high pain threshhold. I took some Tylenol and went back to bed, but it wouldn’t subside. I iced it before work, took Advil, and texted my sister (who has had all the hand issues) asking if she had a splint or other kind of hand support I could use. She brought me a selection of items, including some heavy duty cream that was supposed to help (I think it did – after she chastened me for only using it once when it was supposed to be used three times a day).
That day was terrible – handwriting was impossible This job requires I keep notes to make reports of my calls, so I had to depend on my memory. Typing wasn’t horrible. The splint helped a lot. My memory even seemed to work, and I figured out a few tricks to get me through it.
After a couple of days of babying it, it was fine. Crisis #1 averted. I do partially blame it on my Apple watch. I think the computer and my writing pad were hitting my wrist at just the wrong place. I’m leaving it off during the daytime for now – but I am also keeping those supplies from my sister until this job is done.
Then last Monday I developed a cough. One of those horrible sounding ones where you can’t stop and it takes a while to get your voice back. I stayed home all week, but did work my whole schedule (remember I’m doing call center work, signing up people for their benefits).
Kudos to the guy from California who got the worst of me hacking up my lungs – he remained calm for the both of us. He got that creepy creature voice for a while, but we did get his open enrollment done.
I had zinc lozenges and a tiny bottle of honey next to me to help keep it at bay. My friends came up with a lot of cures – moonshine, liquor, and accompanying sidekicks. The people I did benefits for suggested tea (especially ginger) with honey and lemon,
I had not been out since last Monday (really people – keep your germs at home), and thought for sure I’d be better this past weekend. It was to be a full one. Nope. I had to miss almost everything.
I did get an interview done with one of our local musicians for the news magazine I work for, the Iredell Free News. We did it outside and I kept my distance. It was nice to be outside and the conversation was great. I’m not sure what direction I’ll head with this profile yet, but I enjoyed that time so much. I always do. It’s such a privilege to share about these folks.
But now it is back to seclusion until this dissipates. I hope I’m fine on Thursday to go to the Thanksgiving celebration at my mom’s memory care unit. The job ends on Wednesday, so I will be giving thanks. 😀 Not that it hasn’t mostly been fun, but I do enjoy the semi-retired life. I am glad I took a chance working with this company – this was my first year with them. As with most jobs it wasn’t perfect, but it was really good. Better than anticipated.
For some reason I’ve been thinking some deep life thoughts lately. Today I was thinking about regrets. I know many people say they have none. I have quite a few things I’d change if I could.
Still, so much of who we are come in those little decisions where we make choices along the way. I like what I have chosen for those character- building type of things – I’m who I want to be there. There are some personal and career decisions where I would have taken different paths, though. While I’m comfortable where I am overall, there were opportunities I let pass me by – some because I was too passive and accepting. These are not qualities I admire in myself. I don’t hate them either, but they’re not what make me proud of who I am.
I hope the next years of my life are lived boldly, taking chances and doing hard things. Sometimes we take all that comes without question and adapt. Not a horrible way to live – maybe the easiest. Complacency is certainly an option – I don’t want it to be mine.
In the Box, Out of the Box 