Well, I had a good talk with L. today, the fed rep in charge of my region. She made me feel a little more secure about keeping my position, and it sounds like she had some words with my supervisor, C. They must have come to the agreement that the hiring process would take too long and they should just wait out my medical leave. I am still distrustful, however, so I am exploring other options. If I do lose the position I’ll be looking in both Kauai and Oahu. I suppose I should consider moving home to MN, too, but I really don’t want to. I love it here.
As for L. and C.'s cooperation, I would say that L. has been very understanding and flexible, and C. tried for a while but is running out of patience. I guess I don’t blame her much as it is a long time into my service and I have been appointed since the end of August... so I only got about a month of work in before the accident. I haven't made much progress for her. She is allowing me to work at home for the time being and as long as we can figure out how to make due with me coordinating things from bed, it will be okay. Yesterday was hairy... I had a huge fight with her over the phone because she was doubting my doctor's notes... she wanted to call my doctor and talk to him! Please. I don't think so. There is nothing to clarify. The notes are very specific about his instructions to stay in bed. L. talked to her yesterday and calmed her down a bit, though, as today was a little more professional and calm. I was ready to let her have it on the phone if she went into it again, but she didn’t so I held my tongue. I suppose initializing her firing me would be bad. I really just want to quit, though. So bullshit to be accused of lying when I'm in such a compromised position, with EVERYTHING to lose! I'm going to continue to fish around for other job opportunities just in case, but hopefully this blows over, I can finish my year, and find something real. Ugh. I just want this to heal so I can get back to my life. It sucks not playing derby, not being able to even go to the grocery store, not being able to even leave my house! Even my dog is suffering. He can’t even get walks right now. My roommate could be more helpful, but she isn’t... and in the end, he IS my responsibility. Still. Poor dog. He’s crawling the walls just like me!
I have to cook meals with my leg up on the counter and rely on my roommate to fetch me things from the store. I have gotten the hang of having this handicap, but it is really inconvenient and disheartening. I thought my wrist was feeling better so I took the brace off for a few days.. but the ligament damage is still giving me a lot of trouble. I was in a lot of pain after simply transferring a dirty sauté pan to the sink with that hand! It is very possible that I will need some physical therapy to get back the strength in that wrist, which is scary for me as a sculptor. Not only am I having trouble with work, but I can’t do the sport I love OR have an outlet with my art form! This is the most miserable few months of my life.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Monday, November 8, 2010
Day 34
I just had an argument over the phone with my boss. She’s infuriating. She doesn’t seem to understand why I can’t go back to work, even though I have submitted four doctor’s noted with specified instructions to stay home and elevate my foot. She wants to call my doctor, which I think is absolutely unacceptable. She has no right to talk to my doctor, does she? Am I wrong to oppose that?
It’s like she’s trying to test me to see if I’m lying, and it drives me crazy. I’ve done everything she’s asked of me. I’ve done all of the busywork she has assigned-the data entry, the email correspondence between her and other committees and students, everything. This is leaving a really bad taste in my mouth. Her distrust causes me to distrust her right back. I’m trying to follow normal procedures and doctor’s orders without jeopardizing my recovery, but at this point I do just want them to fire me and get it over with. None of this is my fault. I didn’t choose to get hit by a car on my way to work, and I certainly didn’t choose to have 2 months of bed rest. I’m in a bad spot right now and she’s putting unnecessary pressure on me to tell her something I can’t.
Dad thinks I should let her talk to my doctor, but I still disagree. I don’t trust her not to misconstrue something he says and say that he told her it was okay for me to go to work, when he clearly told me no and put it in writing. There is nothing to clarify and no confusion on the matter. I think my dad’s main argument is that it makes me look suspicious to deny her that, but I don’t think she has any right to hold conversations with my doctor, and I also don’t know how that might compromise my lawsuit or if it would do damage. I can’t get a hold of my lawyer, and it’s been 3 business days.
