BR: "Can you tell me, roughly, how long this puppy will keep ticking?"
HVAC Guy: "Hard to say---could go tomorrow or could last another ten years."
(HVAC Guy then collects $200. I am in the wrong business)
Are you kidding me?!? We can put a man on the moon, we can love both versions of Al Roker (fat and thin) and we can somehow continue to tolerate Rachael Ray---in short, we are a country of innovators who also have immense patience. Why the hell is it so hard to tell when your furnace is going to die???
My current furnace has only two guarantees:
- It will die eventually---probably sooner than later,
- When it does die, there is a 100% chance that it will go on Thanksgiving or Christmas Eve.
The exercise of complaining about my furnace dovetails well into my current challenges with PD. I know that my symptoms will get worse when I travel, I simply just do not know when.
I just returned from the road today after spending some time in Norther NJ and Fairfield County meeting with accepted students and giving a few brief presentations. The drive down was a nightmare due to upstate NY weather (quick aside: is there a foundation that I can give to that lobbies for speeding global warming?). As soon as I arrived, I had to pop on a suit and do my thing.
Once the adrenaline wore off, around 9pm I became really stiff and symptomatic. That night and part of the next day were not all that pleasant. Therein lies the challenge of travel: different stressors, new bed, typically unhealthy dining choices, etc. I know at some point PD is going to kick into gear but I don't know when---but it will typically happen at the most inopportune time.
So here is my question: how do you travel when you are not certain about the impact it will have upon your overall Parkinson's management? For a rare time, I'm actually asking a question that I have not already configured an answer to in my head.
I would love to hear from you, dearest blog reader, concerning your tips or experiences of keeping your PD symptoms in-check while traveling from home. Please continue the dialogue via the comments box below.
I just returned from the road today after spending some time in Norther NJ and Fairfield County meeting with accepted students and giving a few brief presentations. The drive down was a nightmare due to upstate NY weather (quick aside: is there a foundation that I can give to that lobbies for speeding global warming?). As soon as I arrived, I had to pop on a suit and do my thing.
Once the adrenaline wore off, around 9pm I became really stiff and symptomatic. That night and part of the next day were not all that pleasant. Therein lies the challenge of travel: different stressors, new bed, typically unhealthy dining choices, etc. I know at some point PD is going to kick into gear but I don't know when---but it will typically happen at the most inopportune time.
So here is my question: how do you travel when you are not certain about the impact it will have upon your overall Parkinson's management? For a rare time, I'm actually asking a question that I have not already configured an answer to in my head.
I would love to hear from you, dearest blog reader, concerning your tips or experiences of keeping your PD symptoms in-check while traveling from home. Please continue the dialogue via the comments box below.
I can't give you tips on PD, but I have to say that the HVAC guy could have done a better job. While furnaces have variable lifespans, and there might not have been a clearcut answer to it, he could've at least given a more competent answer, based on the current condition of the furnace. I just hope that this check-up is assurance that it won't fail during the holidays, as you've did your part already, and that it does last for ten more years. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteTommy Hopkins @ AccuTemp Cooling & Heating
Yes, it's really hard to tell how long will a furnace last because it really depends on the quality and how well you maintain it. I guess if you give so much importance and care to your appliances, they will function to their fullest extent even for ten years or more. Thanks for sharing that, Bryan! All the best to you!
ReplyDeleteMelinda Rose @ Phoenix Air Conditioning & Heating