The current state of the Natalie is…not great. More below the cut.

Still trying to get to the bottom of the ascites; I’ve had appointments with doctors at both Penn and Jefferson and they both need more data before we can decide on a path of action. That data collection happened today, so maybe in a couple of weeks? I really need answers and a path forward, the current state is not sustainable. With every paracentesis, the risk of peritonitis rises.

I am going to need another pancreatic necrosectomy. At this point, I feel like they should just take the whole damn thing out. What’s left is cranky and barely functional. I’ve been dealing with a mild flare-up of pancreatitis for the last two weeks and I’m basically reduced to eating applesauce, canned soup, Jell-O, and Ensure. With occasional bouts of “I can’t deal with this anymore, I want Arby’s,” which is sub-optimal.

I’m a terrible diabetic, I don’t test nearly as often as I should and I know that’s affecting how I’m feeling. I’ve been losing weight; I’m currently at my lowest adult weight ever. It’s disorienting and I have more than a bit of dysphoria around how I look these days. Yesterday I saw someone I’ve known for nearly 20 years but hadn’t seen in a couple of years and he didn’t recognize me. That was really distressing. (But then I went to lunch with a friend and she had no problem recognizing me.)

My umbilical hernia is huge and gross and it hurts–having that much of my intestines on the outside of my abdominal wall is very much not fun. My spleen hurts randomly and it’s probably going to have to come out, too.

I finally gave in and got an accessible parking placard for my car, as walking long distances is hard for me and I’m using a cane these days.

And then there’s work. I did not get a good year-end review. I got a new manager in September and she didn’t like the goals I’d set because they weren’t very specific (I will admit to half-assing them). I had no idea I was going to get an unsatisfactory review, as my mid-year review with my previous manager had been fine and I’d been given no feedback to allow me to course correct. Despite having weekly meetings with my new manager. And despite me doing a lot of really good work last year–I got no credit for any of it because it wasn’t in my goals. So 2020 is supposed to be a “reset” year for me and I’m feeling pretty shitty about it, because I’d previously gotten “consistently exceptional” two years in a row which is basically unheard of in my company.

So I’ve been spending a fair bit of time chewing over that and trying to let it go until I get the detailed feedback from Workday at the end of this month. I’m also working on the most specific of specific goals, things I can achieve even though I’m sick all the time. I’ve also been informed that I will not get any accommodations that are not medically necessary and come with a letter from my doctor. So that’s pretty great.

All that said, I do like my job and I have Ambitions, so I’m planning on sticking it out and turning things around. And with the current state of my health, I am just not up for a job search.

I’ve been doing a bit of painting and knitting, but I also got a Nintendo Switch so I’ve been playing that, too–I’m only playing cute or pretty games on it, recs are welcome. The cats are great–Miles is very good at knowing when I’m not feeling well and bugging me until I lie down. I joke about him being my emotional support cat, but he kind of is.

I know this is a downer of an update, but that’s basically my life right now. I spend 80% of my energy getting to and from work and doing my job and the rest of my energy trying to keep up with everything else and not really succeeding.

But! I will be at ConFusion next week, which I am very much looking forward to. I’m hoping to be able to spend a fair bit of time socializing with folks and doing my best to say smart things on my three panels.