It’s like she’s trying to test me to see if I’m lying, and it drives me crazy. I’ve done everything she’s asked of me. I’ve done all of the busywork she has assigned-the data entry, the email correspondence between her and other committees and students, everything. This is leaving a really bad taste in my mouth. Her distrust causes me to distrust her right back. I’m trying to follow normal procedures and doctor’s orders without jeopardizing my recovery, but at this point I do just want them to fire me and get it over with. None of this is my fault. I didn’t choose to get hit by a car on my way to work, and I certainly didn’t choose to have 2 months of bed rest. I’m in a bad spot right now and she’s putting unnecessary pressure on me to tell her something I can’t.
Dad thinks I should let her talk to my doctor, but I still disagree. I don’t trust her not to misconstrue something he says and say that he told her it was okay for me to go to work, when he clearly told me no and put it in writing. There is nothing to clarify and no confusion on the matter. I think my dad’s main argument is that it makes me look suspicious to deny her that, but I don’t think she has any right to hold conversations with my doctor, and I also don’t know how that might compromise my lawsuit or if it would do damage. I can’t get a hold of my lawyer, and it’s been 3 business days.
Friday, November 5, 2010
So Many Disappointing Appointments
Timeline for Kelly Thune
10/5-Accident on morning commute to work
10/5-Begin medical leave through 10/11
10/12-Returned to work before pm Doctor’s appointment
10/12-Doctor’s appointment
10/13-Medical Leave reinstated through 10/20 :(
10/21-Doctor’s appointment, Medical Leave reinstated. Returned to work to collect things and discuss events, assigned work from home.
11/4-Doctor’s appointment to re-assess injuries, recovery, and possibility of returning to work
11/5-Medical Leave reinstated through 12/5 with permission to work from home and orders to keep leg elevated. Permission granted to attend Americorps conference in Oahu with compression wrap and elevation, specified in Doctor’s note.
12/6-Next Doctor’s appointment to assess and discuss surgical options if necessary. :((
10/5-Accident on morning commute to work
10/5-Begin medical leave through 10/11
10/12-Returned to work before pm Doctor’s appointment
10/12-Doctor’s appointment
10/13-Medical Leave reinstated through 10/20 :(
10/21-Doctor’s appointment, Medical Leave reinstated. Returned to work to collect things and discuss events, assigned work from home.
11/4-Doctor’s appointment to re-assess injuries, recovery, and possibility of returning to work
11/5-Medical Leave reinstated through 12/5 with permission to work from home and orders to keep leg elevated. Permission granted to attend Americorps conference in Oahu with compression wrap and elevation, specified in Doctor’s note.
12/6-Next Doctor’s appointment to assess and discuss surgical options if necessary. :((
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
October 5th Changed Everything
Funny how in just a split second, your world can fall from underneath you, sending you face-first into asphalt. Literally.
Motorcycle collision October 5, 2010
Riding 790cc Triumph 'America' into the Kapaa roundabout intersection at approximately 7:15am on my morning commute. Equipped with DOT approved helmet, proper eye protection, leather jacket, long pants and riding boots. Entered roundabout where no other cars were present after yielding at sign, making my way round the circle to hook onto bypass road. After passing the second yield sign at the foot of hill to my right, I looked over my shoulder in time to see an off-white vehicle speeding directly into the side of my motorcycle. The hood of their car was so close that I touched it with my right hand. In that split second I realized the vehicle was about to hit my right rear tire, so I jackknifed the handlebars of my motorcycle and laid the bike down onto the asphalt to avoid being thrown into the windshield of the vehicle, putting the motorcycle between myself and the vehicle. The bumper of the car hit the tire of the motorcycle instead of my body, which
catapulted the bike with great force towards the ground. I lost consciousness briefly from the impact and awoke to find that I could not move due to the weight of my motorcycle on top of me. I was being coaxed by a man to lie still and provide him with my contact information. The ambulance crew arrived quickly (perhaps due to a time lapse from blacking out) and they proceeded to board me on a stretcher and treat me as if I had a spinal injury. All proper protocol was followed by emergency personnel and I was taken by ambulance to Wilcox Emergency Room. Complete x-rays and a Cat scan were taken. I was treated and released at approximately 11:30am. Injuries suffered include a broken left hand, severe abrasions to left hand and left knee, facial bruising around eye and left cheekbone, as well as bruising from left knee down to left foot. Bruising on leg is severe enough to require elevation to avoid blood clotting. I have missed one week of work.
