Sept 24: general health and life updates
Rather confused: I put a post up last week and it seems to have disappeared into the air. There are changes on the blog site itself which I probably need to pay more attention to.....
So, lots going on. Still on the prednisone, trying to get down to 10 mg a day. Have taken 4 doses of methotrexate, haven't seen any change but it takes 2-4 months to really kick in. Will not be taking this week because I'm in the middle-late phase of one of my 'typical' asthmatic bronchitis attacks. Began suddenly Saturday, I started taking Cipro later that night but it continued to progress. Temps up to 102, nasty chunky stuff being coughed up, and my whole ribcage and back are very painful with all the coughing, despite all sorts of medications. Didn't go to work Monday, won't be able to go in tomorrow. Had to cancel my rheumatology and cardiology appointments for today as was just too sick to leave the house. Haven't been able to use the CPAP, up multiple times a night coughing and hacking stuff up.
On Sept 3 I officially gave notice to my bosses of my intent to leave and pursue disability. It went as well as it possibly could. G, and the others, were rather stunned, as they had no idea how lousy I felt. In preparation I put together a group of pictures showing what I'd given up with the house and car, and all the boxes and mess still left untouched since moving here six years ago as my testament of my fatigue. I pointed out that wen I was in heart failure with horrifically bad pulmonary pressures I had kept pushing through, so they should take that into account now that there is a health issue which is less quantifiable. Inherent to the employer-employee relationship is that they don't pay me to come in and whine, they pay me to come in and work. All were supportive and have promised to work within legal boundaries to assist as much as possible.
Even in the early stages of this I'm already amazed at how complicated this is and is going to become. Trying to coordinate insurance, COBRA, apply for Social Security Disability (can't be done until I'm officially on short-term disability), deal with the company who does short & long term disability, how to handle retirement accounts without taking away all my future security, when making withdrawals makes the most fiscal sense..... At this point just trying to get as much information as possible.
Also coping with the knowledge of how much this is going to affect me financially. It's not going to be easy. While I decreased my mortgage substantially last year with all the extra hours there is still a mortgage, taxes, upkeep, utilities, lawn care, etc that have to be paid for, in addition to now having to pay for my health insurance. I'm very glad for having the rental income, but it's still going to be incredibly difficult. Having assets will probably keep me from getting aid from some sources.
Despite knowing that this is what has to be done to protect my physical health it does come with some very difficult further adjustments. This is, in many ways, giving up being a PA: something that I fought very hard for. I may never work professionally as a PA again. While I'm hoping that maybe with a couple years of rest and recuperation, experimenting with different medical diets (ie anti-inflammatory) and exercising maybe I'll be able to work again, but with two major chronic health issues and all their ramifications it is pretty doubtful.
So exhausted now that I'm retiring to the couch--again. Thanks for checking in, Laurie
So, lots going on. Still on the prednisone, trying to get down to 10 mg a day. Have taken 4 doses of methotrexate, haven't seen any change but it takes 2-4 months to really kick in. Will not be taking this week because I'm in the middle-late phase of one of my 'typical' asthmatic bronchitis attacks. Began suddenly Saturday, I started taking Cipro later that night but it continued to progress. Temps up to 102, nasty chunky stuff being coughed up, and my whole ribcage and back are very painful with all the coughing, despite all sorts of medications. Didn't go to work Monday, won't be able to go in tomorrow. Had to cancel my rheumatology and cardiology appointments for today as was just too sick to leave the house. Haven't been able to use the CPAP, up multiple times a night coughing and hacking stuff up.
On Sept 3 I officially gave notice to my bosses of my intent to leave and pursue disability. It went as well as it possibly could. G, and the others, were rather stunned, as they had no idea how lousy I felt. In preparation I put together a group of pictures showing what I'd given up with the house and car, and all the boxes and mess still left untouched since moving here six years ago as my testament of my fatigue. I pointed out that wen I was in heart failure with horrifically bad pulmonary pressures I had kept pushing through, so they should take that into account now that there is a health issue which is less quantifiable. Inherent to the employer-employee relationship is that they don't pay me to come in and whine, they pay me to come in and work. All were supportive and have promised to work within legal boundaries to assist as much as possible.
Even in the early stages of this I'm already amazed at how complicated this is and is going to become. Trying to coordinate insurance, COBRA, apply for Social Security Disability (can't be done until I'm officially on short-term disability), deal with the company who does short & long term disability, how to handle retirement accounts without taking away all my future security, when making withdrawals makes the most fiscal sense..... At this point just trying to get as much information as possible.
Also coping with the knowledge of how much this is going to affect me financially. It's not going to be easy. While I decreased my mortgage substantially last year with all the extra hours there is still a mortgage, taxes, upkeep, utilities, lawn care, etc that have to be paid for, in addition to now having to pay for my health insurance. I'm very glad for having the rental income, but it's still going to be incredibly difficult. Having assets will probably keep me from getting aid from some sources.
Despite knowing that this is what has to be done to protect my physical health it does come with some very difficult further adjustments. This is, in many ways, giving up being a PA: something that I fought very hard for. I may never work professionally as a PA again. While I'm hoping that maybe with a couple years of rest and recuperation, experimenting with different medical diets (ie anti-inflammatory) and exercising maybe I'll be able to work again, but with two major chronic health issues and all their ramifications it is pretty doubtful.
So exhausted now that I'm retiring to the couch--again. Thanks for checking in, Laurie
posted by Laurie @ 7:42 PM
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