So a shout out to my daughter Lisa who turns one year old today. Well technically she turns one at 11:57 pm.
So Happy Birthday baby girl! 🙂
Another Year
Well, I haven’t blogged it a while. Lots of stuff happening, trying to get settled into the new place in South Knox County. Also trying to get into a rhythm with the new job. And going to doctors.
In the midst of that Christmas happens. We decided to spend Lisa’s first Christmas with as much of the family as we could, which was stressful, but worth it. But that was a week of solid travel and I don’t think we’ll be doing that again. 🙂
My job has been in slow motion almost since I started thanks to new university wide web templates that were supposed to be done in November. After much delay the templates should be released next month. Added to that there is some question as to what department I should be reporting to in the library. But hopefully that will be resolved soon as well.
I think I’ve finally got the right combination of doctors, we seem to be making progress in improving my health. This is thanks to finding a family doctor who listens (purely by luck). He in turn is referring me to good specialists.
Once my life settles a bit more, regular blogging should resume….. (I hope)
Update on work, life etc.
We’ll I’m moving to South Knox County, extreme south, almost in Seiver County. Stephanie has more on that. We’ll be moving in the next week or two. Work is okay, still attempting to carve out my territory, a problem with any new position I guess.
My health stinks at the moment but at least I can afford to go to doctors now. In fact I’m going to the doctor tomorrow afternoon. I’m getting tired of this, I haven’t felt well in months, except for a few days here and there, like the last time I posted. I just need to string more of those days together…
Maybe I’ll feel like blogging more sometime soon.
Update on my drug habit…
Thought I’d use that as a title to see how many people would read the whole post. 🙂 I’m talking about baclofen, what were you thinking?
Anyway, the switch back to baclofen appears to be going well. Aside from being skin and bones, which I’m working on fixing, I’m in better health than I’ve been in several months. I can eat again and I’m probably moving around that best I have since before the the wreck. (3 years ago and some change for those keeping track) So far far so good…
White and Nerdy
Anybody else consider White and Nerdy to be their theme song? 🙂
Back on Baclofen
Well it’s been a while but I’m back on baclofen. My previous experiences of 18 to 24 months ago didn’t go all that well, so I’ve been hesitant to try it again.
I tried dantrolene, but it can cause liver damage and while it didn’t make my sleepy like baclofen might again, it really messed with my GI tract. So I’m back to baclofen. I’m going to be a lot more careful with it this time, slow and careful to try to figure out a good dose. I went a little crazy last time with doses. Baclofen overdose is bad, baclofen withdrawal is worse.
A few months after the wreck, January 2004, the neurosurgeon who fused my neck, suggested a baclofen pump. This puts baclofen directly into the spinal fluid which minimizes side effects. But it’s costly and sometimes dangerous, even life threatening if the pump malfunctions or you accidentally run out. In any case the pump is only a good idea if you don’t respond at all to the pills, so I think the neurosurgeon was jumping the gun just a bit.
Anyway we’ll see how baclofen round two goes.
Three years
Well it’s been 3 years since the wreck. And I think life is just now stabilizing. Since the wreck I’ve gotten engaged, married, and welcomed my daughter into the world. I’ve dropped out of 2 Ph.D programs and gotten a full time job. I’ve moved several times and will hopefully move for a last time next month. To quote Indiana Jones “It’s not the years, honey, it’s the mileage.”
And speaking of years, I’m now 28. Funny, I feel like I should be about 58.
Sad day
Saw in a post from the UH Alumni site, that Mr. Kilgore, a great history teacher and one of my favorite teachers at UH, died Saturday. Here’s hoping he’s in a better place still telling bad jokes and coming up with plenty of new puns. 🙂
Definitely headed back to Knoxville
July was a quiet month in Library Monk blog land, but a busy one in real life. I’m officially out of MU’s SISLT Ph.D program and our house is for sale.
I’ve accepted a job at Hodges Library, IT Technologist III in Library Outreach. We move in to a leased townhouse on the 25th and I have orientation on the 28th.
Anybody want to help us pack? To any Knoxville folks you’re welcome to help us unpack.
Potentially headed back to Knoxville
I’ve applied for a job in Knoxville. No, I’m not going to tell you what it is, you think I want everybody applying for it? 🙂 It does tie in my web design skills and library background nicely and I hope I get the job.
I’ve tried the PhD thing twice now, once at UT and currently here at Missouri. It’s really not for me. But if nothing else comes along I’ll finish out my assistantship here and possibility even finish the PhD if I can keep myself motivated that long. But I’ve determined academic research isn’t for me, I’d rather be out there doing something.
Stephanie is applying for jobs both here in Missouri and at UT. So who gets a job where and when determines who moves back to Knoxville first. But we’ll both be in Knoxville eventually along with Lisa and all the critters.
Wish us luck. 🙂