I went to the ER last Thursday, back pain radiating down my right leg
rendering me incapable of walking.
Two days prior to
this, I had turned in my work release form that would allow me to go back to
work on Monday.
Needless to say, I
didn't go back to work. So here I am again, hurrying up with the paperwork so I
can wait on someone else to do their job while they decide whether or not or
how soon I’ll be able to go back to mine.
These are some
things I have done since the ER visit: knit, make wall tapestries, wash three loads of laundry by myself, and walk
every day. Yesterday I stopped taking the lor-tab they prescribed me to see if
I'd be able to sleep comfortably yet. Today, not only is my back aching again,
but my body is reminding me of all the other aches and pains it usually suffers
with silently on a daily basis. Now, that is some powerful pain medication.
Also, the main difference I notice between being functional and being depressed is my ability to bully or trick myself into doing things I know I need to do. And that's okay. When I'm really doing well, I don't even feel bullied!
Medical history
aside, here are my blog thoughts:
International
Women's Day. Opinion: neutral leaning toward negative. Here's why:
Despite the fact
that there supposedly is a legitimate International Men's Day (November 19th) I
literally just googled it and that is the first time I have ever heard of it,
ever. I couldn’t miss the hype surrounding International Women’s Day if I
tried. That’s just the problem: I know that there is hype; I do not know
anything else about it except what the name of the “holiday” seems to imply: GO
WOMEN! YEAH! WOOHOO!
So, in our politically correct, gender-ambiguous, sorely divided,
kale-eating, gossipy, judgemental of the judgemental, surgery changes gender
country we have two different days to celebrate two DIFFERENT genders. Wait,
what? Oh, yeah, and one day for all the “other” genders. Also, an extra day in
August for Women’s Equality. Oh, yeah, and a Mother’s day and Father’s day. So
I guess we are trying to celebrate everybody at least a couple times each year.
How about scrap all of that and have every day be happy Human Day
and let’s start to acknowledge and serve those around us on a one-on-one basis.
Let’s have every day be a Fair Boss Day where we treat our employees with
respect because they are humans. Capiche?
Now, for my other opinion: there are only two genders. Male and
Female. I’m sorry, but you can’t argue chromosomes out of that one. That’s just
fact. We also have gender-stereotypes that are so deeply ingrained that you
couldn’t give a baby girl a blue blanket without risking offending the mom. My
favorite color right now is light blue. No point proven, just... there.
I have a whole bunch of arguments that tear down
idiotic societal norms. But I’m a little too tired to try and put them all out
there right now. Or even some of them. Just know that we live in a place that celebrates differences
and then denies differences because they are incompatible with equality
somehow.
“Different yet equal” took on some very negative connotations at
one point in our history because “equal” was NOT equal. But:
Different yet equal is a perfect way to describe males versus
females. My husband has incredible strengths and different ways of seeing things
than I do. Which translates to some very wonderful insights for the both of us
and new ideas! We take care of each other. We do things for each other and it
works out.
Different yet equal is a perfect way to describe race versus race.
Me versus the Indian people who live in the next building over. They have
feelings, opinions, lives, goals and heartbreaks. Just like me. We nod and
smile when we pass on the sidewalk. I may never know anything about them except
that one time that lady gave my friend so much delicious Indian curry that my
friend had to give some to me and it was literally the day after I prayed that
someone please, please bring me dinner because I’m in so much pain but don’t
want to ask. It worked out.
Different yet equal is a perfect way to describe friends. Me, who
loves soft yarn to be sure, versus my dear friend who loves this nasty, fat,
fluffy yarn that is a nightmare to work with. She loves it! I hate it! Yet we
both care for one another, we both get together to do the fiber arts and write
and talk and walk. And I give her all my nasty, fat, fluffy yarn! It works out.
“Equality” starts on a
one-on-one level. Do you treat your neighbor as equally kind as you do
yourself? Do you treat your friends even better than yourself? Do you treat
your spouse – your soul mate – even better than that? No? Then stop worrying
about how society is treating… society, and go out there and be kind. We are
different. Do you think God might know how hard it is for someone as corrupt as
a human being to love someone different? Do you think maybe He let us be
different on purpose? The more you have to open your heart to love people who
are different, the more enriching and joyful this life is going to be and that’s
just fact.
