greatbear: (old graybeard)
Phil ([personal profile] greatbear) wrote2009-07-07 12:28 am
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Home and health improvements

In spite of losing out on the Provincetown trip, I've decided to use the time for much-needed repairs. Some of these involve my rickety old body. I will be making appointments to have hernia surgery in a few days as well as trying to find out exactly why my Achilles tendinitis has gotten so bad in the past few months that I can barely walk. That, coupled with the fact I eat like a pig and slowly have been losing weight makes me believe there's something else at play here. I'll find out soon enough I hope. I also have to make a dentist appointment (I know it's been more than ten years by now) as well as another trip to my ophthalmologist to see how the glaucoma is doing. Yeah, I'm falling apart big time.

My main issue in all of this is having the time off for the procedures (and accompanying recovery in the case of the surgery) held against me by management. This started many years ago with one particular manager that for one reason or another, disliked me intensely and delighted in making examples of the slightest faults or issues. This put a big flag in my records that to this day seem to haunt me from time to time. Not long ago I heard he had kicked the bucket, and when told this among others in our group I applauded the news and hoped for some really good rot to take place. Yeah, not nice, and shocked some, but as a reference, he got what he had coming IMO. I need to make sure these procedures will not be held against me, and if they appear to, I will hold off and possibly begin some legal action. All I ask for is equal treatment. Sound familiar?

Also, now that these pesky vacations are no more, I have more time to work on stuff. While my eyes might need some work to improve my vision, I can only hope it's as easy as this:

polishedlight


On Sunday while awaiting the final outcome of our trip, I finally did something about the sun-clouded headlights on my Stratus. Both lights had clouded badly over the past nine years, and the right-side lamp had some deep gouges from the time that Mom had gotten run off the road by some mofugger (that I was ready to go find and beat to a pulp) into a row of orange traffic barrels. Some sanding and polishing with my new Baldor two-speed monster buffer, and the things look practically new again. I should regain a noticeable amount of illumination as well.

[identity profile] geometrician.livejournal.com 2009-07-07 05:14 am (UTC)(link)
I'm sorry about your trip. I could feel the heat coming off your post yesterday.

The headlight assembly looks freaking amazing.

Please see someone ASAP about your eating and losing weight. Sooner, rather than later.

[identity profile] greatbearmd.livejournal.com 2009-07-08 03:42 am (UTC)(link)
Walking through the parking lot at the medical center I caught myself looking at headlights seeing how many had glazed over. I was surprised how many there were. And on cars newer and much more expensive than this one.

I sense a side business in the making. ;)

I will be arranging for a full physical soon. It's been ages since I had one. At least my ticker is in decent shape.

[identity profile] sfmini.livejournal.com 2009-07-07 06:42 am (UTC)(link)
After a few tense situations, I hired a employment attorney to write a letter to my employer suggesting it was in their best interest to allow me to get my medical care. They dismissed it until the second letter I commissioned arrived, then they checked with their attorneys and ever since they have been most accommodating.

Funny thing is, they don't really seem to mind that this broken down mess is gone for a couple of hours every so often. They didn't seem to mind the surgeries and broken bones either. Oy

[identity profile] greatbearmd.livejournal.com 2009-07-08 03:35 am (UTC)(link)
I should do the same thing.
(deleted comment)

[identity profile] greatbearmd.livejournal.com 2009-07-08 03:21 am (UTC)(link)
Unfortunately, I think I work with enormous sombreros of asshats.
ext_173199: (Shock!)

[identity profile] furr-a-bruin.livejournal.com 2009-07-08 03:51 am (UTC)(link)
You work in an asshaberdashery!!

[identity profile] greatbearmd.livejournal.com 2009-07-08 04:26 am (UTC)(link)
It's a veritable assfactory!

[identity profile] erstexman.livejournal.com 2009-07-07 01:57 pm (UTC)(link)
Wow - and I thought I was falling apart! Take care of yourself there and stay on top of things!

[identity profile] greatbearmd.livejournal.com 2009-07-08 03:34 am (UTC)(link)
I'm guilty of not taking care of myself until something breaks or falls off.

[identity profile] normalcyispasse.livejournal.com 2009-07-07 02:27 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm no fan of doctors, but I acknowledge their necessity.

On the other hand, that's a damn impressive job on the headlamp assembly!

[identity profile] greatbearmd.livejournal.com 2009-07-08 03:33 am (UTC)(link)
My main gripe with my current medical pursuits is the long delay in obtaining appointments. My GP was booked till late Thursday when I called first thing in the morning on Monday for an appointment, but I went ahead and saw a nurse practitioner later that day since I knew I would be referred away to other facilities anyway. That was fine. The appointment for the ankle made this morning wont happen till next Monday afternoon. I have to make an appointment for the surgery once I put some paperwork in at work since that will result in my extended absence. I'm sure that will take a week or two to put in motion. I've put it off for about a year, I guess a couple weeks more wont hurt.

I did both lights, they look practically new. I took the fog lights out and did them this afternoon, they werent really cloudy, but were rather pitted and sandblasted from being so low to the road. I also had to buff off some paint that came from a huge plastic dropcloth lost by some crew in a pickup that had a lot of wet paint on it. It blew into my lane and I was boxed in, so I plowed through it. I had to retrieve chunks of it from wheels and suspension components once I got home after dragging it for about a mile till it came apart. There's paint on the bumper that needs to be removed and buffed out before I put the fogs back in. I'll then finish washing, waxing and detailing that car. At least at this point in time I can see well at night and can eat off of the engine. lol
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[identity profile] greatbearmd.livejournal.com 2009-07-08 03:19 am (UTC)(link)
That particular manager I spoke so highly of would constantly say (as well as practice) that 'you can be sick here as easily as at home'. Unfortunately, this is practiced by lots of my coworkers, not for any altruistic or 'man of the company' reasons, instead it's to save up on sick time to be used for occasional 'extra vacation' time. So, we end up with stuffy rooms full of Typhoid Marys aerosolizing their germs for everyone nearby to enjoy.

[identity profile] champdaddy.livejournal.com 2009-07-07 06:05 pm (UTC)(link)
...now that these pesky vacations are no more...

Should I ask, are we still on?

(Anonymous) 2009-07-07 09:08 pm (UTC)(link)
YES YES YES YES YES

[identity profile] greatbearmd.livejournal.com 2009-07-08 03:14 am (UTC)(link)
I think Jeff said it best earlier, below.