I've been busy around the blogworld lately with the extra research which went into my AMPYRA post over at HealthCentral and other posts yet to be published. If you haven't read it and commented, it would be great if you did. (Some of the folks over there seem to be more highly impressed as the number of comments and page views increase on a post. Personally, I become more impressed by other, non-measurable aspects of our wider community online.)
If you didn't see the news, Acorda announced that AMPYRA will carry a wholesale pricetag of $12,850 for a 1-year supply. I called the 1-888 number to ask about patient assistance and share what I learned in the comments to this post.
Tuesday night, it snowed in the DC area again. Schools were cancelled but that wouldn't stop my music students from coming to lessons. So I had to make way for them to safely enter the music studio and offer a place to park. This required the shoveling of snow on long walkways and in the driveway. It was heavy wet snow, but thankfully was melting rather quickly. (Still needed to be shoveled, however.)
When I first came in, I needed to sit for quite a long time so that I could make it up the upstairs to take a shower. I made it up the stairs but was walking "like a drunk" and needed to sit for a good long while. Today, I am SORE, stiff, and still walking slightly funny.
Looks like we are about to be hit with a massive snow storm on Friday night/Saturday with up to 2 feet of snow. I went to the grocery store today to get just a few items and it was a zoo. I am so totally over the snow right now. I won't be able to shovel out of this next storm myself and hope that the guys who dug us out of the last big storm will do so again this Sunday.
Bringing the bags of groceries to my car and then into the house, I was reminded that I really do have rheumatoid arthritis. I should have practiced better joint protection strategies. Now my fingers hurt in addition to my arms hurting from yesterday's shoveling. Booo.
So tomorrow is a rest day. This body is serving me well, but deserves some TLC.
Please do take that rest! TLC too.
ReplyDeleteWhen you teach, Lisa, do you have to demonstrate much? Or do you just comment and make suggestions? How tiring is teaching for you? Other than paying close attention and talking, is it restful?
ReplyDeleteI'm planning to soak my hands in some melted paraffin later today. That's good TLC!!
ReplyDeleteI do demonstrate while teaching and try not to pound too much on the piano to get my point across, but sometimes I just can't help it. I have to play much more during horn lessons which is actually good for me.
Teaching is sometimes rejuvenating when I have students who are prepared and excited about it. I really enjoy those afternoons.
Teaching is sheer torture and exhausting when I have the students who come unprepared and unpracticed. Mentally draining are those and I really try to keep my mind involved, but sometimes it doesn't work so well. It gets hard to think of something else to say or do if the student hasn't even tried what we've already demonstrated in previous lessons.
I'm down to teaching only 3 days/weeks and when the last student leaves on Wednesday night, I am relieved that I have some days before it all starts again the following Monday. And right now my Monday lessons are all great so it's a nice way to start the week.