"The beauty of life is, while we cannot undo what is done, we can see it, understand it, learn from it and change. So that every new moment is spent not in regret, guilt, fear or anger, but in wisdom, understanding and love."
Motorcycle collision October 5, 2010
Riding 790cc Triumph 'America' into the Kapaa roundabout intersection at approximately 7:15am on my morning commute. Equipped with DOT approved helmet, proper eye protection, leather jacket, long pants and riding boots. Entered roundabout where no other cars were present after yielding at sign, making my way round the circle to hook onto bypass road. After passing the second yield sign at the foot of hill to my right, I looked over my shoulder in time to see an off-white vehicle speeding directly into the side of my motorcycle. The hood of their car was so close that I touched it with my right hand. In that split second I realized the vehicle was about to hit my right rear tire, so I jackknifed the handlebars of my motorcycle and laid the bike down onto the asphalt to avoid being thrown into the windshield of the vehicle, putting the motorcycle between myself and the vehicle. The bumper of the car hit the tire of the motorcycle instead of my body, which
catapulted the bike with great force towards the ground. I lost consciousness briefly from the impact and awoke to find that I could not move due to the weight of my motorcycle on top of me. I was being coaxed by a man to lie still and provide him with my contact information. The ambulance crew arrived quickly (perhaps due to a time lapse from blacking out) and they proceeded to board me on a stretcher and treat me as if I had a spinal injury. All proper protocol was followed by emergency personnel and I was taken by ambulance to Wilcox Emergency Room. Complete x-rays and a Cat scan were taken. I was treated and released at approximately 11:30am. Injuries suffered include a broken left hand, severe abrasions to left hand and left knee, facial bruising around eye and left cheekbone, as well as bruising from left knee down to left foot. Bruising on leg is severe enough to require elevation to avoid blood clotting. I have missed one week of work.
"The beauty of life is, while we cannot undo what is done, we can see it, understand it, learn from it and change. So that every new moment is spent not in regret, guilt, fear or anger, but in wisdom, understanding and love."
Monday, August 23, 2010
A month of Transition
Want a juicy opening chapter to an adventure novel?
The end of a journey.
The beginning of a journey.
Saying goodbye to year-long friends and my 2nd derby league.
Parting ways with a lover, my heart shredded by failed attempts to gain his trust and commitment.
Joining a 3rd derby league, newly formed and absolutely green.
Taking a leap across the ocean yet again, this time landing in Kapaa, Kauai.
Wow. What a crazy ride this is gonna be...
My future is wide open.
The end of a journey.
The beginning of a journey.
Saying goodbye to year-long friends and my 2nd derby league.
Parting ways with a lover, my heart shredded by failed attempts to gain his trust and commitment.
Joining a 3rd derby league, newly formed and absolutely green.
Taking a leap across the ocean yet again, this time landing in Kapaa, Kauai.
Wow. What a crazy ride this is gonna be...
My future is wide open.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Sobering Tragedy
Have you ever had someone die in front of you? That happened to me a few weeks back, on my trip back home. Life altering.
Fatal car crash. My family and I arrived on the scene after hearing it near our cabin at midnight.
Teenagers.
Two dead, two alive.
I've seen what cancer can do to a person. I've watched someone slowly die that way.
I watched my grandpa eventually die of emphysema (actually, the day after the car crash, we spread his ashes in the lake).
But young kids? Oof.
I kept surveying the scene... it looked like a movie or NCIS or something... so it was a trip to comprehend it was real. Imagine your favorite crime show being real in front of you. Two dead teenage boys, scissored underneath the car, the roof peeled back to reveal one live girl standing on top of one of the dead boys, huddled in the fetal position. She had no idea. One girl still strapped into her seatbelt in the back, deliriously trying to orientate herself. The two boys... poor boys. Unnatural rag dolls, not wearing seat belts.
