I'm wild awake. I went to bed around 23:00, but my good ( ?? ) leg was itching something terrible.
I have slight sensation in my phantom foot, but it isn't enough to keep me from sleep.
I wore the prosthesis most of yesterday. My good friend took me out to a new hamburger place for my birthday. Great burger.
------
The last few days have been spent playing a train game, or, reading a book called "Orthogonal". The two may not seem related, but they are.
My train game gives a random shaped land mass, with random placed towns, and random placed industries. I have to make train systems to supply all the towns with the different industries. The train networks get very complex. Using train signals to control the trains, is very similar to using computer network routers and switches to control the flow of network packets of data.
The book Orthogonal is about everyday practical uses of Orthogonal mathematics.
Orthogonal is when changes to one attribute does not change any other attribute. If we graph two Orthagonal values, the axis on a graph will be 90 degrees to each other.
For an example:
If X = 4, and Y = 3. On a graph, we go 4 units horizontal on the X axis, and up 3 units on the Y axis.
If you change only the X value, it will never change the Y value, and if you change only the Y value, it will never change the X value.
X and Y are Orthogonal to each other.
If :
We make X equal to the length of a box.
and Orthogonal to that, (90 degrees on a graph),
we make Y equal to the height of a box,
and Orthogonal (90 degrees) to that,
we make Z equal to the width of a box,
and Orthogonal (90 degrees) to that,
we make W equal to the color of a box,
and Orthogonal ( 90 degrees) to that,
we make T equal to the weight of a box,
and so on, and so on.
Hmm.. I think I just heard your brain snap.
I am talking about many, many, dimensions.
As long as each attribute (dimension) of the box is Orthogonal (90 degrees on a graph) from all other attributes. A change of any one attribute, will not change any other attribute.
Changing the color of the box does not affect the length. Changing the height of the box does not affect the width.
I build my computer networks (and train networks) so that if any one part of the network fails, it will never affect any other part. I try to make as many different parts of my network, Orthogonal to each other.
In my train game, I have been designing train networks where each train, and it's route will never affect any other train or it's route.
I currently have 19 trains running in my game. Here is what one small part of the game looks like.
Then I got bored.
----
02:30
I am trying to get off Lyrica.
I believe it has reduced the Phantom Pain, but it makes me lackadaisical, and stupid. The side effect of stopping the drug are substantial, and many people can't handle the withdrawal, and soon go back onto the drug.
I was taking 75 mg every morning, and 75 mg every evening.
I figured out that from a dose of 150 mg a day, it will take about 6 weeks for me to get completely off it.
Of course I am worried that as I stop the Lyrica, the PLP will come back again. Maybe even stronger.
If I have to chose between being able to think, or having pain, I will be in a lose/lose situation.
When I refilled my prescription, I asked for 25 mg capsules instead of 75 mg capsules. The pharmacist says that many people ask for the same, because they are trying to slowly get off Lyrica.
My plan is to reduce the daily dose by 25 mg every 4 days. I am allowing for some times needing to maintain the dose for 5, or even 6 days.
I am now down to 100 mg a day, and I am experiencing some of the withdrawal symptoms. My good leg skin is tender. The lower leg feels badly sunburned, and the skin is dry and cracking. My toes are almost 10 degrees cooler than my ankle.
About 30 minutes ago I took an unscheduled Lyrica, and I can already feel the sunburned, itchy feeling in my leg has reduced significantly. I will soon be back in bed.
Here is a picture of my foot.
Lyrica is evil.
Doctors that prescribe Lyrica are either stupid, misinformed, or the spawn of Satan.
--
No comments:
Post a Comment