Finally Back at the Office!

Lord A'mighty, I hate illnesses!

This has been almost as protracted an illness as I've had. Started about two weeks ago - I guess I first noticed symptoms ... what, last Tuesday, 5/8? - and it almost completely ruined my weekend at Recon.

In retrospect - hell, even in pre-spect, if that's a word - it wasn't a good idea going to Orlando. But I mean, geeez, I thought it was only a cold! Like I almost always get once a year. Throw down some regular meds and a bunch of aspirin, and things are fine, right? Sucking on throat lozenges takes care of the rest. Usually.


Not in this case. I can't remember a time when my throat hurt so badly. Chills and sweats in turn. I thought for certain the tonsils - which I still have - were going to need to come out. That was ugly. Coughing was horrible, nothing coming up, it was like coughing against a brick wall. Zero voice, unable to speak above a whisper, for several days running. Perhaps the worst was the fact that I didn't get any sleep for THREE CONSECUTIVE NIGHTS. Thank God the drives didn't go badly.

But that was scary, that Monday morning after I had returned, when I was worse than ever. Got mum to help me get to the Urgent Care clinic, and got meds to clean up the worst of the nastiness. Felt better that very day (although it did take most of the day for the throat to feel better); and, glory to God, I got some sleep!!!!

Can you believe I caught pink eye at some point while I was up there? That was ... bizarre. I think I may have gotten it from Aiden, but I don't begrudge my visit with Aiden one bit even if I did. I don't get to see my friend enough.

One think pink eye did was keep me out of the office for a number of days longer than I otherwise would have needed to. Offices - especially close ones, like we have - do not like pink eye, and I don't blame them. Highly contagious, it's like the plague. Still, I probably would have been safe to come in if not for Pedro. With a little baby girl, I certainly don't blame him for not wanting me around, and that's okay. Tracy, you see, can work from home!

That's a beautiful thing. While my monitor setup is not as good - the difference of two monitors versus one, even if the one is a beautiful, excellent 19" FPS - my machine and my broadband connection are better than I have at work. And all the software I need to use is online - from the CRM software (TBS) to the customer service software (CSS) to the accounting software (NetSuite), all I need is an online connection and I can do most everything from home that I can from the office. There are, of course, some differences - it's hard to deal with chargebacks and BBB and FCC replies properly, without a FAX and the company printer to work with. And those are primary duties. But it gave opportunities to clean up some stuff and stay on top of enough that I'm not behind or out of the loop.

Anyway, saw a new doctor yesterday (5/21) for the first time. Jerry Ciocan is one of the internists at mum's old work place, Cleveland Clinic. In fact, he's dad's PCP. Now mine, too. Really nice guy. Checked me out, knew what was right and what was wrong, and now I have some fresh scrips that will hopefully finish clearing this thing up in short order. And we'll get healthier as time goes by, because if Dad is any indication he will not waste time straightening me out. (Can you believe my BP was only 120/60 yesterday? Usually I suffer from white-coat syndrome ... but it didn't get me yesterday. Mum wonders if it was due to the illness and the meds accompanying that ... but I don't know. Urgent Care took the BP as well, and said nothing - and they would have if it were sky-d-I-high. Anyway ...)

So, I'm back to work again - which is to say, I'm actually back in the office again. Hallelujah! Back to catching up what bit I need to catch up on. Feels good. Here's hoping we can keep it rolling the way we need it to. I'll hedge my bets, because I'm no dummy; but I like the place, and I like the people. Just to need to stabilize things for the entire company, is all ...

But that's a discussion for another time. Back to work!