I'm still having a hard time sleeping.
My family felt so helpless... nothing we could do but keep the two live girls from moving until the medics arrived. All of the EMT, First Aid and medical background of my family, and all we could do was talk to them.
Those girls didn't know what day it was... just their names and where they were from... which is something, I guess.
I keep trying to write about it... but I don't get very far.
This tragedy really changed my perspective.
I think about all of the stupid shit I've done, and miraculously, I'm still alive. With all of my appendages.
I could have ended up like one of those kids, you know... but somehow I didn't... and that astonishes me.
Fatal car crash. My family and I arrived on the scene after hearing it near our cabin at midnight.
Teenagers.
Two dead, two alive.
I've seen what cancer can do to a person. I've watched someone slowly die that way.
I watched my grandpa eventually die of emphysema (actually, the day after the car crash, we spread his ashes in the lake).
But young kids? Oof.
I kept surveying the scene... it looked like a movie or NCIS or something... so it was a trip to comprehend it was real. Imagine your favorite crime show being real in front of you. Two dead teenage boys, scissored underneath the car, the roof peeled back to reveal one live girl standing on top of one of the dead boys, huddled in the fetal position. She had no idea. One girl still strapped into her seatbelt in the back, deliriously trying to orientate herself. The two boys... poor boys. Unnatural rag dolls, not wearing seat belts.
I'm still having a hard time sleeping.
My family felt so helpless... nothing we could do but keep the two live girls from moving until the medics arrived. All of the EMT, First Aid and medical background of my family, and all we could do was talk to them.
Those girls didn't know what day it was... just their names and where they were from... which is something, I guess.
I keep trying to write about it... but I don't get very far.
This tragedy really changed my perspective.
I think about all of the stupid shit I've done, and miraculously, I'm still alive. With all of my appendages.
I could have ended up like one of those kids, you know... but somehow I didn't... and that astonishes me.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Budget Travel, Island Getaways
I've been putting on air miles, despite my ridiculously small paycheck. Hit up Maui for a roller derby bout, then flew to the Big Island the next weekend for a little rest and relaxation. No regrets. Soaked up the beautiful beaches and tropical settings. Saw naked fire dancers at a nudie beach in Maui near Kihei, stole (oops! borrowed) towels from the Hilton on the Big Island to gain access to their immaculate wonderland of water features and what I deemed "White Privilege" (hey... it was mostly rich white folks getting sunburned. What can I say?)
Island-hopping is very similar to landing on different planets. I have concluded that the Big Island is a lot like Mars... Kauai, much like a planet containing Jurassic Park. Maui I didn't see a whole lot of, but it seems to be a country version of Oahu. Minus the garbage. Wow, Oahu is dirty. If Oahu were a planet, it would be where all the other planets throw their trash. All of the canals that drain from the mountains to the ocean are lined with debris ranging from mattresses to construction lumber, abandoned tires to microwaves. Discarded crap litters the sidewalks throughout the city. Of course, where there is trash, there are rats and roaches. You see the grotesque element. It's the most disheartening part of Honolulu, but I suppose unavoidable. Cost of living is high and so is the cost of large specialty item trash removal. I remember it costing my landlord $300 to have the roach-infested couch removed from our lanai back when I lived in Palolo. Man! You could buy a new couch for that! Sometimes it's advantageous to stroll a few blocks away from home and seek out abandoned book shelves... but for the most part, it's just a sad state of affairs. I just heard a terrible tale about the Ala Wai canal the other day that I won't even go into... but basically, it's toxic soup.
All in all, I've seen a lot since moving to Hawaii and have had some amazing adventures. I've acquired a taste for sushi, have effectively mastered the bus system, seen three islands, basked in the sun at multiple beaches, seen rainforests of bamboo, waterfalls... yeah. It's a pretty awesome place to explore. I do miss "weather," though. No thunderstorms, and very few heavy rainfalls. It gets boring to always have it be sunny or misting. I get bored with monotony. It is true in the career field and it is true in my living environment. Things get too comfortable and... BAM!! I need a change. I'm not a nomad, really, but I like to shake things up a bit. I suppose that's where Oscar the dog comes in...
