Chats, surplus goodies and winter.

I spent some time in the cirrhosis chatroom last night, speaking with people who have had liver transplants or are the support person for someone waiting for a liver transplant. For the bulk of the time I was the only one there who was actually on a transplant waiting list. Much of the conversation revolved around things that I haven’t yet gotten to, like immunosuppressants. Other parts of the conversation were dedicated to treatments that unfortunately can’t be done for me, like installing a shunt to relieve the ascites. Yet it didn’t seem to matter. I was talking with people who understood from first hand experience what I’m going through right now, and that in and of itself was comforting.

As I write this now (which is several hours before it will be updated to my journal) there is a heavy hail outside my office door. It makes a lovely white noise on the roof above me, and makes me long for a fire in a fireplace and some hot chocolate. I got up from my desk and watched it for a bit. The hail is about the size of peppercorns, and each pellet takes a hop or two when it hits the ground. I’m reminded of sand fleas darting ahead of the waves at the beach. The pellets are little living creatures, hopping about on the ground as if they knew it was too hot for them and they will melt as soon as they settle. I suppose that, after anthropomorphizing the little ice crystals I should feel sorry for their imminent demise, but it actually gave me the giggles. Take that, you last bits of winter ice! Spring is coming, and you’ve been banned from this parking lot.

I was slated to go in for my annual hearing test at work today, but the girl who gives the tests called in sick, so I’ll have to reschedule. I’m curious to see where I stand this year. I do have moderate hearing loss in the conversational range in my left ear, which my doctor suspects is related to the Lasix I was on during my heart ailment period. I am currently on the maximum possible dosage of Lasix for my little liver debacle, and I’m curious to see if this will impact on my hearing or not. I’m not aware of any additional loss, but then I really wasn’t aware of the original loss until a routine hearing test at my work turned it up. Also, last year they failed to release the full results of the hearing test to me; all I got was a summary of findings. I’m hoping I can get my hands on the full test results this year. Call it idle curiosity. I seem to be making a hobby of collecting test results in recent days.

Another glance out the office window confirms what I already suspected. It had gotten far too quiet in here. The hail and sleet have given way to snow. Serves me right for laughing at the hail fleas. They went and called in the reinforcements.

I took all the cookies and candies that I found in my desk purge yesterday over to the mail office, and gifted them to a kid who works in the chemical analysis lab. I know he’ll share the wealth. In return I got three red hot “Screamers”, which can be best described as jawbreakers with attitude. They’ve turned out to be one of the most successful ways I’ve discovered to kill the perpetual foul taste in my mouth. Everybody wins in this trade. I hereby resolve not to allow junk food to accumulate in my desk again. I just wish I could rid myself of these nonsensical cravings. The only craving I have right now is for spring. It is neither nonsensical nor unhealthy, but it appears to be unreasonable at the moment. At any rate, the snow continues to fall steadily, oblivious to my craving for an end to winter.