Well that's unexpected

[cornerofmadness]

My parents are on vacation. Dad called me to ask a medical question. I wonder if my brother wasn't available. I'm not usually his first call.

I was talking to spikesgirl58 about my arthritis feeling better in the cold which is atypical. There is a reason for it. Most people feel better in the warmth because when we're warmer (it's half the reason to warm up your muscles before heavy exercise) the synovial fluid in our joints is less viscous and reduces friction. Cartilage swells and provides a more effective cushion. In my case heat affects me badly and it swells TOO much causing jamming and pain.

However the transition between hot and cold is hard for me and yesterday was a high pain day. Now that's it's cooler I'm fine. But one of the hardest things medical people face is convincing arthritic patients to move. It hurts. Yeah no shit, we know that. However, I think we do a poor job of explaining WHY moving is needed.

As we move we compress the cartilage and squeeze the wastes out of it (cartilage has no blood flow which is why it doesn't heal and it gets its nutrients from diffusion from nearby blood vessels and from the synovial fluid. When our weight is removed, cartilage absorbs synovial fluid like a sponge taking in oxygen and nutrients (just lifting the leg is a help for example). Without exercise, cartilage deteriorates more rapidly from inadequate nutrition and waste removal. So yep sitting there saying it hurts is actually making it worse. Once we get moving, the cartilage swells and the bones rub less. But it is hard to convince people of it.

I should have just spent the last 8 weeks slamming my fingers in a car door, it would be less painful. So I have THREE 8-week online classes. They ended last week and this week is finals but Blackboard is tied into when the class ended and REMOVED all three classes before the finals could be given.

As if that isn't bad enough, you CAN change the end date which I did but because the end date was last week it keeps defaulting to it. You can't STOP it according to IT. What the actual fuck? I have spent the last three days putting the classes BACK up every hour or so.

Tomorrow grades are due in and so what does IT do? Roll out some new major infrastructure updates and now Blackboard is inaccessible. You know, that place where the online grades LIVE. How the fuck am I supposed to finish my gradebook to input grades tomorrow without it.

Can you hear me screaming

And the day started with my Direct TV box not working (thank god unplugging and replugging it in worked)

Comments

[alexseanchai]

Blackboard what

IT what

[cornerofmadness]

i wish I knew. SO frustrated