These reports don't feel difficult. The audio is good, the doctors usually aren't bouncing around changing their minds (don't you hate that?), and the research for any trouble spots is fairly generic and simple. So why are they bogging me down today? Simple answer is that I just don't know. How do I get through these so that I can feel like I'm making progress? Stop procrastinating maybe?
It's like each of these reports drains me in some fundamental way. It could just be my feeling physically unwell for the last few days. I really need to work on overcoming letting my physical health be a distraction. Right now I'm pouring coffee in by the pot. (I really wish someone would invent that IV coffee infusion people refer to.) I've also got my left leg propped on a stool with cushions and a blanket. (Old injuries hate weather changes.) My fingers and hands have been aching so much that I've needed to rub analgesic cream into my joints on a regular basis. I've also been sneezing so hard that my poor eyeballs feel bruised. Zyrtec clears up the sneezes for a period of time and then, ACHOOOOAH, the dogs jump out of their skins and start barking because I've just blown the roof off the house! So annoying.
I spent a lot of last night reviewing MT blogs, forums, sites, etc. It's really amazing and disheartening how many scams are out there in reference to Work-At-Home and Medical Transcription. Do a search if you don't believe me. Finding the jewels though... that's wonderful. There's a lot of really great information out there. It's finding it that's tough.
I'm also still very disappointed in my typing speed. It comes and it goes. More goes though. I've been typing since 7th grade and I still have trouble getting past 70 wpm. That's so frustrating. I'm working with Shorthand and inputting as many common, everyday words as I can to increase it's effectiveness, but speed with it is still iffy. It's typing a lot more of my reports than it used to, but it's still mostly looking for the abbreviation rather than KNOWING what it is and getting faster at using it. I've got a lot of reports ahead of me and I'm really hoping that I can increase my Shorthand speed during that practice.
Mom is in Nutcracker mode. We've seen 3 different versions of the Nutcracker ballet over the last couple of days. The music is wonderful background noise, even when I'm not paying attention to the dancing. Mostly I don't watch the dancing because it's always been an unfulfilled dream of mine to be able to dance. I never cared if it was ballet or belly dancing, just watching people who were graceful and beautiful is joyful and heartbreaking at the same time.
I know this post is completely disjointed and probably boring as hell, but that's how I feel right now. Sorry.
Hugs to all my friends and thank you for bearing with me through this.
I think this was a wonderful post :) And I bet you felt better once it was all out right?
ReplyDeleteFor allergies, I take an Alavert every day during this time of year. It seems to help more than Zyrtec. (we use generic Alavert).
I have the achy hands too :( Biofreeze is my buddy!
Thanks Sharon. I thought I was going to avoid the allergy thing but it snuck up on me this year. Still not used to it. lol Thus the frightened dogs and rooflessness. It's wonderful that typing helps keep my fingers from locking up, but my hands are having more difficulty with the weather chnages than they used to. I guess I'm just getting older and reaping the benefits of my multiple incarnations, starting with cake decorator at 18. Lovely. lol
ReplyDeleteI've had many days where I couldn't get through a 2 minute report. It happens. And on those days, you just have to think of the reward at the end. If /that/ doesn't work, then think of how far you've come and the major skills difference. Aaannnnddd if /tthhaaattt/ doesn't work, pull out a fresh girl of big girl panties and get to it. ;)
ReplyDeleteI know this may be a blasphemous suggestion, but have you thought of cutting back the caffeine or or perhaps cutting it out in general? Caffeine is, after all, a drug and not something the body is *supposed* to have (medical conditions aside)... so for some people, the dependence actually holds DOWN their energy level.
lol! Blaspheme away! I think my body would go into shock without a couple cups of coffee. When that doesn't work I go back to bed and take a nap. Usually 20 minutes to an hour and I'm good to go.
ReplyDeleteI still haven't come up with a reward system that works for me. However, the big girl panties are useful. Grit and determination rule the day quite often. Sometimes, though, they just laugh at me as I pull them from the drawer!
Momma, you're so funny.
ReplyDeleteYou know winter's always been a hard time of year for you. But, with Grandma here, and the distraction of MT, you've been doing really well.
None of your posts are boring, by the way. Delving into the mind of a busy woman never is. (: