Friday, October 01, 2010

Lower stress levels make life more fun

Alright, here's the deal ... the last few weeks have been up and down and all over the place for me.  My stress level has hit high points and never really allowed me to relax.  I quit sleeping as well as I usually do when I'm at the cabin and I just plain didn't like it!  I haven't had trouble sleeping since those long days at Insty-Prints when I worried about everything!  Those long nights were spent with the television on in an attempt to drug myself with pure pablum so I would just drift off.  I kinda liked getting back to a normal sleep cycle.

You've probably read about my frustration level with the lack of professionalism from a couple of my professors.  I can't bear it when I don't have a way to judge the worth of my work.  And I can't bear it when there are expectations laid out for me and the authority that has put them out there won't stand up and follow them.  It's not easy being an old lady and knowing that I shouldn't actually put up with that crap. 

So, that was stressing me out.

Then, poor Max had a doctor that was just being an idiot.  He's had some health issues - slammed into the hospital a couple of weeks ago and when the doctor was continuing to tell him that he wasn't getting any better (though he obviously was) and still needed to have a surgical consult (which had happened in the hospital and the surgeon had said 'no way - this doesn't need to happen) AGAIN, my stress level began going through the roof.

After his last appt. with his doctor on Wednesday, Max knew it was important that I talk to the man.  I did and was disgusted when he began flip-flopping on information that he had been giving Max over the last two weeks.  I caught him in two lies and when I began questioning his method of therapy, I could hear the frustration in his voice.  I am not a stupid woman  and I've lived long enough to know how a lot of things work.

But, just to be sure, I called one of my best friends from high school who is a pharmacist ... and another brilliant woman.  I knew that if I could just get some good information, I could proceed, even if it meant putting this stupid doctor on the block and knocking his head around a little bit.  She gave me great information which was enough for me to formulate several plans of attack. 

Max got scheduled for a surgical consult, but walked in there with a slew of information.  Fifteen minutes later he walked out after having been told by the surgeon that he was fine, there was no need for surgery and that everything was going to be ok.  He didn't need the information, he didn't need several plans of attack.  A bright man recognized the stupidity of the original doctor and assured Max that things were ok and that yes, there was no need to worry.

We'll never use that guy again ... ever!!!  And to make it even more entertaining, one of the other doctors in the original office will be seeing Max from now on. 

Max feels better that the specter of surgery has been lifted.  My stress over that stupid situation is gone and I can finally concentrate on being happy and positive again!  Stupid, stupid doctor.

It didn't help that I read THIS article on CNN.com the other day.  Don't be a 'good' patient.  Ask questions. Demand answers that make sense and don't let anyone get away with anything if you think its a bad idea.

I'll be glad to manage all the stress that I have to manage, I'm just glad that sometimes it is short-term and not long-term.  The whole getting 100% on everything I do for school is making me a little stressed, but I'll get past that - just need to be able to accept that 95% is good.  (thank you very much, Dad!)

You know, it's really a good thing that my friends recognize my insanity and love me in spite of it all.  I really am a bit crazy, I guess.

And I'm thankful that God doesn't just upend me in front of a moving train (though I keep reading articles about people dying on train tracks - what in the world is up with that?).  He's patient with my craziness as well. 

So, I'm feeling grateful and fortunate this evening.  I have most of my coursework done for the week.  Ok ... well, I'm going to be parsing nouns and verbs all weekend for Greek. (muahahaha - I'll explain that all to you one of these days.)  Out of all of my classes, I love Greek the most even though it is the one class that just makes my head hurt. 

Ok ... enough rambling for the night.  Time to make some supper and relax with a good book!

No comments: