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On 5/1/2022 at 10:33 AM, Tarheel Moneghetti said:

Wife and sister-in-law left this morning for Georgia.  They're going to meet up with a couple of friends and spend two weeks hiking the Appalachian Trail.  Hoping to cover about 230 miles in 14 days.  I'm torn between being immensely proud of them and apprehensive because they seem to be underestimating the degree of difficulty.  My wife has a background in endurance sports and did some multi-day hikes when she was younger and still living in Australia, but that a long while ago.  My sister-in-law doesn't have any experience in this kind of thing.  They're both capable, so It'll probably be fine, but I'll be relieved when this adventure is over.

Update: Wife and sis-in-law have been on the trail for a week now and no one has been eaten yet.  I'm considering that a win.  Lol, actually, they're doing quite well and really enjoying it, which is odd 'cause it sounds like my idea of Hell

Weather has been awful.  Lots of rain, cold, mud, etc.  Past two days have seen torrential downpours and strong winds that blow the rain sideways.  They're somewhat behind schedule due largely to weather, but still covering 12-13 miles (!) a day.  They're hoping a combination of lighter packs and better weather this week will allow them to get back on schedule.  My wife is floating the idea that they could stay on the trail and extra day or two and still cover 230 miles but I dunno that the others want to do that.  There's also the matter of whether provisions could be stretched any further,

I'm extremely impressed and, more importantly, our kids are extremely into this and doing what the can to signal boost for Mom and Aunt K.  The Appalachian Trail isn't an easy hike under ideal circumstances.  Wife and I were hugely into endurance sports when we were younger, and still do the occasional big-city marathon, but this is a whole 'nother level.  The logistics (weather. food, clean water, no showers or change of clothes, etc.) seem more challenging than the actual hiking.

 

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So, after 2.5 years in Tennessee, my wife and I are moving back home to PA. The distance from family was just too much and buying a house in the greater Nashville/Murfreesboro area is becoming more unattainable by the day. My wife has decided that the WFH lifestyle is what she wants. She's just more productive without everyone interrupting her. After helping take her team to the two most profitable (and award winning!) years her company has ever had, they decided that WFH wasn't for them. That made the decision a lot easier. The timing was wild for me, as I saw a posting for what amounts to my old job (they've changed the title and a few of the responsibilities, but it's basically the same) soon after we decided to move. Applied immediately and managed to walk back into the organization getting paid *more* than when I left! She's in the interview process for multiple WFH spots with publishers, so everything seems to be going well there, too.

I'm a little sad that things never really clicked for us in Tennessee, but we moved here in...January 2020. The timing could not have been worse if we tried. I'm not sure we fit in here even if the world hadn't gone to shit, but seeing the local reaction to a global pandemic made us both aware that this was never going to be "home," for us. It was just a matter of time. If I'm being honest, the only things I'll really miss are the food and the mild winters.

The past week or so has been a blur of paperwork and clearances and packing and that sort of fun stuff. We'll be making a pit stop at my in-laws while we look for a place. Not ideal, but it is rent free and they have the space. I'm just happy for a little light at the end of what's been a really dark 28 months or so...
 

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Took my midterms for the 2 college classes I'm taking (Intro to Admin Med Office and Medical Vocabulary). Got 40/50 on one and 50/60 on the other. At the halfway point I have an A (95%) in Med Office and a B (86%) in Med Vocabulary. A C is required to progress in the program.

Edited by BrianS81177
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My summer (well, July) is shaping up to be a banger! Going to Lisbon for 5 days with my sisters, bro in law, nephews and neice, then doing a couple days in Madrid and Paris solo. That's been the plan for the past few months. Today I decided that I'm going to fly from Paris to Kochi, India where my parents will be and spend a week or so with them before flying back to Toronto. I'm soooo freaking pumped ?

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@InfinitThat sounds amazing! I’ve always wanted to take a European holiday, but haven’t had the opportunity. My wife spent a semester of college studying in Spain and her descriptions make it sound that much more attractive. Some day, I hope!

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16 hours ago, Shane said:

@InfinitThat sounds amazing! I’ve always wanted to take a European holiday, but haven’t had the opportunity. My wife spent a semester of college studying in Spain and her descriptions make it sound that much more attractive. Some day, I hope!

