RR content? - Off sick again / the greedy bastards

I managed to go all month nearly without taking off work. Most Engineers take off about two trips a month. I missed four trips in August do to some fatigue and vertigo issues. I've been under the weather and I think it may be my medicine making me sick. Still, I probably could not work at all without it so, Oh Well.

Of course it might be that I lost 6k in my 401k in one day today... that would make anybody sick!
Wall Street is now officially recognized as the world biggest casino. They no longer sell stock in manufacturing companies. they now sell stock in finance. True. The biggest industry in America is Credit. When, I was a kid it was GM then Exxon, now it's credit. The Greedy Bastards - sounds like a rock band.

RR content (kinda) - this is realy stupid

This is really stupid... I'm not going to offer an opinion on what part.

I got stung by a bee a few days ago... again... it's the second time this summer. I've figured out I'm slightly allergic. Before the fever I wasn't allergic to anything. If I don't take some benedryl, I'll get some mild hives. The bee sting was right in the web of my hand between my thumb and made it difficult to use the thumb. I have had muscle and joint aches like a mini-flu too.

I had to lay off work... If I had my bosses job, I would have not even mentioned it. They consider it an off duty injury.
Now that I'm better, the RR wants me to get a return to work OK from the Doctor...

It's all unbelievable... I'll miss 3 trips because of this.

The tendency of Blog

I don't add to the Blog much other than RR photos 'cause the tendency is to bitch about stuff. I mange to keep pretty quiet about stuff on the RR that gripes me but I've been sick again (CFS is a roller coaster, but not much fun) so here goes...

And I hate getting older.. At this point I don't tolerate the schedule (or lack of) an Engineer anymore. I have little energy, less exhilaration, etc. OK, I feel better - <- note... this was edited... it was just too much... see!

Well, at least I don't have a beer and a remote in my hand... If I could just get away from the stupid computer it would be great.

Today I went to the airport to watch the Fire Tanker airplanes today... that was it, I didn't do one thing other than that.

Is Chronic Fatigue Real?

Here I am awake at 013am. I'll need to take a pill to sleep... I took a pill this morning to stay alert today. I will go to work about this time tomorrow so It's better to sleep in tomorrow (or today really) I'll get up about noon probably.

Yesterday I rode 9 miles into the wind on my bicycle to get the motorhome out of storage. Then I mowed the yard for the first time this year... we have had a cool spring....

Ididn't believe in Chronic Fatigue Syndrom until I began to get better. The symptoms of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome are real, but I refuse to believe that we have to live with it the rest of our lives. It last so many years that it gets to be a lifestyle... I ready for a change.

I have felt like crap for the last two weeks but I felt terrific today. Is it possible to be Bi Polar Physically? I call it the Roller Coaster. TAll are remnants of the fever. At least my moods aren't so up and down as they were right out of the hospital. I never thought I was depressed but I sure would get frustrated from being soooo tired allll the time. My new doctors ( I fired all the men Docs) are now treating me for "Shift Workers Syndrome". Everything is a syndrome nowdays.

My job is killing me as I get older. I'm on call 24/7.
This health setback didn't help.

And, I'm on the lineup to go to work at 0400... I was first on the lineup at 2330 yesterday, then 11am then 0100, then 0300, then 0400. This is typical... are you sure you work like to be a Locomotive Engineer?


About 10 years ago I had a fever for nearly a month that included a stay in the hospital and the loss of about 4 years of memory. It also has trashed my short term memory and still affects my sense of smell and taste. I'm lucky 'cause the Doc figured I would not get my sense of smell back. A fever of such duration causes brain damage and can be irreversible. The fever commonly triggers Chronic Fatigue Syndrome... not something you want to have and still drive the train for a living. It's been a long haul but I'm finally having more good days than bad days now that the Docs are approaching this from another angle. I got pissed and asked her (the doctor) to either send me home and tell me to stop whining or do something! She gave me a drug called Lyrica for nerve pain witch promptly gave me hives and caused some tingling and I still have ultra sensitive spots on my body.... Never guess where... A bad drug. She also gave me Provigil to stay alert.. kind of a Ritalin for Adults! Also Ambien to sleep... not AmbienCR... it sucks... and don't get generic Ambien. Synthroid for low Thyroid. No side effects from anything but the Lyrica. The Provigil makes me chatty and that can be annoying.

At anyrate, I have fought Chronic Fatigue for over 10 years and I think I'm finally getting better. Laying on the couch becomes a never ending cycle that becomes a lifestyle. The doc wants me to lose 23lbs in the next year. She also wants me to exercise at 75-80% of my max heart rate (140) for 30 - 5 days a week.

I did 1 hour at 125-140 bpm today.
9 miles.
Avg speed 9.9
Max speed 18.
I weighed 228 last week and 223 today.

Tennis tonight from 6-930
I weigh 222 tonight... I'll eat a tiny piece of cake... we went over to see our little grandson Connor and Maggie has been in a class to decorate cakes.















Tomorrow (May 1) I'll have exactly 4 more years to retirement.