Well - the doctor visit was interesting. He is a nice chap but all business. He dove in and asked if I was still taking the medication. I told him I wasn't. I told him that he gave me so many pills and I took them. After some discussion I began to understand that these pills are unfortunately not fast acting. I will be on this medical journey for a few years. So - he upped the dosage and now I get to experience the side effects again and get back on track. I talked to him about my feet and hands. He said "It is just swelling".
I think I must have looked at him like he was on drugs because he said "I don't disagree that you believe it is happening" and at that point I just felt completely unheard. He said the labs don't point to that happening. So - I suppose I am back to scratching my head on why my head, hands, and feet are growing. In a way I felt like people who saw a UFO and then some government official shows up and says what you saw was swamp gas reflecting off of Venus. I feel I am a completely rational human and know how to use a ruler. So - for now I am just keeping track of how much these are growing.
The job hunt is more of a marathon race. I find myself hunting through job listings and finding ones that match my skills. Then prepping my resume and cover letter to match that job. I don't apply to many with this tactic but I do believe what I submit is good. As the old saying goes - quality over quantity.
My old job's health benefits stopped and where Cobra was supposed to start it never did. So - I have been paying out of pocket for things. Health insurance costs coupled with the actual doctor bill is just nuts. I do believe here in the USA, there is a need to address this situation. I don't know what is right, but I do know that when I walk into a restaurant they have a menu with prices. I don't eat at a burger joint and then get a surprise bill for 20K.
Yesterday some carolers came by singing Christmas songs. It was nice. Then, at the end, they presented us with a small Christmas tree with cash on it. I haven't really told many people in person so it is kind of a mystery to us who this is from. We didn't recognize the carolers but in all honesty the cash is going to make Christmas for our kiddos and pay some of our medical bills. I know it sounds silly when I say "I haven't really told many people" because I realize I am posting this on a blog that is available to all; however, I am, to many of you, a stranger. I may be someone you just read about and see pictures of. Maybe you know me. I don't know. When I look at the stats from this blog it looks like most of my viewership is outside the US so it is a bit confusing to me. At the beginning of the blog I had a crazy following but as the years have marched on it seems there is a faithful small group that is interested in what I write. All I know is the cash I got was completely unexpected and totally caught me off guard. I have a hard time accepting help. I think most people do. For me, I just wept. I felt completely overwhelmed with gratitude towards whomever did this. For me it allowed me to realize how much the help I have given others over the years is appreciated and that I should do more. As I approach this rough time of year for me - I do hope everyone out there has a wonderful Christmas holiday season.
#gratitude
