PT, new glasses, and more crochet
1st. I haven't filled my Ampyra Rx yet because I have to have my neuro download the Ampyra application which has to have all my insurance information on it, and send it back to them. They then will find out how much my insurance is willing to pay for the drug and go from there. Hopefully they will have a patient assistance program that at least pays the co-pay, because there is no way their "Special Pharmacy" is going to take my DSHS coupon to pay for it as it does for meds I pick up from my own drugstore. Heck, even when I order from the mail-order pharmacy at my insurance I have no way to use my coupon. So I only get things from them that have no co-pay, and am charged only minimal shipping.
2nd. I can understand why Ritalin is a controlled substance. It fights fatigue better than anything I've ever tried, like several Grande Lattes, but without the jitters, and that is at half my prescribed dose! I'm liking this stuff so far and I've only take three tablets -- on PT days.
3rd. PT and homework compliance. I think I've gone from an F to a D to a C, which, while not good, shows steady improvement. After PT on the 25th, we went to Sears to make an eye appointment and look at frames which meant walking at least a block each way. This takes me a small while, so I counted it as my 15 minutes of exercise for the day. Friday too, as that was my eye appointment. So I will be getting some nifty new plum colored half rim frames with wide arms; Ultra thin and with progressive lenses. Expensive? Yes. But I will be ordering my reading glasses on-line, and save a bundle there. [DH's idea, not mine, but we'll see how it goes.] Saturday I did my Roll-for-control exercises. Sunday I slept too much and so it was a bad day all around, then when I got up Monday I wasn't walking very well, so I did 5 rounds of Roll4Control and yes - I felt better! Walked better too.
3rd/B. I think taking the Ritalin on PT days makes me a little bit feisty. When Shannon sets the Nu-Step on 3, I tell her to go up a notch and we'll see how it goes. She sets the Shuttle at 4 bands and I suggest 5 - so we do it. (I think I'll stay there for awhile, though. The Shuttle means quad presses - my weak spot.) I've increased the arm cycle thing to a 5 also, and I felt it, but not for more than a few hours. What kicked my ass on Monday though was ten minutes on the recumbent bike - my idea. "What's that used for?" "It's a recumbent bicycle - good for leg strength for people with balance problems; also good for ankle rotation." That's what got me. So I slid in and gave it a go, and the going was slow, but I did complete ten minutes on it, though I don't think I really am ready for it yet. My quads are too weak.
When we left, I felt like I had drunk a can of Whoop Ass, but I was walking taller, if a bit slower. And remember, I went to Sears right after! I'm certain I would have been sleeping after I got home if it weren't for the Ritalin.
4. Sleep. My fucking sleep schedule sucks. Being nocturnal doesn't present a problem when you have few appointments, but when you have two or more places to be in the early afternoon, it makes it tough. Also, I tend to want to roll over and take in an extra two hours if it is the least bit cold out - which it has been this week, off and on. But this is the never-ending-story.
5. Crocheting is coming along, as is my family. I am expecting three new babies in the family in the coming months and plan to crochet baby hats and blankets for them. I have two hats done, and just started a blanket tonight, but found a mistake early in the first row and had to rip most of the row out. Must learn to check my work more often, eh? My nieces are each at three corners of the country! - NYC/ Anacortes, WA/ and West Central CA. One girl and two boys are expected. Cousins so very close in age, and who will hardly ever get to see one another. Hell, their parents are cousins/siblings and rarely get to see each other either. More's the pity. And so very different from their parent's (my) generation, who grew up within three blocks of each other and went to school together.
Except for me, of course. I was the baby if the family, and by the time I hit high school, they had all begun their adult lives - went off fighting a war, moved to different houses, moved to different nearby cities - and I was the only one who was left at home. Oh well, such is life.
Good Night, TTYL, and Be Well,
2nd. I can understand why Ritalin is a controlled substance. It fights fatigue better than anything I've ever tried, like several Grande Lattes, but without the jitters, and that is at half my prescribed dose! I'm liking this stuff so far and I've only take three tablets -- on PT days.
3rd. PT and homework compliance. I think I've gone from an F to a D to a C, which, while not good, shows steady improvement. After PT on the 25th, we went to Sears to make an eye appointment and look at frames which meant walking at least a block each way. This takes me a small while, so I counted it as my 15 minutes of exercise for the day. Friday too, as that was my eye appointment. So I will be getting some nifty new plum colored half rim frames with wide arms; Ultra thin and with progressive lenses. Expensive? Yes. But I will be ordering my reading glasses on-line, and save a bundle there. [DH's idea, not mine, but we'll see how it goes.] Saturday I did my Roll-for-control exercises. Sunday I slept too much and so it was a bad day all around, then when I got up Monday I wasn't walking very well, so I did 5 rounds of Roll4Control and yes - I felt better! Walked better too.
