A Day Like Any Other (?)

Seems that despite the chronic pain of TN I am still having normal days. Of course, my days don't involve working at my job or anything productive, but if we adjust the definition of normal for me, then that is a good description. No school for the girls today somehow, and Liz (15 1/2) needs driving experience, especially left and right hand turns, so today she drove me around from place to place and accumulated some country driving and some town driving (hard to call Marshfield a city, really). First we went to the vet and took our new kitty, Marilla, in for her check-up. She's growing just like she should be and she does not have feline leukemia, which was a relief since my sister recently had a kitty who died from it (we loved her,too) and because Marilla was found in the Pamida parking lot before being taken to the humane society.

After that we all (minus Jeff, who works) went to town and visited the bank (drive-through lane skills are important for any driver), the lady who does alterations (hemming for money), Shopko for a return, the (s)Mall for a search for Homecoming shoes (everyone goes as friends this year), CRP Ceramics for two lovely handpainted flowered piggy bank gifts, and Subway for something to eat before Liz shuttled us all over to meet the volleyball bus. Somewhere in there, Laura baked some interesting and tasty sugar cookies (loves to bake and current emphasis is on use of food coloring) and Liz and I "ran lines" for her part in Pride & Prejudice. She is Mrs. Bennet and captures the part very well, I dare say.

The volleyball match was a loss but Liz came home with a new bruise just above her knee. She wants to report that it's really big and already turning purple. Badge of honor.

It was also another normal day of repetitive and really unrelenting electrical zaps, the apparent proof that my medicine is not doing its job as I would prefer. This is when it hurts:

1. when I brush my teeth, wash my face, blow my nose, etc. Interesting and creative adjustments have been made to deal with these necessary activities.

2. when I pull a shirt on or off over my head--don't underestimate the shock and awe of a light tough of fabric brushing over that sensitive trigger zone under my nose and above my upper lip.

3. when I eat--soup is my friend.

4. when I drink--I think I will be getting some bendy straws pretty soon.

5. when I accidentally forget and scratch an itch in that trigger zone.

6. when I talk--loudly or using a lot of hard consonant sounds. I don't know why, but my working theory is that the vibration is bothersome. So I like being quiet right now when I can.

7. when I cry, but I kept that at a minimum today.

I did call my neurologist today and left a detailed message about my circumstances and my need for help with my pain. I did not get a call back. I will call again tomorrow morning.