Back to Work

Monday was my first day back at my paid-job.  Instead of a 10-hour day, my supervisors started me on 4-hour days.  By closing time, I wasn't as tired as I'd expected.  I was, however, surprised that my arachnoiditis flared up as badly as it did.

In spring I hadn't planned to take off time for the wedding this weekend.  But after my hospital trip, I can't push myself and cram loads of activities into a day, thinking, "Oh, it'll work out; this is important; I'll just take it easy the next week."  So I worked yesterday instead.  That way Friday has "only" the rehearsal dinner, and Saturday has "only" the wedding.   After two hours at work, again, the arachnoiditis began to flare up.  I took pain-killers before work and a different pain-killer two hours into my shift.  It still hurt.  This better improve.  If I have to take enough pain-killer to overcome the pain, I'm going to be too doped up to count money. 

Now to figure out:  Does "tiredness" necessarily show itself as sleepiness and a weariness with a desire to lie down?  Or might "tiredness" manifest itself as nerve pain, headaches, throbbing, and a rash?

I keep reminding myself that I have been healing and improving rapidly.  Maybe the nerve pain and the tiredness will improve right along with everything else.  I ought not expect that my body's response to my job will be the same in 3-4 weeks as it is now.

As for doing the job itself, things are fine.  I remember nearly everything.  The tricky parts are the new procedures that developed while I was gone, that everyone else took in stride a bit at a time so that they don't realize, "Hey, Susan, we do that differently now" until I do it the old way.  But those will be worked out a bit at a time until I'm up-to-speed.

It's nice to see old customers, especially when the "regulars" missed me.