More Old People Stories

Speaking of Home Depot...

When Rick's company was shutting down, he was obviously losing his job. He was pounding the pavement for months!  He applied for an HR position within Home Depot. 

He needed something. It was for an HR Mgr. While he was a VP of HR, we just needed money coming into the house and a job is a job, right?  Besides, he wanted less stress, and being an HR mgr would definitely give him less stress. (Mind you I was laid off 6 months prior and pounding the pavement too)

He had a phone interview first. Then they called him with a scheduled interview.

He arrived a few minutes early. He sat for 20 minutes. He was ignored. He kept telling them he was there for an interview. Finally, a woman comes out to greet him. 

She laughed and said, "My day has just gotten away from me."  Rick was seething but let it go because damn it he needed a job. So he smiled and said that he sure understood that.

He got into her office and her desk was a nightmare he said. Papers everywhere.

Then she couldn't find his application. He gave her another copy of his resume and she said, don't need it, I need the application. So she moved papers and spilled a pop can on her papers. She excused herself and went to look for it or God knows what.

She returns and says, she doesn't have it and laughs. 

Rick asks if we can move on. She said sure. She asked some questions as did he. 

Then someone comes in and tells her she is wanted on the floor.

She excuses herself and leaves him there.

He waits and waits. It was just at the point where he thought I couldn't work for this nutjob and was about to walk out when she returned.

She asked Rick some more questions and asked if he could start on a particular day and he said yes.  Then she took a personal call. 

He said he thought his head would explode. 

He gathered his things and stood up and she told her friend she was giggling with on the phone to hold. She asked where he was going. He said, "Home"

She asked why. He told her if you are this unprofessional when interviewing and attempting to put your best foot forward I can't work for you. Good Luck.

And he walked out. 

He came home apologizing up one side and down the other for walking out because he knew he'd get hired if she got around to it in the so-called interview.  

I so remember this conversation. A bunch of apologies for telling me the above story. I said, "I know you, you'd never last there and you'd come home and I'd get the brunt of it so I think you did the right thing. We'll figure this out"

So Home Depot is bad every which way to me now.

Enough of them -

I saw another doctor and this one did not make me cry. 

I thought this was my hip because that is where the pain started but it's my spine.

My left leg is numb and tingling most of the day and night. That's fun.

I went to an ortho in November. He said my hips looked great, especially for my age. Okay, then why the pain?  He said I had bursitis on my left hip and it hurt like hell to even touch it. He gave me a cortisone shot and I went to PT as recommended. It got far far worse after that. I couldn't stand up straight, walk far, or sleep on my tummy, side, or back. Which meant I couldn't sleep.

It got so bad that I called the doctor back to see if I could see him again. They said I could but in April. I couldn't wait until April, I begged and said sorry, you can go to the ortho urgent care. Knowing full well that is useless I just continued to cry and eat ibuprofen like pez. I went to my portal and booked a different doctor in the practice. They called to tell me they canceled that appointment because I was Dr. H's patient. WHAT?  I'm in so much pain and you won't let me see another doctor. Well, that was correct. I was pissed.

I then made an appointment with a doctor at Raleigh Ortho.  I don't care for this place, went once but I really wanted help. I made said appointment and got this young whipper snapper who made me cry. He knew this was my 2nd opinion and assumed I wanted opioids. He walked out after telling me there was nothing wrong with my hips. He did prescribe an anti-inflammatory that did absolutely nothing for me.(but I got a blog post of the gymnastic toilet climb)

I came home and said I guess I have to deal with this. But each day it was worse. It's hard to care for someone else when you are in such enormous pain. Rick insisted I go to Duke. So I called Duke. I asked for the soonest appointment. I got in but I had to drive up to Wake Forest. Yuk. Not to Wake Forest, I love Wake Forest and wish I could afford to live there, but the drive, etc. Sitting in the car for an hour each way is not exactly painless.

Today was the day. I swore if he tells me I want opioids I am going to turn into Karen. I thought if I said that first, I was not here for drugs, but to get well, he may not be that accusatory.  What a world of difference. He was so kind. He really listened. We went over my X-rays. We discussed how the pain and numbness have changed and progressed. He was convinced this was my spine.

Funny, that is what Rick's PT, Derek, told me. Derek called yesterday to say he was leaving this PT practice and going to work at a Neuroscience in Duke which is closer to his home in Durham. He asked about my hip. I told him what was going on and he said, "I am not a doctor but this is presenting itself as a spinal issue, please try that kind of doctor." Smarty Pants was right. I'm telling you this guy is terrific.

But I digress...

The doctor today showed me where the spinal stenosis was taking place and causing this nerve pain and numbness down my left leg. He suggested a Med Pack and then a shot (corticosteroid) at the Piedmont Spine Clinic/Duke.  The doctor sent in a referral and I am awaiting the call to get scheduled. 

I hope it's not a long wait. I'm losing my mind. Last night I didn't even sleep a full hour at a time. I can't whine or complain, Rick is the one who is allowed to do that. But in the meantime, it is difficult to care and do the things I need to do.

I've had several back surgeries and I am certain this contributes to a lot of this and the lack of space between the discs especially when he shows me where the issue is on the x-ray. So there ya have it. 

We are not doing much because I can't. But Rick is out of pain, his cortisone shot did him a world of good. He was told by the man who gave him this shot that he sees this a lot when someone gets a pacemaker. The tissue is moved and a pocket is made for the pacemaker and it's pissed. It was moved and manipulated and it's angry and becomes inflamed. He told Rick his was severely inflamed and Rick said he already knew by the pain and the other doctor who sent him there. 

So there ya have it. An old people update you didn't ask for.

I hope that we are back to 'normal' here soon. I hope to then sleep for 12 hrs.

Zzzzzz......😴