(no subject)
i suspect a substantial, meaningful update is long overdue. then again, not too many people read this, so i guess meaningful and overdue are a matter of perspective.
well, i suppose the biggest and best news in recent months is that i found a job. since october, i've been working as a 220 sander at paul reed smith guitars. prs is one of the leading electric guitar makers in the industry, and so much better than our standing is our reputation for producing exceptional-quality guitars, and for being one of the best places to work on the east coast in america.
i cannot tell you how great it is to work for a company i still respect after being there long enough to learn where the water cooler is, so to speak. the job, itself, is not all that great, and it's still going to take me awhile longer to get any good at it, but i've definitely done worse, more unpleasant things. the benefits are amazing, the people are mostly amazing, and, amazingly enough, aside from the very early mornings (my shift starts at 0700), i don't dread going to work every day.
of course, i'm not sure how much long i'll have my job. see, a few weeks ago, i woke up with some soreness in the back of my right knee. over just a couple of days' time, the pain and stiffness increased, as did the swelling, until it was about the size of a grapefruit. i could not bend it at all, or put any weight on it (which is a problem, since i stand on my feet all day at work). last wednesday, i had to leave work early, and very nearly drove myself to the hospital.
by some miracle, i was able to hold out until friday, when my insurance kicked in and i was able to go to the doctor good and proper. i found out quickly that i love my new doctor (well, nurse practitioner), which is huge and wonderful. unfortunately, she wasn't sure what was wrong, and since it was very hot and obviously filled with liquid, she snagged me an emergency appointment with an orthopedic doctor.
the orthopedic doctor (whom i also like immensely) drained a little over 180 cc, or 6 oz, of fluid from around my kneecap. with a huge needle. needles don't really bug me, so i'm not exaggerating. this was the kind vets carry around, you know? horse vets.
i mentioned the hugeness of the needle (the second one they stuck in my knee, mind you), and the assistant said, deadpan, "oh, you weren't supposed to see that one."
i like her, too.
so, the liquid was supposed to be yellow and clear, and mine was orange and cloudy. dun-dun-dunnnnn! apparently i have too many aggressive white blood cells and exploding red cells in my knee, a veritable antietam in my joint. he was worried about an infection, but the results came back negative on that front on monday.
now, he's thinking maybe it's rheumatoid disease, commonly referred to as rheumatoid arthritis. they're running some other tests to rule out other issues, like lyme disease and cancer, but i think maybe we're on the right track with some sort of systemic arthritis. the only concern is that there is no symmetry, as most of my issues are on the right side of my body. still, after my next appointment on monday, the orthopedic doctor is probably going to refer me to a rheumatologist, so i can work all that out with him.
long story short, i've been out of work since last wednesday, and if this is ra, i'm not sure how it's going to affect me. as a new hire, i could wind up being a liability for prs. i have doctors' notes, so i know they can't legally fire me, but at this point, i don't think i would blame them if they did. we'll just have to see how it goes. i'm just thankful i've been there long enough to receive my medical insurance; all these tests and meetings with specialists would have wiped me out otherwise.
well, i think that's enough for now. i have to run and do some more sitting around being bored.
very important, that.
well, i suppose the biggest and best news in recent months is that i found a job. since october, i've been working as a 220 sander at paul reed smith guitars. prs is one of the leading electric guitar makers in the industry, and so much better than our standing is our reputation for producing exceptional-quality guitars, and for being one of the best places to work on the east coast in america.
i cannot tell you how great it is to work for a company i still respect after being there long enough to learn where the water cooler is, so to speak. the job, itself, is not all that great, and it's still going to take me awhile longer to get any good at it, but i've definitely done worse, more unpleasant things. the benefits are amazing, the people are mostly amazing, and, amazingly enough, aside from the very early mornings (my shift starts at 0700), i don't dread going to work every day.
of course, i'm not sure how much long i'll have my job. see, a few weeks ago, i woke up with some soreness in the back of my right knee. over just a couple of days' time, the pain and stiffness increased, as did the swelling, until it was about the size of a grapefruit. i could not bend it at all, or put any weight on it (which is a problem, since i stand on my feet all day at work). last wednesday, i had to leave work early, and very nearly drove myself to the hospital.
by some miracle, i was able to hold out until friday, when my insurance kicked in and i was able to go to the doctor good and proper. i found out quickly that i love my new doctor (well, nurse practitioner), which is huge and wonderful. unfortunately, she wasn't sure what was wrong, and since it was very hot and obviously filled with liquid, she snagged me an emergency appointment with an orthopedic doctor.
the orthopedic doctor (whom i also like immensely) drained a little over 180 cc, or 6 oz, of fluid from around my kneecap. with a huge needle. needles don't really bug me, so i'm not exaggerating. this was the kind vets carry around, you know? horse vets.
i mentioned the hugeness of the needle (the second one they stuck in my knee, mind you), and the assistant said, deadpan, "oh, you weren't supposed to see that one."
i like her, too.
so, the liquid was supposed to be yellow and clear, and mine was orange and cloudy. dun-dun-dunnnnn! apparently i have too many aggressive white blood cells and exploding red cells in my knee, a veritable antietam in my joint. he was worried about an infection, but the results came back negative on that front on monday.
now, he's thinking maybe it's rheumatoid disease, commonly referred to as rheumatoid arthritis. they're running some other tests to rule out other issues, like lyme disease and cancer, but i think maybe we're on the right track with some sort of systemic arthritis. the only concern is that there is no symmetry, as most of my issues are on the right side of my body. still, after my next appointment on monday, the orthopedic doctor is probably going to refer me to a rheumatologist, so i can work all that out with him.
long story short, i've been out of work since last wednesday, and if this is ra, i'm not sure how it's going to affect me. as a new hire, i could wind up being a liability for prs. i have doctors' notes, so i know they can't legally fire me, but at this point, i don't think i would blame them if they did. we'll just have to see how it goes. i'm just thankful i've been there long enough to receive my medical insurance; all these tests and meetings with specialists would have wiped me out otherwise.
well, i think that's enough for now. i have to run and do some more sitting around being bored.
very important, that.