And now for something completely different

I had to brag last week at work, so I went into my friend’s office.

I need to brag, I told her. She said OK.

So I started: I fell in the bathroom …

That’s as far as I got before she interrupted: That doesn't sound like much of a brag.

It gets better, I said, and continued: I fell, but because of the bath mat I now carry to give me extra traction when I transfer, I was able to pull myself up. 

YAY me!

But she was dubious. It sounds like something horrible happened, but it just turned out not as horrible as expected.

Well, yeah, I agreed, adding that that qualifies for a brag in my book.

She got on board then and gave me a fist-bump.

Can you hear me now? Nope

I thought lack of hearing is supposed to be depressing, not hearing aids, but I am really struggling with the hearing aids.

I went back last week because there was no change in my hearing. They replaced the domes that carry the sound into my ears. Originally, they were open, which they hypothesized was letting the sound leech out.

Things are clearer now, and the key word is things, like the creaks of my chair. People are no better. They might be louder, but I can't understand them.

This is the nature of my hearing loss. I can hear, but my brain can’t translate them.

I asked the doctor up front if these hearing aids helped with this type of hearing loss. She breezily said they do.

Now I am not sure.

Unexpected day off

I missed work yesterday, but it wasn't my fault ... completely.

One of the capsules I take each night sort of controls my unruly bladder. I say sort of because it only sort of works.

But yesterday it didn't even have a chance to sort of work.

When I tossed it into my mouth, I apparently missed. In the morning, though, Fame did not miss.

The animal poison people said she'd be OK, but I was concerned about being at work, or anywhere without a urinal.

Anyhow, I am blaming Fame.

Tears on my pillow

I cried myself to sleep Thursday, the day i got hearing aids.

Not because they didn't work, which they don't, but I know my brain has to adjust to them.

Not because they make my ears itch like crazy, which they do, but again, it's an adjustment.

It was because they ought to have a warning label:  If you have dexterity problems, don't even think you'll be able to use these.

I can't put them in, change the batteries and more. They come on automatically and adjust automatically. This is a good thing because I can't use the power button, the volume button or the one that switches between settings.

I don't think they get much better; I know my dexterity won't.

PT, or Party Time

Yesterday I sat on a 65-cm exercise ball and didn't fall off! Granted, my new physical therapist was holding on to me, but still ...

I am quite pleased with the PT. She seems quite smart and fun and kind. She teaches at one of the local PT colleges and was recommended to the PT student who  works with me and asked his adviser if she knew of any good neuro PTs.

She is also working on getting me a new chair. She just rolls her eyes at a lot of stuff on my current chair. It would make me laugh more if I wasn't stuck in this bad chair.

I really like PT,  having people who understand your limits  but still push you to improve.

Now I just have to convince my sister to let me use the exercise ball when my student comes over.