This is going to be my first time in Spain and Portugal. Got a few reservations at bucket list restaurants that im really excited to try.

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I think I’m going to put in my resignation at my work tomorrow. I don’t have anything lined up right now but have been looking to get out for a while and things have gotten increasingly unreasonable. My supervisor is leaving for another job and when she resigned she recommended me for her position because I’m the one who works with everyday and understand the program the most. Our department head has refused this but waited until today the last full day my supervisor will be in the office to name a replacement offered it to 4 people who refused and then gave it to someone with less education, experience and time at the agency than me. This is on top of problems I’ve been having with higher management as well.  Think I’m done. I have contacts with people who are willing to hire me if a position opens and I can spend time looking for jobs and having fun with my family in the meantime.

edit: my would be new supervisor will be keeping their old job as well despite just months ago our department head was on me and my supervisor because “new supervisor” had been helping us too much and he needed all his time to do his job.

Edited by Sublime
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7 hours ago, Sublime said:

I think I’m going to put in my resignation at my work tomorrow. I don’t have anything lined up right now but have been looking to get out for a while and things have gotten increasingly unreasonable. My supervisor is leaving for another job and when she resigned she recommended me for her position because I’m the one who works with everyday and understand the program the most. Our department head has refused this but waited until today the last full day my supervisor will be in the office to name a replacement offered it to 4 people who refused and then gave it to someone with less education, experience and time at the agency than me. This is on top of problems I’ve been having with higher management as well.  Think I’m done. I have contacts with people who are willing to hire me if a position opens and I can spend time looking for jobs and having fun with my family in the meantime.

edit: my would be new supervisor will be keeping their old job as well despite just months ago our department head was on me and my supervisor because “new supervisor” had been helping us too much and he needed all his time to do his job.

I don't blame you, but it might be worth reaching out to those contacts first before putting in your resignation. Better to be safe then sorry. Don't want to quit only to find out there's no open places you can go. You can always ask them for a little time to take a road trip with the family or something.

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Just booked a flight to go down and visit my best friend in Arizona  after this quarter ends. I'll be going in mid June which I know is a less than ideal time to go to Arizona but heat doesn't really bug me too much. I've been to Vegas twice for my birthday (which is mid August) and the desert heat didn't really bug me. Been giving more and more thought to moving down there after I finish school. I've just been feeling like a fresh start out of state would be great. My sister, nephews and friends all live here but they all have their own lives to live. I have been seeing someone for a few months now but I don't know if she's the one or not. I dunno, getting out of the dreary Seattle weather and into year round sunshine sounds pretty damn appealing lately.

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7 hours ago, Sublime said:

I think I’m going to put in my resignation at my work tomorrow. I don’t have anything lined up right now but have been looking to get out for a while and things have gotten increasingly unreasonable. My supervisor is leaving for another job and when she resigned she recommended me for her position because I’m the one who works with everyday and understand the program the most. Our department head has refused this but waited until today the last full day my supervisor will be in the office to name a replacement offered it to 4 people who refused and then gave it to someone with less education, experience and time at the agency than me. This is on top of problems I’ve been having with higher management as well.  Think I’m done. I have contacts with people who are willing to hire me if a position opens and I can spend time looking for jobs and having fun with my family in the meantime.

edit: my would be new supervisor will be keeping their old job as well despite just months ago our department head was on me and my supervisor because “new supervisor” had been helping us too much and he needed all his time to do his job.

Hearing about these types of problems at work always have a special way of getting under my skin! I applaud your decision and hope everything will work out for the best in the not so distant future! Good luck!

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7 hours ago, BrianS81177 said:

 You can always ask them for a little time to take a road trip with the family or something.

