Day 116 Bad News/Good News

I've taken the past few days off to process some information I've received in the last forty-eight hours.

Mortality is a very real, tangible thing.  I was speaking with a woman in line at the pharmacy today. She was in a foot contraption, had a cervical collar around her neck and told me she had a pain management system implanted under her skin. She'd been rear-ended six times in the last year on a rather busy road on our side of town. 

I told her I was quite familiar with the road as I drove it for the past four years and knew how congested it could get. Then she told me the company she worked for.  I could barely believe what I'd heard as she named the company-that-shall-be-named.  She worked in a different division than the one I worked in but had heard of the lay offs.

The lady was just 60.  Hunched over the way she was (she'd had several back surgeries and was preparing for yet another), thin with gray-blonde hair she appeared much, much older.


My closest friend of better than thirty years has been diagnosed with stage four breast cancer. She's undergone a double radical mastectomy.  Currently, she is at home recovering from the surgery.  She has physical therapy three times a day to learn how to reuse her pectoral muscles.  Her attitude seems positive and she is already seeing some good results from her chemotherapy.

Although not nearly as serious as what my friend is going through, I found out a few days ago, that I may have to repeat the Charcot process on my right foot.  The outside of my foot was painful to touch, my foot swollen.  I made an appointment to see the podiatrist as soon as the swelling didn't come down.

He told me that I had a broken toe (the one next to the big toe) and that my foot had been compensating for the break by putting on the walking pressure onto the inside and outside of my foot. I am back in a boot, and in two weeks, he will determine if I have to go through the three month casting process again for the opposite foot.

Mortality.  Seems like once we hit 50 we are reminded of it in so many ways.  I spent an hour on the phone with one of my Michigan friends and learned about so many people who've left our lives. Others that I taught who have kids graduating from high school. Time marches on as much as we'd like to freeze things in our memories and remember them as they were.

All this could be considered rather morbid and perhaps dull, but there have been good things to happen within the past few days as well.

In my little drug experiment I have absolutely nailed the drug causing me so much trouble.  Yes, it was the Levemir.  I did a medical cleanse of a sort and went off all my meds as you may recall.  After twenty-four hours I began reusing my Humalog and making sure my blood sugar levels stayed reasonable.

After a few days it was very apparent I needed to have a long lasting insulin as well as the quick acting insulin taken with meals. I started with 10 units of the Levemir.  It definitely dropped my blood sugar.  Yesterday, I bumped it to 15 units.  Within eight hours I experienced what I will call gastric distress.

A few days ago, I'd gone to a local supermarket with a pharmacy to check on their over-the-counter long acting insulin (usually called NPH). I was told it would cost $175.  Too much for this girl's laid off pocketbook.

The pharmacist told me that the manufacturing company, Lilly, doesn't like to sell OTC insulin in the vials any more because they get better compliance with insulin pens.  Insulin pens are a lot easier to use.  You just count or dial to the number of units you need, and voila, easy dose.  Pens are also a lot easier to carry with you when you go out or travel.  Of course, they are more expensive as well, since you are paying for the more convenient delivery system.

On a lark, today I decided to check out the cost for the NPH at Walmart. They have a generic brand, in the vial, that cost just under $25. I'm comfortable with using the vial and filling a syringe. That is how I'd taken my insulin for years.  I fully anticipate this to go well.

It seems my intestinals are repairing themselves and things are getting back to my old "normal" for which I am grateful.  For the time being I continue to be vigilant, but I really don't anticipate issues the like of which I've been living with for more than two years.

C has been given more responsibility at his job, so he needs to spend some time in training with first shift. I'll take him to work, do some errands and then spend time at the work force site learning and improving skills that appear to be necessary in today's job market (at least if you want to earn more than $11 an hour). 

I'm also taking a class on a site called FreeCodeCamp.com.  I'm not sure if coding is my thing or not, but the courses are free.  Coding is like learning another language, so if you have that sort of aptitude or perhaps are good at spotting errors, it is possible it may be a fit for you.  The courses are demanding. Each takes a minimum of 400 hours (10 weeks full time). However, coders make excellent wages, and the program is set up so you can succeed.  A final project has you developing a site or app for a non-profit organization which helps you build your professional profile.

I figure I have some time to invest and see if this is something I would like to do, or just even know so I can do projects for myself.  Check out the number of free learning opportunities on the internet. MIT has free classes and there are others, as well.

Things are moving ahead for me, despite feeling despondent at times. The dark is still dark, but it seems there is a little more light, and that proverbial end of the tunnel seems bigger and brighter.

One of my great desires is to be of help to my fellow man and woman.  We need each other to help us through tough times, and then to celebrate the wins.

So even though, I had to think about some unpleasant, yet very real things these past few days, I am appreciative of the opportunities I am uncovering.  Learning new things has always brought me joy. I expect no less of the education I am stepping toward.