I'm Tired.....

I'm guessing this is part of the post-surgery recovery process, but I'm tired! REALLY tired. By three o'clock in the afternoon, I'm ready to go to bed! After I pick up the kids, all I can do is sit on the couch. I don't even have enough energy to cook dinner for them. The poor kids have eaten chicken nuggets for about two straight weeks, now!

One of the problems that people run into after this surgery is not getting enough protein to get energy levels up. I'm pretty sure I'm getting in the appropriate amount of protein. Anyway, I sent an email to the online support group to get some input. I'm also still having some pain....I think mostly from the hernia, but not totally sure since all the surgery was around the same area. At least I'm off the heavy duty narcotics and controlling it with Tylenol. Add to that the fact that I got my period yesterday, so period pains are back. Lovely.

This has been a challenging year. I seem to have had one health challenge after another. Nothing major, thank goodness, but when you add them all up, it gets exhausting. Let's start back in June. I broke my foot. Into the cast for three months. When I got out of the cast, the plantar fasciitis started to come back with a vengeance. Then I got a viscous flu bug which lasted three freakin' weeks. Then Shingles. Then the plantar fasciitis got worse. So bad, I couldn't walk at all on that foot. So, back into the cast. Then the double whammy surgery. I'm ready to be a new person...or at least back to normal!

I'm also tired of fighting stupid battles at work. I seem to hit one brick wall after another when I want to do something and there have been several instances of this this year. I sometimes feel like there is some sort of target painted on my forehead that everyone can see. I've lost a lot of motivation to go above and beyond around here. Since I'm tenured, I think that's okay. I will continue to do what I need to do but am now starting to focus more on the things that are more important to me. I guess no one said I had to love my job. I envy people who do. I think part of it also is that I don't think I'm a typical academic, so it's very difficult for me to find people I would like to befriend. Maybe that's just something that happens as we grow older, anyway. But, it's times like this when I miss having my family close by.

Oh, and the bill. I got the bill from the hospital. Not sure it's complete yet. They just sent me a letter telling me the total so far and letting me know that they will be submitting it to my insurance company. How much do you think it was? Now, before I tell you, let me say that the hospital does a really good job at making sure the surgery will be paid for by the insurance company before actually performing it. Thank goodness for that, but I'll feel better when I get the official word. Okay, the number was........over $63,000! Holy shit! How can anyone without insurance afford to get sick? Yikes.