3rd/B. I think taking the Ritalin on PT days makes me a little bit feisty. When Shannon sets the Nu-Step on 3, I tell her to go up a notch and we'll see how it goes. She sets the Shuttle at 4 bands and I suggest 5 - so we do it. (I think I'll stay there for awhile, though. The Shuttle means quad presses - my weak spot.) I've increased the arm cycle thing to a 5 also, and I felt it, but not for more than a few hours. What kicked my ass on Monday though was ten minutes on the recumbent bike - my idea. "What's that used for?" "It's a recumbent bicycle - good for leg strength for people with balance problems; also good for ankle rotation." That's what got me. So I slid in and gave it a go, and the going was slow, but I did complete ten minutes on it, though I don't think I really am ready for it yet. My quads are too weak.
When we left, I felt like I had drunk a can of Whoop Ass, but I was walking taller, if a bit slower. And remember, I went to Sears right after! I'm certain I would have been sleeping after I got home if it weren't for the Ritalin.
4. Sleep. My fucking sleep schedule sucks. Being nocturnal doesn't present a problem when you have few appointments, but when you have two or more places to be in the early afternoon, it makes it tough. Also, I tend to want to roll over and take in an extra two hours if it is the least bit cold out - which it has been this week, off and on. But this is the never-ending-story.
5. Crocheting is coming along, as is my family. I am expecting three new babies in the family in the coming months and plan to crochet baby hats and blankets for them. I have two hats done, and just started a blanket tonight, but found a mistake early in the first row and had to rip most of the row out. Must learn to check my work more often, eh? My nieces are each at three corners of the country! - NYC/ Anacortes, WA/ and West Central CA. One girl and two boys are expected. Cousins so very close in age, and who will hardly ever get to see one another. Hell, their parents are cousins/siblings and rarely get to see each other either. More's the pity. And so very different from their parent's (my) generation, who grew up within three blocks of each other and went to school together.
Except for me, of course. I was the baby if the family, and by the time I hit high school, they had all begun their adult lives - went off fighting a war, moved to different houses, moved to different nearby cities - and I was the only one who was left at home. Oh well, such is life.
Good Night, TTYL, and Be Well,
May the force be with you as you deal with the Ampryra application process.
ReplyDeleteThe PT sounds like it is really working out for you glad that you are sticking with it! Nothing motivates like results.
Plum colored glasses I so could not pull that one off! Are you posting a photo when they arrive? Or maybe a link to a pic of em. I do not know why I always get excited when getting new glasses. Because I usually wait so dang long to get my eyes examined - hence it means I will see better and well I dunno vanity for a lack of a better word.
Crochet away - somebodies gotta do it LOL bet the little hats are going to be darling and appreciated.
jan
Hi Webster,
ReplyDeleteGood luck sorting through the paperwork/insurance stuff for the Ampryra. Maybe you're used to it, but every time I have to go through paperwork like that it just confuses me.
Best,
Marty
Glasses on line! Why didn't I think of that. I'm trying some reading glasses on line.
ReplyDeleteHi Jan, Yeah PT is going good, but compliance with home exercises is still not stellar. I hadn't thought about it, but maybe I will post a before/after with the new glasses. I have 2 out of 3 hats done, but didn't like the pattern for the blanket I started so I guess I will pull it out and start over on something else.
ReplyDeleteMarty, What I am opposed to more than the paperwork is what it represents: Pharmaceutical Company Greed. They set a price of over a thousand dollars a month for a drug whose ingredients cost less than $40 (without the time release formulation), then they check your insurance info and "negotiate" a price, then send you to one of their "contract" pharmacies to get the drug. Never mind that the regular stuff at $40 w/o time release is also made at special compounding pharmacies. It just smells fishy to me.
Diane, you have to have a recent prescription and you need your PD # (pupillary distance) which the optician who fits the glasses can give you. You can find more information at http://glassyeyes.blogspot.com/
Thanks for reading everyone, and commenting. I love comments.
Having no PE class this week has really forced me to dig in and force myself to do some of the exercises that I so do not like! My compliance has also not been "stellar" either.
ReplyDeleteBefore and after pics that would be good.
How bout some photos of your hats?
The whole Ampryra deal is an example - kind of like Judith Sheindlin's title Don't Pee on My Leg and Tell Me It's Raining (not endorsing the book ok just saying the title fits).