Downtown Day

I saw the endocrinologist today. It was a disorganized sort of visit. My appointment was for 9 AM, but I didn't see him until 9: 40. Two people (three if you count the baby and his mother as one person) came after I did and saw the doctor first. I didn't really mind, since I had a book.  My stats were 103.5 lb, 59.75", 100/60 bp, 64 pulse. Not too bad. We talked, doctor felt my neck, drew my blood. Then we talked some more, realized we didn't draw as much blood as would be enough for everything we're curious about- too bad. He suggested again that I think about switching from Lantus to Levemir. The blood is going to be used to run an A1c, TSH and amylase levels. For some reason, he was curious about my lipid profile, and I'm not sure if that's being rerun.

Here's something I learned: The lipid profile is usually run fasting because eating elevates the triglycerides, because insulin levels affect the triglycerides. Problem? In diabetics on insulin, just because a person is fasting doesn't mean that their insulin levels are low- they may have high blood sugar or high insulin levels at any time. The triglyceride level is used to figure out how much of the cholesterol is LDL, and how much is HDL.

Another thing I learned: The inflammation markers from June, which were both low, were not at all likely to be inaccurate. Because they weren't both done in one lab: my doctor does the sedimentation rate himself in the office, then sends for the c-reactive protein to be done by the lab. So, so, so. Pretty reliable.

After that I went to the Harold Washington Literary Center. They have a new teen center, which looked pretty neat. I felt a little self conscious about not being a teen anymore, so I didn't go inside. I came armed with a list of books to look at, and a warning to myself to only pick out ten, but I got cranky tired enough that I only checked out eight. I also took a free book (a discard). Having a list of books and where they were made the HWLC experience a little less exhausting than usual- but also a little less magical. So far, I've read two of the books I checked out, both graphic nonfictions. One is called Cancer Made Me a Shallower Person, and I really identified with the parts about dealing with people's reactions, but not so much with the whiny looking for a person stuff. The other one is The Magical Life of Long Tack Sam, which is about a woman's research on her great grandfather, and which was very interesting as a history.

And then I went and got myself a new state ID. I wore a nice-ish shirt and shaved right before going in. I told the guy I wanted my sex changed on the card, and he said, "Oh, did they get it wrong last time?" and I just said, "Yes." And he said, "They do that a lot, don't worry." And I felt guilty, and then more guilty when he said, "You don't happen to have your birth certificate, do you? Or a passport? I can't change this without some sort of documentation," and so I said, "Well, actually I'm transitioning, and I brought a letter from my doctor." So, that was enough and it now says I'm male on my ID, but I didn't enjoy that conversation. I mean, the guy was nice and all, I just felt guilty for how I started out. And when I noticed that he hadn't changed my height (I wanted the height changed from 4'11 to 5'), I decided not to make a big deal of it. When I got my picture taken, I was fidgeting the first time and it was so blurry that I got a retake, which came out better but not as great as I was hoping for. And that was my day!  

Currently Out of Joint: A Private and Public Story of Arthritis (American Lives) By Mary Felstiner see related

I've been very tired the last few days. I noticed it Thursday afternoon, when on my way to my therapist's office I was struggling to keep my eyes open- only anxiety kept me going. Despite falling asleep around midnight that evening, I stayed awake for only a few hours Friday morning before taking a four hour nap, making a book run to the library, coming back home, and falling asleep again. I had supper, stayed awake to read a few books, and went back to sleep. Again, despite sleeping more than eight hours that night, I stayed awake for only an hour or so before going back to sleep. Then I read a bit, played some chess, shabbes ended I went on the computer. I suppose I'll go back to sleep soon. I wonder what's up with my body?

My grade for the class that went with student teaching is in and its an A. I'm torn between elation and frustration. Elation- I got an A, I passed, it's over! Frustration- I got that A for brilliance, not for fulfilling class requirements, and sometimes I wish I was graded on my accomplishments instead of for the brilliance that I can claim no responsibility for.

Looking through the library's online catalogue of books, searching for ones I'd like to read, I keep coming accross books I've already read but hadn't added to my list of books read, so my list is growing faster than I'm reading. The total list is sitting at 607 right now.

Last night I read a book about a guy who donated a kidney to his sister. It was an odd read, partly because this was a type of sibling story I hadn't read before. I've read a lot of sibling stories about growing up with a disabled (particularly cognitively disabled) sibling, or taking care of an adult sibling, but not so much what it would be like to be a college student whose sibling, at home, grows ill, and what expectations arise then. It's also only the second book I've read by a transplant donor. But it was especially odd because of the way the time changes. The book is written as though it was one day (Sept 1, 1996) of reflection on events that happened from 1970 until that time. But the book isn't published until 2000, and then here I am reading it in 2009; the whole thing made me acutely aware of the passage of time. The most suspenseful part of the book was that I figured out early on that the sister had died or else become very ill, and I didn't find out exactly what happened there until almost the end.

Now I'm reading a book about pigeons. It's written like a blog- like it wasn't thoroughly fact checked, just giving you the guy's "I just learned, isn't this neat" kind of reactions. Still not a bad book. Also, since my name is Jonah- Yonah- Dove- Pigeon- it seems sort of like something I should've done before now. Pigeons are egalitarian, monogamous, small and strong. In captivitity, they live about 20 years, in the wild 3 or 4 years, so I guess you could say they are living in the fast lane.