One of the problems with upper management I mentioned is that I put in a request to use a part of my FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act for those outside of US) leave to spend time with my family since we just had a baby a couple months ago and the law says you can use it anytime during the first year after the baby is born and both my department head and executive director tried to deny it and I had contacted a lawyer to possibly sue the agency, but they were doing this when our HR person was on leave and once she got wind of what was going on told them they can't but now I'm basically at the point of if I was going to take unpaid leave (and was planning on looking for a new job during that time anyway) why go through it all for a company that doesn't respect me

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This is my semiannual PSA telling you all to never trust HR.  They are only there to make sure the company can't get sued by you, to keep tabs on malcontents, and to figure out ways to shuffle malcontents out of the company while keeping the company covered legally.  HR is the illusion that the working stiffs have a voice in the company.  Unless your company is pulling something highly illegal and you are absolutely positive you have the upper hand, you're better off looking for a new job than going to HR to try to get help.  HR works for them, not for you.

Edited by Technico Support
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Oh yeah this is the only time HR has ever been helpful to me and even then I've heard it through the grapevine that they're being subtly hostile toward me as well but they're just bound by federal law to help in this case.

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On 3/25/2022 at 5:45 PM, The Natural said:

 

 

Hey everyone. Time for an update.

I liked my neurologist more this time round and she thought I should go back on the antidepressant I was taken off. I started taking them again on the 10th of March. I noticed a difference particularly week one. I'm getting out more and sleeping less during the day. This Thursday was the start of my third week on them. My Dad, Sister, and my Doctor, Dr Jundi who I spoke to on Wednesday noticed change in me. 

My whole body does ache though from being more active and how my health has declined since the middle of 2020. I had a blood test which found I'm really low on Vitamin D so I've been given some tablets. Started those on Thursday.

Sunday is Mother's Day in the UK. Special occasions are particularly difficult for the meaning of them but it's all the time loving and missing my Mum.

I don't think I deal well with adversity so I'm nervous when that comes knocking again. My Dad's got a big health check this coming Monday, a prostrate exam. Me and my Sister have kept telling our Dad to get checked out and he's relented.

My Wellbeing is a farce getting rung on my mobile phone with a withheld number so you can't ring back and not giving you a set time. My Wellbeing rang at the library, dentists and doctors so I was unable to take it. Like me, my Dad and my Sister say, you've things to do and can't be sat round a telephone all day.

In closing I want to give thanks to posters who have given me messages of support and keeping things I've disclosed to here including posters who are Facebook friends as well. It's appreciated as mental health issues suck.

Love, Paul xxx.

So update time.

On Trazodone since 10th March. Noticed a difference since returning to them but I'm missing that first three weeks effect. I asked if it was a different batch to the one added to my repeat prescription a few weeks afterwards. Me and Dr Jundi made a plan last month, first time we'd physically seen each other in two years due to practice protocols to increase the Trazodone and decrease the Amitriptyline. Were doing that when I speak to her this month. Nervous for that as it'll be my highest on the former and lowest on the latter, an antidepressant I've had for years to help with the nerve pain caused by the Cerebral Palsy. Wish me luck.

My Wellbeing College has been a fucking farce. Been talked up for ages as a useful resource for me. I was inducted, waited for months and started with a therapist called Ben this March. I really opened up about the things I've told you here, the self-help and the suicidal thoughts. Very few people know that. I wasn't sure whether to tell Ben. It's going good until I'm told by him it's an Anxiety course. I said to him that's not right, it's the depression side that needs treating. Will you be doing CBT for depression? Dr Jundi, Dr Wright who I saw for years before she left and my long term pain management doctor, Dr Gupta all said this too. I rarely stand up for myself, I'm right passive but he wouldn't listen so I had to be firmer when I e-mailed him.

I then get a text saying I'm discharged from MWC but I can re-refer if I'd like. Why the fuck would I want to after this? It's no wonder why MWC has a bad rep. Takes a lot to open up to someone and for the listener to listen but it sucks when you don't get the required reply or none at all like some so called friends I've told. Once something's out, you can't take it back. You need to have a connection with the confidant. I've got some books from the library on Depression instead to try and help myself plus stick it to MWC for the shitty service.

Today's exactly a year since we found out Rayven had terminal cancer so it brings it all back but truthfully, the two months leading up to and everything afterwards. Going from it might/might not be cancer but if it is thinking it could be treated to be told its palliative care, fuck. Diagnosed in May at five, just made her 6th birthday in August and passed away in September. Crying as I type this. The day we were told Rayven's diagnosis and the day of losing her were two of the worst days of my life. Losing Rayven was losing family and losing her was worse than losing the vast majority of my human family members. The four worst losses of my life: My Mum, My Grandad who was like a second Dad to me, Rayven and Lisa/GG.

