Also, if dehydration is an issue, I highly recommend making it a standard practice to add Morton's lite salt (or other 50% sodium/potassium blend) to the water you drink outside of meals. It gives you sodium to help your body actually absorb the water you drink and hydrate (versus peeing it all away) and balances that sodium addition with the potassium (those two minerals work in harmony). Note: This will also give you a regular source of iodine, which a lot of people are turning out to be deficient in since the rise of sea salt and the fact that high-sodium processed and fermented foods do not have iodine. I do 1/4 tsp per liter. You don't taste it. If you are hydrating before/during exercise, add 2 tsp of maple syrup for glucose.

Signed,
Listener of too many nutrition podcasts

Or, if you get the right mushrooms, they'll make you pretty high.

Hah!

Timelies all!

It has been a crappy week here so far. Mr. S is now taking the bus home, so the nanny meets him here, and watches him until I get home. The problem is that on the days Gary goes into the office, he doesn't get home until 7 or so.

Monday things were going along smoothly, until Mr. S asked me to refill his water bottle. I went down to the kitchen and when I came back he had locked himself in the computer room and called 911. Once he let me back in the room he decided to go outside. I followed, to watch him. After a while he decided to start running down the sidewalk.When I followed, he threw dirt and plant debris at me. Gary got home as Mr. S headed further away. Gary followed after, and that's when the cops showed up. Eventually they tracked him down, but he was still being disregulated, so Gary took him to the ER.

Yesterday was a similar story, except he locked me out of the house(we had a latch installed high up on the door, which he flipped. I could unlock the locks, but not the latch). He then called 911 and claimed there was a fire. Many fire trucks showed up, and they had to break down the door. The door is still attached , but the window was completely broken. They found Mr. S, handcuffed him, and took him to the ER, with Gary following. I stayed home and waited for the door repair people. They cleared out the rest of the glass and covered the area with heavy cardboard.

And to top off the shit sundae, Mr. S spit on one teacher and hit another when he got to school, so he was suspended for two days. That included today, as the nanny had to pick him up around 10.

I just don't know what we're going to do...

Oh, Sheryl. I’m sorry. That must be so hard. I wish I had some kind of answer or anything remotely helpful to offer.

Sheryl, tons of ~ma to you, Gary, and Mr. S. You must be exhausted. I hope that you will find something that will help Mr. S. and yourselves as much as possible, as soon as possible.

One of my bosses texted me this afternoon and let me know that Monday was retroactively my last day, because they want me to be rested and refreshed for my new adventure. I think they really think they are doing me a favor.

I’ve started a list of Things I Will Not Text Back. My favorites so far are “Cool, are you going to fire [your son] for his own good next, since he can’t seem to show up at work when scheduled?”

And, because one of them asked me for feedback on how they could be better bosses, “Your feedback is: stop treating your employees like children who cannot and should not think for themselves.”

I’m giving myself tonight to rage and sulk, like the child I apparently am.

Whoopsies, killed the thread.

Feeling better mentally and am recalibrating to focus on what I can do. I let my old boss know I’m available for small projects, messaged a bookkeeper to get my past taxes filed (and I hope a refund on the way), and plan to start selling/donating/recycling the stuff I’m not taking. And clarified with my ex-employers that my health care will continue to the end of the month, when I’ll go on COBRA for June (which had already been discussed).

Get started on the transition to COBRA now, don't wait, so that it will be set up in time for your June medical expenses.

My experience with the transition to COBRA was not a smooth one.

The company that my ex-employer uses for COBRA took most of a month to get the enrollment packet to me, and required me to return the completed forms by USPS. They required me to send in my first payment by physical check, also by USPS. Only once that had cleared was I allowed to set up an online account for electronic payments.

The delays were a nuisance. I had to re-schedule several appointments. I managed to not get kicked off my clinical trial, but I was worried about it for a while. Fortunately, I had enough meds on hand that I didn't have to go without before I had coverage for refills.

One of my bosses texted me this afternoon and let me know that Monday was retroactively my last day,

I wish this were not such a frequent result of getting notice. After some time has passed you might send a thoughtful note on how they could improve processes. Moreso, I hope you are so busy and engaged with your new position that you won't find the time. The new job is such a good fit that I am excited for you, and them.

COBRA, ick. I always hear awful things. Going on Medicare was just dandy for me. Insert rant about our healthcare system. DH is hating his current plan but can't find anything he likes better. Our old PCP retired. I'm pushing my son and his GF to get on the NY state system, which seems much better than the national plans. Like many young people, they have zero health insurance.

After some time has passed you might send a thoughtful note on how they could improve processes.

Or, you know, don't. You don't owe them anything. If they want your advice on how to not be shitty employers, your consultancy rates start at $1k/hour.