Health and school
Today Sue backed out of her doctor's appointment so I could get in and see our doctor. I actually think it won't hurt me as far as schoolwork and might actually prove beneficial.
We talked about (1) the "Low Temp" attacks I get, (2) the problem I have with chairs (if they can't rock/lean back and are straight up as far as the back - they're a torture instrument which makes me hurt more the longer I'm on it), and (3) the problem I have with memory - I rarely do good on "fill in the blank" or short answer quizzes/tests because I've never been able to reliably "puke information", even though I studied the material.
He thinks that there may be something in my idea regarding the "Low Temp" attacks... I think it might be related in some way to epilepsy, but where instead of muscles being affected (and loss of consciousness) it strikes the nerves related to balance (and vertigo) plus those related to temperature control and pain. He said he had never heard of that, but that it was possible, especially since I've been taking an anti-epilepsy medicine to help with a couple of the nerve-based problems and it seems to be what stopped the attack. He thought it telling that for the first time an attack stopped within an hour of onset (and half an hour after taking my meds).
He also wrote a letter saying that because of my health, I needed seating that didn't cause me additional pain, to take to school.
The problem is that after all of these years of having the school work with me on dealing with my health issues, now the school is becoming quite inflexible. The chairs in the computer lab leave me panting from pain in 30 minutes (and nauseated shortly after that - I can't concentrate!) and they insist that the seating cannot be modified without "a letter from SDS". It used to be different. Now I have to "PROVE" everything.
My doctor knows enough about people fighting both FMS and arthritis (in my spine, shoulders, and hips) that he knew where I was coming from and that I was "for real" - and made it clear that I NEEDED chairs that would work. So that problem will be licked soon enough at my school. I hate to have to force anyone... it's such a small deal to take a chair out of one of the other rooms in the building and put it in the computer lab, and that used to be a regular thing without question (they were glad to work with me). I'm not asking for something inconsequential... fighting pain like that is exhausting and it's harder to do my schoolwork when I'm exhausted and hurting (and sick to my stomach from pain). Now I've got it in writing. Clear language too.
I've known about this problem for many years, and yeah, before I returned to school it caused fights with business owners (who didn't want me "setting a bad example for their employees by sitting down while working!" - chairs are even banned in a few shops in this state because "chairs make the employees lazy" and yes those are quotes that I've heard several times). I moved from the abusive "work-a-day world" (business world) to academia and now it seems that the problem of "you have to PROVE it otherwise suck it up and shut up!" has moved there too.
I guess I shouldn't be surprised. The school is being run like a business. I won't go there any more... It makes me too angry. Think of the bad things that could happen when a school moves from a higher education model (learning to think - including critically) to a business-like model (OBEY deh boss and SUBMIT TO AUTHORITY!), and you'll understand. I'm picking up more and more of the attitudes I left behind with the churches and found with most of the local businesses.
I'm glad we met this doctor. He LISTENS. He doesn't even push hard because of our weight (I've gained 30 pounds in the last year, because of the lack of time and exercise and unbelievable stress). He understands where I'm coming from. He understood "I'll try to loose weight when it won't mean adding to our misery, as we have enough of that already!" He's helping us push people to meet us halfway and help us cope.
He couldn't help on the memory issue, although he does understand it - he doesn't qualify in areas like that. He suggested I contact the counseling center at USF. I'll give it a try. I don't know if they will help or not - or if the SDS will accept anything from them.
We talked about (1) the "Low Temp" attacks I get, (2) the problem I have with chairs (if they can't rock/lean back and are straight up as far as the back - they're a torture instrument which makes me hurt more the longer I'm on it), and (3) the problem I have with memory - I rarely do good on "fill in the blank" or short answer quizzes/tests because I've never been able to reliably "puke information", even though I studied the material.
He thinks that there may be something in my idea regarding the "Low Temp" attacks... I think it might be related in some way to epilepsy, but where instead of muscles being affected (and loss of consciousness) it strikes the nerves related to balance (and vertigo) plus those related to temperature control and pain. He said he had never heard of that, but that it was possible, especially since I've been taking an anti-epilepsy medicine to help with a couple of the nerve-based problems and it seems to be what stopped the attack. He thought it telling that for the first time an attack stopped within an hour of onset (and half an hour after taking my meds).
He also wrote a letter saying that because of my health, I needed seating that didn't cause me additional pain, to take to school.
The problem is that after all of these years of having the school work with me on dealing with my health issues, now the school is becoming quite inflexible. The chairs in the computer lab leave me panting from pain in 30 minutes (and nauseated shortly after that - I can't concentrate!) and they insist that the seating cannot be modified without "a letter from SDS". It used to be different. Now I have to "PROVE" everything.
My doctor knows enough about people fighting both FMS and arthritis (in my spine, shoulders, and hips) that he knew where I was coming from and that I was "for real" - and made it clear that I NEEDED chairs that would work. So that problem will be licked soon enough at my school. I hate to have to force anyone... it's such a small deal to take a chair out of one of the other rooms in the building and put it in the computer lab, and that used to be a regular thing without question (they were glad to work with me). I'm not asking for something inconsequential... fighting pain like that is exhausting and it's harder to do my schoolwork when I'm exhausted and hurting (and sick to my stomach from pain). Now I've got it in writing. Clear language too.
I've known about this problem for many years, and yeah, before I returned to school it caused fights with business owners (who didn't want me "setting a bad example for their employees by sitting down while working!" - chairs are even banned in a few shops in this state because "chairs make the employees lazy" and yes those are quotes that I've heard several times). I moved from the abusive "work-a-day world" (business world) to academia and now it seems that the problem of "you have to PROVE it otherwise suck it up and shut up!" has moved there too.
I guess I shouldn't be surprised. The school is being run like a business. I won't go there any more... It makes me too angry. Think of the bad things that could happen when a school moves from a higher education model (learning to think - including critically) to a business-like model (OBEY deh boss and SUBMIT TO AUTHORITY!), and you'll understand. I'm picking up more and more of the attitudes I left behind with the churches and found with most of the local businesses.
I'm glad we met this doctor. He LISTENS. He doesn't even push hard because of our weight (I've gained 30 pounds in the last year, because of the lack of time and exercise and unbelievable stress). He understands where I'm coming from. He understood "I'll try to loose weight when it won't mean adding to our misery, as we have enough of that already!" He's helping us push people to meet us halfway and help us cope.
He couldn't help on the memory issue, although he does understand it - he doesn't qualify in areas like that. He suggested I contact the counseling center at USF. I'll give it a try. I don't know if they will help or not - or if the SDS will accept anything from them.