Tuesday Tales

Stress!    
 So as I mentioned in a previous post, I hurt my back at work. Now no one ever told me how confusing worker's compensation was. There is all this 60/40 stuff with insurance covering 60% of my salary and 40% coming from my sick time...etc...etc...and once I run out of sick time, my company pays my health insurance but then I do a pay back thing, etc...etc...This is my opinion. I got hurt doing my job. I got hurt carrying out the duties assigned to me. Shouldn't my company pay for it all? Why am I going to be the one to be worrying in a few weeks? Shouldn't they be worrying? This makes me want to get back to work right away despite my injury because, lets face it. The pain in my back is much more bearable than the pain in the butt that worker's comp seems to be! Anyone have any thoughts on worker's compensation and any experience with it? Feel free to comment!

One favorite Fall Recipe
Every fall there are a few recipes that I make because they warm the soul.
Today, I've decided to share my recipe for Corn Chowder.
If you have any wonderful fall recipes feel free to share under comments!

Corn Chowder

6 Cans of Creamed Corn

1 Cup of Frozen Corn

1 Pint Fat-free (or Low Fat) Half and Half

1 Package of Bacon (Chopped)

1 Large Russet Potato

1 Cup Chopped Onions

2 Tablespoons margarine or butter

Salt and Pepper to taste

Cinnamon to taste

Put first three ingredients in a large soup pot. Simmer on low. Add the seasoning as it simmers.

Cook bacon and onions in a large frying pan with one tablespoon margarine on medium.

Chop the potato and cook it in the microwave to soften for 3-5 minutes.

Add it to the frying pan and cook on medium until bacon is fully cooked and potatoes are slightly brown (5-10 minutes).

Add the mixture from the frying pan to the soup and cook on medium to low for one hour. The goal is to have the soup bubble just slightly so it reduces and becomes very creamy.

I always serve this with fresh bread from the bread maker and a very large spoon! Enjoy!

PT!
I finally have appointments set up for physical therapy! I am looking forward to feeling better and working on strenghtening my back so I don't have to go through this ever again! Thank God that this is finally settled!

So tired of being tired!

     About three weeks ago I tripped up the stairs at work..yes UP the stairs and hurt my back. I am not proud of being a klutz (I have always been a klutz by the way), but it is part of who I am. Now most of the time, I manage to trip, bump myself, and fall, gracefully and without injury, except this last time. I now have two bulging disks in my lower back and got a free and oh so fun ride in the ambulance when it happened. I was in the hospital for four days and thank all of the wonderful people who cared for me and came to visit me or wished me well!
     I am grateful that I am able to work half days and cook meals for me and my husband. But I still want my old life back. I'm not one to stop doing things and I'm not one to sit still for very long. I like to be busy and I hate when I am limited by an injury. I can't even do the dishes because the bending and twisting would leave me right back where I started. So I work from 7:45 in the morning until around 11:45-12:00 and then I come and sit and sit some more and then later, I sit more. I am sitting at 2:30 on Friday afternoon typing this and I am so frustrated that I missed a training this afternoon (even though I'd resent it if I had to go!) and I am frustrated that making a lasagna for my husband's boss's sick wife made my back ache so badly. All I want is my life back!!!!!
     I know I should be thankful that I am not injured worse than this and I should be greatful that we can still carry out our upcoming plans, but I want to feel the way I did before I fell and I want to feel that way now! Yes I sound like a chid but haven't we all felt this way once or twice? I'm just saying! Here are some ways to prevent an injury like mine.