Oscar is a little bit of a drama queen. Since he's arrived, he has done his part to remain the center of attention. Not always in a good way. While I was visiting the Big Island, he started a fight with an off-leash dog that looked his mirror-image, which to his credit wasn't entirely his fault since he was on-leash. He has continually menaced all neighboring dog-walkers protecting their toy breeds. He doesn't seem to understand what I'm doing when I have to weave between parked cars so that he doesn't see the Bichon approaching. It's kinda out of control. I walk him plenty every day and he certainly has his 'Breed Embassador' moments, but I just can't seem to break him of that small animal prey drive. Last week he tried to fit my new roommate's cat in his mouth. I had to pry his jaws off of the poor thing. I think it was a traumatic but necessary initiation for both the new roommate and the cat... but I don't want it to happen again. I am going to start looking for a personal trainer to help me gain control over my powerful and completely obnoxious canine. Maybe Cesar Milan will make a trip here to work with the animal kingdom in my apartment. To date, we now house 5 cats and 3 dogs. It's gotta be breaking the health code, but I'm not saying a word. Apartment hunting for a place that allows a big dog is just too hard.
Island-hopping is very similar to landing on different planets. I have concluded that the Big Island is a lot like Mars... Kauai, much like a planet containing Jurassic Park. Maui I didn't see a whole lot of, but it seems to be a country version of Oahu. Minus the garbage. Wow, Oahu is dirty. If Oahu were a planet, it would be where all the other planets throw their trash. All of the canals that drain from the mountains to the ocean are lined with debris ranging from mattresses to construction lumber, abandoned tires to microwaves. Discarded crap litters the sidewalks throughout the city. Of course, where there is trash, there are rats and roaches. You see the grotesque element. It's the most disheartening part of Honolulu, but I suppose unavoidable. Cost of living is high and so is the cost of large specialty item trash removal. I remember it costing my landlord $300 to have the roach-infested couch removed from our lanai back when I lived in Palolo. Man! You could buy a new couch for that! Sometimes it's advantageous to stroll a few blocks away from home and seek out abandoned book shelves... but for the most part, it's just a sad state of affairs. I just heard a terrible tale about the Ala Wai canal the other day that I won't even go into... but basically, it's toxic soup.
All in all, I've seen a lot since moving to Hawaii and have had some amazing adventures. I've acquired a taste for sushi, have effectively mastered the bus system, seen three islands, basked in the sun at multiple beaches, seen rainforests of bamboo, waterfalls... yeah. It's a pretty awesome place to explore. I do miss "weather," though. No thunderstorms, and very few heavy rainfalls. It gets boring to always have it be sunny or misting. I get bored with monotony. It is true in the career field and it is true in my living environment. Things get too comfortable and... BAM!! I need a change. I'm not a nomad, really, but I like to shake things up a bit. I suppose that's where Oscar the dog comes in...
Oscar is a little bit of a drama queen. Since he's arrived, he has done his part to remain the center of attention. Not always in a good way. While I was visiting the Big Island, he started a fight with an off-leash dog that looked his mirror-image, which to his credit wasn't entirely his fault since he was on-leash. He has continually menaced all neighboring dog-walkers protecting their toy breeds. He doesn't seem to understand what I'm doing when I have to weave between parked cars so that he doesn't see the Bichon approaching. It's kinda out of control. I walk him plenty every day and he certainly has his 'Breed Embassador' moments, but I just can't seem to break him of that small animal prey drive. Last week he tried to fit my new roommate's cat in his mouth. I had to pry his jaws off of the poor thing. I think it was a traumatic but necessary initiation for both the new roommate and the cat... but I don't want it to happen again. I am going to start looking for a personal trainer to help me gain control over my powerful and completely obnoxious canine. Maybe Cesar Milan will make a trip here to work with the animal kingdom in my apartment. To date, we now house 5 cats and 3 dogs. It's gotta be breaking the health code, but I'm not saying a word. Apartment hunting for a place that allows a big dog is just too hard.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
