Done

I am now finished with prednisone...for now. Each time it seems that the dosage gets higher and the the taper period gets longer. I'm going to do my best to avoid any need of it for the foreseeable future but there are no guarantees. Two of the three times I was on it this year were due to URI's. which caused flareups.(I seem to be getting more of them)  The last time was due to a heat related flareup.  I already take a lot of precautions with avoiding URI's (frequent hand washing, avoiding crowds, etc.) but still get them. The heat related flareup was due to my own stupidity and will not be repeated. I am current on my pneumonia shot and will get a flu shot this fall. By being careful maybe I can avoid a clean sweep of the seasons. (I have had flares this year in the winter, the spring and the summer).  One can only hope. I was thinking yesterday that I am finally in retirement mode. I no longer fight work related battles in my sleep. For the first few months I was retired, I frequently would wake up full of adrenaline and ready for a fight only to find that there was no combative inmate to deal with. I would be in full alert mode, assessing the situation, and making plans of action ...only to find that I was in my own bed with no crisis to deal with. Across the room the cat would glance at me, giving me a "what's wrong with you?" look. It would take me awhile to go back to sleep because I would be so wound up.  It's strange to say, but I sort of miss it. It also made me a bit sad to think that my life no longer involves the wok place. I miss my friends and even my enemies. My enemies kept me sharp.  I feel as if my life currently lacks focus. I really love baseball and was an excellent coach. I would love to return to it but I can't take the heat...literally.  I was a First Aid/CPR instructor for over 20 years and enjoyed it a lot. I can't do that now either. If I speak too long I begin to cough and that leads to an exacerbation. Sooo, that's out. I'm not wallowing in a pity party (well, maybe a little). I'm just trying to figure out what is next.I may be a little prejudiced but I think I'm too valuable a resource for this sedentary lifestyle. I'm not cut out for a life of quiet reflection. So I'll just have to work on improving my health. Assess that Tom! Be well,Tom