The system is down.

Yesterday I reported to the hospital for my Pulmonary Function test, prepared to gee whiz the techs and my doctors once again.  Alas, they couldn't do the test because the computers were down.  Hospital wide.  I rescheduled for Friday and trundled to the Starbucks to wait for my Physical Therapy appointment.

I reported to PT and while I was sitting at the desk for the records person, a young fellow with completely tatooed arms, an earring, tight jeans and a presentable t-shirt (e.g. GEEK) told her that he had to take over her computer for a few minutes, it would back her completely out of what she was doing and he had to do it right now.  "I have 4000 computers to touch so I have to do it right now."  hahaha.  Fortunately the computer next door opened up so he worked on that one instead. 

I overheard him telling that he actually worked for the University in Lawrence, but that all IT types had been called to the hospital because they had 4,000 computers that had to be touched to restore full functioning.  Wowser.  This is when I would be creating a new policy to roll whatever that was out automatically.  I cannot imagine what bug they were dealing with that required individual hands on for 4000 computers!  This would be "the system is down."  (The tagline for my company is "Your System is Up!")

Physical therapy was interesting.  I was a little intimidated by the therapist I was assigned as she was a full 6" taller than me, and all of it was legs.  I didn't want that kind of traction stretching my body parts.  The assessment showed just what I'm experiencing--more tightness in the shoulders, arms and hands than in my legs and lower body.  I have a new sheet of exercises, stretches really.  And they all hurt.  Do each stretch for 20-30 seconds and repeat 10-20 times.  So I can get to 20 seconds, and I can repeat it once.  I'm going to need a large bottle of Myers dark rum to put in my coke to do an entire set of reps. 

It takes 15-20 seconds of stretching for the muscle to remember the stretch.  Ugh.  Ouch.
She also suggested a paraffin bath for my hands.  Which means I have to locate the thing in my garage--probably have to stretch to reach up and get it off a shelf.  Then clean it up.  The general recollection is that the last time it was used, a nameless someone poured the paraffin out...over the sides of the reservoir.   I'm thinking this will at least keep me busy for a while.

Today I see a Nurse Practitioner at the clinic and they are going to check my vitamin D levels in the blood work.  I have quite a list of questions to ask.  I'm still trying to work out where the limits are in the gardening.  Like can I deadhead?  Prune?  Pick produce and flowers?  I have looked up a little bit about this and the best I can tell is that even though my white count is normal, my immune system is still weakened.  There are a couple of specific toxins in dirt that might cause an infection.  But it might be that I can wear gloves and pick stuff up off the top of the dirt as long as I don't disturb it.  I am picking around to find something that I can do outside--I'm just going nuts not being able to do anything.

I have been busy getting computers and networks up and running without glitches for my friend, Brant Tidwell.  Brant had a seizure a few weeks ago and he has something in his brain that needs to come out.  I have a visualization of floating downstream in a canoe that I use, always checking to see if I'm paddling against the flow or with it.  Right now I feel like I am holding on to a root at the side of the river waiting for Brant to get his canoe turned around to go with me.  That's how I feel, not how Brant feels.  I think he has his canoe pointed in the right direction.  I'm saying lots of prayers for Brant and Lucy and the doctors they are seeing.  And holding my breath.

Now, on to the day with the crossword puzzle and a customer project and the laundry.  These are downstream things.
~Cathi