Mental health issues, depression and grief sucks. I've noticed my body has declined the past two years, in more pain. Thanks for your support and hearing me as you do. Further thanks for keeping aspects of what I say to here.

Love, Paul xxx.

Edited by The Natural
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@The Natural You’ve been dealt some bad hands and you’re doing the best you can. You aren’t a a letdown, and I think you maintaining your infectious enthusiasm in your interests and your kind disposition while facing the things thrown at you is an incredible accomplishment that should make them proud. 

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39 minutes ago, Technico Support said:

Best of luck in all this crap, Paul, and hang in there.  I doubt your family or friends see you as a letdown at all.

It sucks when those bad feelings and thoughts hit.  You have tons of friends here.  Feel free to PM if you need to.

 

29 minutes ago, (BP) said:

@The Natural You’ve been dealt some bad hands and you’re doing the best you can. You aren’t a a letdown, and I think you maintaining your infectious enthusiasm in your interests and your kind disposition while facing the things thrown at you is an incredible accomplishment that should make them proud. 

Thank you both, means a lot. I noticed "I feel like a letdown to family and friends" was off when I typed but I still hit Submit Reply. Sometimes we can be so harsh with ourselves. It's trying to cancel those thoughts out caused by the illness I have. Sorry about that. Thanks again. Love, Paul xxx.

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On 5/5/2022 at 1:57 PM, PetrolCB said:

Notched 10 months of sobriety today.

Double digits, baby!

I've also been promoted to shift lead manager at work.

Good things. Proud man.

3 months here today. I know how much work you must have put in. Glad to see good shit happening your way.

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On 5/11/2022 at 2:59 PM, The Natural said:

So update time.

On Trazodone since 10th March. Noticed a difference since returning to them but I'm missing that first three weeks effect. I asked if it was a different batch to the one added to my repeat prescription a few weeks afterwards. Me and Dr Jundi made a plan last month, first time we'd physically seen each other in two years due to practice protocols to increase the Trazodone and decrease the Amitriptyline. Were doing that when I speak to her this month. Nervous for that as it'll be my highest on the former and lowest on the latter, an antidepressant I've had for years to help with the nerve pain caused by the Cerebral Palsy. Wish me luck.

My Wellbeing College has been a fucking farce. Been talked up for ages as a useful resource for me. I was inducted, waited for months and started with a therapist called Ben this March. I really opened up about the things I've told you here, the self-help and the suicidal thoughts. Very few people know that. I wasn't sure whether to tell Ben. It's going good until I'm told by him it's an Anxiety course. I said to him that's not right, it's the depression side that needs treating. Will you be doing CBT for depression? Dr Jundi, Dr Wright who I saw for years before she left and my long term pain management doctor, Dr Gupta all said this too. I rarely stand up for myself, I'm right passive but he wouldn't listen so I had to be firmer when I e-mailed him.

I then get a text saying I'm discharged from MWC but I can re-refer if I'd like. Why the fuck would I want to after this? It's no wonder why MWC has a bad rep. Takes a lot to open up to someone and for the listener to listen but it sucks when you don't get the required reply or none at all like some so called friends I've told. Once something's out, you can't take it back. You need to have a connection with the confidant. I've got some books from the library on Depression instead to try and help myself plus stick it to MWC for the shitty service.

Today's exactly a year since we found out Rayven had terminal cancer so it brings it all back but truthfully, the two months leading up to and everything afterwards. Going from it might/might not be cancer but if it is thinking it could be treated to be told its palliative care, fuck. Diagnosed in May at five, just made her 6th birthday in August and passed away in September. Crying as I type this. The day we were told Rayven's diagnosis and the day of losing her were two of the worst days of my life. Losing Rayven was losing family and losing her was worse than losing the vast majority of my human family members. The four worst losses of my life: My Mum, My Grandad who was like a second Dad to me, Rayven and Lisa/GG.

Mental health issues, depression and grief sucks. I've noticed my body has declined the past two years, in more pain. Thanks for your support and hearing me as you do. Further thanks for keeping aspects of what I say to here.

