Here Comes the Pain Again

The week-end has become the only interjection in my otherwise unpunctuated life and I never know if I will feel well enough to do anything. This week-end was difficult to persevere through the back pain. Once again, it hit me with full force and I had to take one of those dreadful narcotics to leave the house. After a couple of hours, the pain was back and it was difficult to even get out of the car. I ran a few errands and came home. All of this is boring stuff and I'd much rather have something else to write about. I did manage to get the NEH application off in time. I paid $18 for overnight delivery. The clerk assured me it would get to Cambridge by Tuesday, probably Monday. Anywhoooo, I got it done. I even got the Thought Police to write me a recommendation. I was so tempted to open the envelope but I didn't. One of the state consultants told me I should look at the Fulbright fellowships and I checked out their website. Well now, it seems they ask for everything except a pint of blood. I have no problem with the qualifications but I wonder how I would exist in a foreign country and pay the mortgage back home. Having someone rent the house while I'm gone is out of the question. It would be a great experience but it doesn't seem doable.

I took the day off to go to the doctor, all the good that will do. I'm also seeing (D). I took her advice and bought vitamin D. I've been taking it with the giant fish oil capsules and the glucosomine when I can remember to mix it up. I detest the whole business. Waking up this morning was painful. I got out of bed because laying there only seemed to make the pain worse. I desperately want to wake up in my old body again.

The building inspector the lawyer called on will also be here this morning. We are slowly inching toward court.

(M) and I celebrated last week. It seems miracles do happen. I first applied for his disability benefits in 1995 and the Social Security drones sent us a letter saying, yes he's disabled but denied benefits based on my income. He was a minor at the time. We have filed 3 times since then. Each time he was denied based on their determination that he is not disabled. He sent an appeal notice after the last denial (over 6 months ago). We received a letter telling him to come into the Social Security office which he did. He was told they had made a mistake in denying his benefits and that he is eligible. This time, they gave him paperwork and told him the benefits would begin in 4-6 months, including $4,000 in penalty money thay are paying him for exceeding their notification deadline each time he was turned down. When the caseworker called me at work, I was in shock. Well, hold on pardner.....They owe him a smidge more than that. We will be getting an attorney to file for the back benefits which by my calculations amount to hundreds of thousands of greenbacks. Hmmmmmmmm....interesting developments and I will keep Blogger informed of the outcome.