Breakthrough meds? At home? What is this wonder of which you speak?

Sorry, my bad. I keep wishing I could fix things for you.

You got a shitty ER resident this weekend at an inopportune time. That's not your usual scenario.

There is a formal agreement now, agreed to by my doctor, that a regimen that has never gotten my pain below a 5 is what will happen from now on. Any of the weeks I have started with significantly more pain than a 5 (and there have been a few--5 is a very delicate balancing point) I either miss work or fuck up enough that I wish I'd missed work.

It is possible that suddenly life over a 5 is going to be different from how it's been the last 2 or 3 years. But that and crossed fingers aren't something I'm going to wager my job on. I need a different plan, and I need it really quickly. Because right now, many weeks of history predict next week is going to suck, and I can't afford that. Never mind the week that may follow that one too.

If I had 50+ sick days a year, this might be doable (though I could never take vacation), but it's a little late in this job to negotiate that particular benefits package.

Sorry, my bad. I keep wishing I could fix things for you.

Yeah, me too. I don't mean to sound contrary. Just...hoping for better things for you.

I know I'm being snippy and defensive, but, basically, here's how I peg the numbers:

• 0--mythical beast--I had a day and a half last month. Creepy as fuck.
• 3--hurts, but it's not going to stop me from doing anything at all
• 5 --well, I'll stick to the important stuff, which includes movies and seeing, like 1 or 2 friends
• 7 --the sandpaper has started
• 8 -- not as bad as 9
• 9 -- I'm going to the ER now. I can get home from work,but I can't get *to* anywhere from home under my own steam, and once I get there, I'm not useful. Don't touch me, don't bring food near me, and I dimmed the light and volume for very good reason
• 10 -- I can't go to the ER. It all hurts and I won't be able to make it downstairs to the cab. It was nice knowing you.
• 11 -- 10+explosive puking

I'm not sure of how to convert back and forth to Messrs (or Misses, or any combo thereof) Wong and Baker's scale.

I just can't even imagine.

Damn, I'm sorry, ita. I wish I had something even remotely productive to offer.

Oh,ita. Oh,msbelle. I don't even know what I can say.

So NPR has a headline that says:

A new study shows that among 16- to 29-year-olds, 8 in 10 have read a book in the past year.

Aren't almost 50 percent of those people in school of some sort, where they would have to read at least one book a year?

You don't have to read a book in school!

Dear Ohio, I'm sorry: [link]

It sounds really awful in Ohio: [link]