Love, Paul xxx.

Spoke to Dr Jundi today and we're doing the change, increasing the Trazodone to 100mg and decreasing the Amitriptyline to 75mg. I've just taken both 15 minutes ago. Highest and lowest I've been on both. Fingers and toes crossed.

Dr. Jundi wasn't happy with my treatment at MWC saying she's found it hit and miss for her patients so not just me. It was a bust for my Sister as well. I agreed with Dr Jundi when she said it depends on the person you wind up with forming a rapport or not. I have with Dr. Jundi and her predecessor, Dr. Wright. I actually prefer Dr. Jundi to Dr. Wright. One time Dr. Wright shouted at me which really hurt as she knew I was a self-harmer with suicidal thoughts. I have a scar on my forearm to this day from that action by her. Dr. Jundi said it might be worth giving MWC one last go alongside the books I borrowed from the library.

Thanks again for the support I've had from you. Means a lot.

Love, Paul xxx.

Edited by The Natural
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I'm seriously annoyed with my mother. Short version: There was a funeral in NY yesterday that I couldn't make it to, so she promised to set up a zoom link so that my wife and I could be there in some form. I verify the time with her on Thursday, and we sit around for over an hour on yesterday waiting for a call, text, or email with it. I call her, I text her, I text my stepfather. Nothing. I give up and facetime my sister who tells me that it's already over and they're headed out to lunch now. She goes to hand Mom the phone and she just waves it off. 

 

She calls me three hours later and leaves a voicemail telling me that she found out on Wednesday that the link couldn't be set up and that my aunt had an idea to facetime with out of state relatives but that "didn't work" (despite my sister and I doing it just fine). No mention of the fact that I made a point of asking her the time the night before and her only giving me the time and negelcting to mention that there wasn't anything happening. It's just one more reminder of why I'm so much closer with my dad's side of the family.

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I ended up burning my epiglottis from a brutal vomiting session after another extended drinking binge and ended up going from Convenient Care to the ER where they promptly decided to delay my release for two more days while giving me a CT scan and sticking a fucking camera down my nose, even though the CC steroid shot healed me within the night. While there I was given a "Fall Risk" qualification whereby they rig your bed and body with alarms so you can't do so much as get up to take a piss without someone following you. I was also treated to two separate fellow patients as roommates, one of whom was 56 or so and already on 14 blood pressure meds and countless others (number probably somewhere around his age I think). The nurse changing shifts gave a laundry list of his ailments and he was already suffering renal failure and due for dialysis. He did not return from that, so they put a guy who had some kind of "infection" or "bug" (another nurse's words) in my room who had to put on and re-put on, after he pissed through it several times, an external catheter before he had some sort of surgery involving sutures. The external catheter, to my imagination from what I heard through sound and conversation through the shutters, was something like a pair of pants he had to roll into and tuck in... but then I saw a glimpse of him through the side and it was a guy in what appeared to be a puffy black jacket which made me think it was FULL BODY. 

Never putting myself back in such a position. It's over. Hope I can make John proud. 

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I had a long text convo with my best friend detailing every step of the process in this and it's not only scary because of me, it's scary because of them. Because I was honest about being an alcoholic they took the time to basically imprison me. The nurses were warders/jailers, the bed was a cell, the hospital shirt was hooked up with actual machinery back to actual machinery to make it a straight-jacket with open arms. Seriously, suction cups connected to thick wires connected to alarms. It would be shameful for me to take it to court, so they took advantage of the situation and decided to squeeze my insurance company (and probably my parents too) of whatever amount of money they could get for that short length of time. Even though I had a box cutter and a Swiss Army Knife on the keys in my pocket, I was a warden of the state, a state within a state, for medical reasons. They said "Well this guy's a danger to himself so let's put him up on the ninth floor (Ninth Ward?) and let him order ice chips and then maybe juice and then maybe soft food while we wait to -- haha! -- discharge him." This only lasted like two days total but what the fuck, man. 

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Not getting into details and I don't need any best wishes or anything like that, but does anyone here have experience with thyroid cancer? What does it mean when I read on a website that the 5 year survival rate is around 100%? You'll live for five years with it and then it could come back elsewhere or you can live with it for five years period?

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