Saturday, November 17, 2007

I'm Not Cynical - It's Clinical!

Early last week I had blood drawn for a scad of "geeze, that bastards getting older" tests, as a part of a general physical exam.

The doc told me at the time that he strongly doubted any issues of clinical depression but he didn't want to venture any further opinion with some labs. Turns out he was right on the depression side, and his eyeball/handson diagnosis that he declined to share was pretty good, too.

I've got a thyroid issue. Probably hereditary, but easily identified and easily treated through a one - a - day medication.

I wasn't able to pick up the scrip but the OTL did. Whenever we start a new pharm we always get feedback from our pharmacist. When she asked about this stuff, that gentleman warned her to warn me that I should brace myself for change:

Within a week, my weight should stabilize and begin to decrease.

Within a week, my sleep patterns will begin to return to something more normal than they are now.

Within a week I should notice a decrease in lethargy and perhaps improvement in mental acuity.



Wow. Each of those boons would be cool by themselves. I am praying most for release from the lethargy, with winter coming on and all.

What a fine day this is. I hope that yours is going well, too.

Saturday, November 10, 2007

Snapshot

I need to fill in a few blanks opened up by the " Lassitude" post.

I didn't do much of anything that I'd planned. I never in my life had such an incidence of depression as that what began on my first big day off last Friday morning and then intensified through the weekend. I would never, ever wish the state I descended to on anybody else, ever.

I managed to get out on Saturday with the my wife and oldest daughter to the Gem Show. I did go gold panning for a few hours on Sunday, with the results of just a few colors for about six or eight pans. Didn't work on the rifles at all. Didn't go shooting. Monday I barely managed to get out of bed, and was back in it before eight p.m.. I had to leave work early Tuesday and Wednesday. Saw my Orthodontist on Thursday and was diagnosed with a return of the upper jaw bone infection that the surgery of July was supposed to have addressed. Once I had a few days of the antibiotics behind me the lethargy and ill ease cleared up (mostly) and I am now pretty much back up to normal cruising speed. I went ahead and touched base with my GP on Monday and had some bloodwork done to backstop the Ortho's diagnosis. Little chance that my funk was clinical in any classical sense. Doc thinks it was probably the infection since the depression came on like gangbusters then went away just as quick once I started the antis. The blood work package is what any relatively healthy middle aged guy would get with a physical, plus a Lyme disease panel since I work in the mountains.

Silver linings:

The One True Love and I haven't smoked in over eleven weeks. If you know a smoker who is trying to quit, by all means tell him or her about Chantix. No adverse side affects here but for a few vivid dreams. Okay, and I've picked up a wee bit of weight (that I expected to and accepted in advance) that makes me a tidal hazard in this solar system.

Happy Birthday, Chesty, Wherever You Are

November 10, 1775. A bar in Boston. A recruiter.

And the rest, as they say, is history.

The United States Marine Corps has survived courts-martialed Commandants, misguided presidents, offended functionaries, and questionable priorities...

... and still, after 232 years, continues to triumph over any adversity and all enemies .

Happy Birthday, Gents, and have a pink gin on me.