1. My birthday was yesterday. I am a person who LOVES birthdays – mine and everyone elses. Unfortunately, not everyone around me feels that way. It was a nice day, though. My dear husband got me a gorgeous arrangement of flowers and he took our children out on Tuesday night to buy a gift – which is a silver chain with three square diamonds. Most of my co-workers were more impressed than I. While I appreciate it and will wear it with pride, jewelry is my husband’s fall back gift. Whenever he has not put any thought into the occasion and waits until the last minute, he forgets the dozen or so items I had said would be nice and runs straight for the jewelry store. See, now I sound bitchy. Onward, then. We did go to one of my favorite restaurants for dinner.
2. I had my initial evaluation on my shoulder last night. The physical therapist that did it was very kind and personable. She asked me a lot of questions and really seemed to listen. After the questions, she asked me to stand and then apologized for what had to happen next. She had me do several range of motion tests, measuring each time. It was excrutiatingly painful! Then she did some strength tests, which didn’t bother me as much, but I did point out that the strength tests should have done first because my shoulder was in so much pain from the range of motion tests. Anyway, she was very good and said that it shouldn’t take too many sessions before they would know if physical therapy would work because it wasn’t strength I needed to work on – just pain free movement. She put a patch on my shoulder that will deliver medication directly into the joint. It seems to be helping as I am not in as much pain today. We’ll see. I have to go back tonight.
3. On a related note, the insurance committee has agreed to look into my claim. Because we are privately insured, the district has the ability to approve otherwise uncovered items. I wrote a letter expressing how it made more sense to pay for limited therapy now than to wait until they had to pay for surgery and more extensive therapy later. Fortunately for me, another teacher in our elementary building just had shoulder surgery this summer and could accurately give a cost on her surgery and therapy. I’m keeping my fingers crossed. Another bit of good news on this front is that the therapist isn’t going to charge me anything until I hear from my insurance company. If they don’t end up covering it, she said they will set up a payment plan for me.
4. Plans for Christmas have begun – because we will be traveling! I am quite excited about this prospect. We will be traveling to Huntsville, Alabama to spend a week with my aunt and uncle and several cousins and their families. I enjoy traveling and I like spending time with my extended family. Hopefully everything works out!
I think that’s all. Oops, time for English class!
And She Breathes... 