Currently Pigeons: The Fascinating Saga of the World's Most Revered and Reviled Bird By Andrew D. Blechman see related

I went a whole week without a blog post. Eeek!

I did go to the Midwest Trans Youth Conference. Two things I liked were the food (soy yogurt!) and appreciation bags. The way the bags work, you write your name on a bag and maybe add some artistry (I drew my picture) and then tape the bag to the main lodge wall. During the conference, whenever you can think of a compliment or you like something somebody did, you write down what you liked and drop in their bag. Unfortunately, I left my bag behind. I hope somebody is mailing it to me. Also, I performed a sing a long lullabye written about the conference at the talent show Saturday night.

I had a blood draw on Monday that was amazingly painless despite coming from a vein that most phlebotomists find difficult to get blood from. I have another blood draw coming up on Monday at the endo's.

Wednesday I went back to Thirsty Minds Middle School for report card pickup day. I was surprised by the number of fathers there, and particularly by the number of single fathers. I was surprised by how enjoyable the whole thing was. I brought pencils with the times tables on them to give to the students who showed up with their families. I should've brought more pencils. I also should've brought something to keep the younger siblings entertained- I will have to rememeber the little sibs in the future.

Currently Hands of My Father: A Hearing Boy, His Deaf Parents, and the Language of Love By Myron Uhlberg see related

Plans

I was going to develop pictures this morning, but when I got to the CVS, there was a big orange License Revoked sign on one door (with today's date under the revokation date) and a Sorry we are Closed on the other door. There were three people lounging under the awning by the doors, and they looked an unlikely group to be fraternizing; one middle aged Orthodox Muslim woman; one a heavily pierced young (white)man; and the other a stocky guy of indeterminate age and ethnicity. The stocky guy told me they were closed. I asked until when. The young guy said, "Until we get our license back," and the Muslim woman said, "Tomorrow, insha'allah." I would have dearly loved to take their picture but I thought that they'd probably mind, so I didn't. It's funny, they didn't even look like the store employees I know.

I've been whiling away my hours browsing through the library catalogue and making a reading list that will hopefully be all read by the end of 2009. My goal is to read at least 3-4 nonfiction adult books per day from the middle of next week until the end of December. I haven't read at that pace consistantly since I was homeschooling, and I sorely miss it. Can you believe I almost flunked second grade for not being able to read? Guess I got the last laugh.

Anyways, my reading list currently contains about 70 books. I've already put two of them on hold. I will probably let you know which ones turn out to be great.

I finally bought my Greyhound ticket back from Milwaukee (am getting a ride there). I was hoping to put together some poetry for the conference's talent show but the poem I wrote today is about physical pain. I think I'm not going to perform in this year's Night of Fallen Stars either.

Currently Unseen Academicals [Discworld Series] (Hardcover) By Terry (Author); Pratchett see related

Friday was a professional development day and the end of the first quarter for the Chicago Public School Students. It started really well- a staff meeting without much arguing, a math meeting where I could follow what was what (and since we were learning a computer system shared by all of CPS, I was learning something that might be useful to me in my next job). When I went to speak to the principal about my chess club proposal, he said it was great, all he was waiting on was the funding. I pointed out that I'd given an estimate of essentials that kept the price pretty low, and he said that the supplies weren't the issue, it was my stipend. I told him that I didn't need a stipend; he said that it would only be right to give me one. I said that would be great, stipend or no stipend I was in. So, he said he'll get back to me sometime next week. I assume that means that chess club is a go. And maybe I'm getting a stipend!

So, I'll be running a chess club at Thirsty Minds Middle School from Thanksgiving break through Winter Break. I'll be at the school for about an hour and a half each morning. If I get enough applicants (and the other teachers assure me that I will), I'll have two groups of sixteen students each. Each group will meet to play chess twice per week, and then once a week both groups will meet and do chess puzzles. I had assumed that I wouldn't be getting that much student interest, but some of the eigth grade teachers told me that they think I'll get thirty applications from 8th graders alone. So, so, so.

I am particularly hoping that working with students who want to be working with me, in smaller classes, will bring me back to a place where I can enjoy teaching. Because I'm not having a whole lot of fun right now. Four more days of student teaching left! Being there for only an hour and a half should also make sure that I get out and about every day, have plenty of time left over to apply for jobs (or sit around reading, or write poetry, or whatever), and it shouldn't be enough to tire me out. The fact that it's so early in the morning means I'd continue having a problem with evening activities- but so what?

Friday didn't end so well, because mid day we got the announcement that final grades, which we'd been led to believe were due this coming Friday, were due on this past Friday at midnight. So, a lot of folks prepared to stay up 'till midnight. I felt like a traitor leaving at 3:20 to get home in time for shabbes.

I spent the weekend with a mild to moderate pain in my upper left abdomen, around the pancreas. If I'm still having pain there on November 23rd (day of endo visit), I'm going to ask for serum amylase and lipase tests to be run (for pancreatitis).

Currently Magic: The Final Fantasy Collection By Isaac Asimov see related