Aftereffects

I’m crashing, but I’m not done with everything for the move yet.  I still have to get back to Section 8 with my lease, still have to contact PNM for the letter of credit for the water dept, and still have to go to the water department with all my paperwork.

My body, however, sees my mostly unpacked apartment and made bed and is screaming “DONE”.

Last night was one of the worst nights I’ve had with the GERD/gastroparesis.  I was only asleep about 30 minutes when the backup of bile and acid had me face down in the sink, the burning bringing tears to my eyes.  It was so bad, I even and bile and acid coming out of my nose.  OK…. probably TMI… but this is my life.  This morning was rough because I didn’t dare eat anything more than a little bread to soak up the acid, and I tried a slice of cheese (which isn’t working out so well).  Now I have to worry about blood sugar as well.  AND I have to come up with another bottle of TUMS or I’ll be in trouble tonight.

I have $15 left in my bank account, so I’ll probably get Prevacid (with a coupon) with that, and I’m not sure what I’ll do for food today.  Likely I won’t be able to tolerate too much food anyway,  but I also know I have to be very VERY careful what I eat.  Tomorrow the Social Security comes in, and right now it looks like my food, school supplies, and gas budget for the month is going to be $65, minus anything I spend today (since that money is paying for the checks I ordered but haven’t been billed for yet).  I’m going to need $18 for required supplies for school, so my food budget is going to be very light, and I’ll need very specific foods to comply with both a gastroparesis diet and a hypoglycemic diet.

Today I’d much rather stay on the couch, or in bed, but I simply don’t have that option.  Tomorrow I take the girls back to the big food pantry, and the little church pantry on Thursday, then I’ll be back in school, and they’ll have to be able to do it on their own.  There’s also a problem at the school (which I hope can be resolved over the phone… Academic advisement has my official transcript, but financial aid sent me a letter saying that it’s “missing”.    Wednesday is designated my day of rest.

Last night I did the budget for this month and next month. Next month I have to pay the balance of the summer tuition, plus make the first payment on fall, unless I’m awarded a scholarship… fingers crossed… and have other yearly expenses: Car registration, AAA…  So at this point I’m more likely to spend any birthday money I get at the end of the month toward those things than getting an eye exam and new glasses (I can probably go another year, my vision doesn’t change that much at this point).

The apartment looks pretty nice.  Eventually I’ll want a hummingbird feeder and a couple more plants for the porch, a couple more shelves or cubbies (one for the bathroom in white, one in wood tones for the living room for my printer, which is now on the floor behind the futon)  and maybe a chair or two (and a couple more folding chairs for when the family is over for dinner, but that can wait until Christmas time).  I’ll also need a lighter blanket at some point, and a blanket for the futon before the end of the month when my daughter and son-in-law come up for my birthday.

I just have far too much to do these next couple days to be sick.  But the apartment is pretty much set up (one box needs to be unpacked, but I have NO IDEA what I’m going to do with the stuff yet… it’s stuff from “junk drawers”, which I don’t have space for right now, and will likely be looking for baskets) and I’m feeling comfortable and settled already.