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Will it -ever- go right?
Apr. 12th, 2006 07:32 amI have not had a good week.
My father-in-law has been in the hospital. See![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
sanjikrhys for more info there.
Also, I had my last Chrysler test on Monday. Up 'til now, I'd go in for the test, do it, find out a couple days later that I passed, and then I'd wait (sometimes a very long time) to hear back from them on when I would have to schedule the -next- test/thing/whatever. But it was pretty straightforward. The last thing I had to do before Monday's test was a Drug Screen/Physical. No problems there, as I don't do anything stronger than caffeine (and apparently that's bad enough). My blood pressure came in at 139/84. Not too bad, a little high, but not bad.
So Saturday, I get another call from Chrysler. They want me to do another test. However, this test isn't listed out in their process list of how this is supposed to go. This is new and surprising. It's a physical abilities test. Supposedly they want to monitor my heart rate and blood pressure while I do an assortment of tasks like sitting up, bending over, lifting items, etc. for 45 minutes. I don't like the sound of this, but okay, whatever I gotta do. I schedule for Monday morning.
Rachel's dad goes into ICU Sunday afternoon. Not good. I drive fromcsixty4's house to Elgin and go to the hospital. We're there somewhat late and Rachel decides to stay overnight there.
I go home and attempt to sleep in an empty bed. No luck. No sleep, either.
I "wake" up the next morning and go to Chrysler for the testing. Here, fill out some forms, and now we're going to take your blood pressure.
160/92.
Sorry, we'll have to retest you. Why don't you wait a few minutes to rest and calm down. But in the meantime, oh, why don't you step on this SCALE over here?
So, fully clothed, with my massive wallet and workboots on, I step on the scale: 295!?
(Okay, I knew I'd put on weight since going back to Bacon's, and I was already concerned, but -THIS- is not good. Certainly doesn't get my blood pressure to go DOWN either.)
So they test me a second time. 162/90.
So here's the bad news. I can't take the test. Their liability won't allow it. Before I can take the test, I have to get a medical clearance. Then I can reschedule. But if I fail the BP test the second time, that's it. Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200. You're done. After 8 months (since August) of dicking me around with their stupid tests, basically, if I can't get my blood pressure down, I'm fucked.
So I pull a minor miracle and manage to get into my PCP the same day. The nurse takes my BP at 134/84. Not bad, about the same as a week previous, and I feel slightly vindicated. The PCP comes in to confirm at 140/90. Okay, not quite as good, but still good enough that he'll sign my form. Except now he wants me to come in for blood work to test my cholesterol, etc. and a follow-up in a month. Blah. I've also been salt-limited. Grocery shopping just became a new adventure.
Chrysler called me back and re-scheduled their test. This Friday at 6:30pm. So I have about 2-3 days to completely get off caffeine, drop a couple pounds, and reduce my salt intake enough to pass this time.
Because even with the doctor's signature, if -their- tech doesn't get a low enough reading, it doesn't matter.
What pisses me off most is that Blood pressure seems to be an inexact science. Different people seem to get different readings, and even the automated electronic devices seem to vary from test to test. Last night I tested myself on my mom's readings and went from 160/84 to 154/86 to 140/86 in 3 successive tests spanning only a couple of minutes. Also, it feels like this testing is singling out "high-risk" individuals and feels almost discriminatory, somehow.
So now, there's a real risk that after 8 months or so, my chance to get a "real" job that might actually turn into a career or give me some decent money is in jeopardy. And on top of that, I have nifty new health problems that I have to deal with, regardless of the Chrysler outcome.
Whee.
My father-in-law has been in the hospital. See
sanjikrhys for more info there. Also, I had my last Chrysler test on Monday. Up 'til now, I'd go in for the test, do it, find out a couple days later that I passed, and then I'd wait (sometimes a very long time) to hear back from them on when I would have to schedule the -next- test/thing/whatever. But it was pretty straightforward. The last thing I had to do before Monday's test was a Drug Screen/Physical. No problems there, as I don't do anything stronger than caffeine (and apparently that's bad enough). My blood pressure came in at 139/84. Not too bad, a little high, but not bad.
So Saturday, I get another call from Chrysler. They want me to do another test. However, this test isn't listed out in their process list of how this is supposed to go. This is new and surprising. It's a physical abilities test. Supposedly they want to monitor my heart rate and blood pressure while I do an assortment of tasks like sitting up, bending over, lifting items, etc. for 45 minutes. I don't like the sound of this, but okay, whatever I gotta do. I schedule for Monday morning.
Rachel's dad goes into ICU Sunday afternoon. Not good. I drive from
csixty4's house to Elgin and go to the hospital. We're there somewhat late and Rachel decides to stay overnight there. I go home and attempt to sleep in an empty bed. No luck. No sleep, either.
I "wake" up the next morning and go to Chrysler for the testing. Here, fill out some forms, and now we're going to take your blood pressure.
160/92.
Sorry, we'll have to retest you. Why don't you wait a few minutes to rest and calm down. But in the meantime, oh, why don't you step on this SCALE over here?
So, fully clothed, with my massive wallet and workboots on, I step on the scale: 295!?
(Okay, I knew I'd put on weight since going back to Bacon's, and I was already concerned, but -THIS- is not good. Certainly doesn't get my blood pressure to go DOWN either.)
So they test me a second time. 162/90.
So here's the bad news. I can't take the test. Their liability won't allow it. Before I can take the test, I have to get a medical clearance. Then I can reschedule. But if I fail the BP test the second time, that's it. Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200. You're done. After 8 months (since August) of dicking me around with their stupid tests, basically, if I can't get my blood pressure down, I'm fucked.
So I pull a minor miracle and manage to get into my PCP the same day. The nurse takes my BP at 134/84. Not bad, about the same as a week previous, and I feel slightly vindicated. The PCP comes in to confirm at 140/90. Okay, not quite as good, but still good enough that he'll sign my form. Except now he wants me to come in for blood work to test my cholesterol, etc. and a follow-up in a month. Blah. I've also been salt-limited. Grocery shopping just became a new adventure.
Chrysler called me back and re-scheduled their test. This Friday at 6:30pm. So I have about 2-3 days to completely get off caffeine, drop a couple pounds, and reduce my salt intake enough to pass this time.
Because even with the doctor's signature, if -their- tech doesn't get a low enough reading, it doesn't matter.
What pisses me off most is that Blood pressure seems to be an inexact science. Different people seem to get different readings, and even the automated electronic devices seem to vary from test to test. Last night I tested myself on my mom's readings and went from 160/84 to 154/86 to 140/86 in 3 successive tests spanning only a couple of minutes. Also, it feels like this testing is singling out "high-risk" individuals and feels almost discriminatory, somehow.
So now, there's a real risk that after 8 months or so, my chance to get a "real" job that might actually turn into a career or give me some decent money is in jeopardy. And on top of that, I have nifty new health problems that I have to deal with, regardless of the Chrysler outcome.
Whee.
