Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Update with me and other news

It’s been a at least a month since I last wrote anything and I just wanted to write out a few things. I feel I just need to vent some and just get it out of my system. Before I go into that I just wanted to bring up a few things that are happening in the T-community:

Today the U.S. House has passed H.R. 1913, the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act. This bill added gender identity, actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender, and disability. It now has to go through the Senate. We will see what happens while its there. President Obama has pledged to sign the bill into law once it get through congress. It’s about time! Now if we can only get the inclusive ENDA bill through, we’ll at least have the protections that we have long been waiting for.

I feel I need to mention another trial that is coming up very soon. I REALLY hope that the media will give this trial the amount of space as Angie Zapata. Dwight DeLee has been charged with second-degree murder and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon in the November 14, 2008 in the killing of Lateisha Green. She was outside of a house party when DeLee came out to the car, had a few words, went back into his house and came out with a 22 caliber rifle and shot her and her brother. Her brother was able to drive away, but Lateisha died before getting any medical help. Early this month the District Attorney added hate crime charges. I bring this case up, because what I have seen from the Syracuse media has really disgusted me to no end. In most, if not all of the new reports that I have seen so far, the media refuses to use proper pronouns, they are referring to her as a gay man when the family has stated she identified as transgender. The trial is set to start June 11. We ALL need to do something to get the media reporting this properly. Selective jurors could be negatively affected by the improper media coverage and as we have seen in the Allen Andrade murder trial, it can make all the difference. Check out TransGriot for more info. Monica, you ROCK!

Now onto some personal things that’s going on in my life. The last couple of months have seemed to be the most stressful time in the last year. A few months ago I learned that the company I work for is replacing one of the major programs I wrote with a retail program (customized for our company). My first thoughts was I’m out the door for sure, because I spent about a month not having any real work related programming to do. In the last 2 weeks my feeling have changed a bit on that issue, in that they have sent me along with managers for training on the system. I’m hoping that is a good sign. I’m also hoping that my role as a programmer does not change. It seems that in sending me for training I may become the administrator of the system (really won’t be that bad) which would be a change in roles but I think I may be able to live with that. With the way the economy is doing lately I feel lucky to be out to many in the company(not full time yet, in case new readers didn’t know) and still have a job. I also did recently get a new little project to do, but eventually that project will be rolled over into the new software. Who knows what’s going to happen.

One other major stress in my life write now is the amount of hair I have lost in the last 2 to 3 weeks. About two months ago my scalp started to itch some and got a little dry. Well in the beginning of April it got worse and I noticed my scalp began to turn red. I began to use head and shoulders thinking it would help relieve the dryness and itchiness some. Well that didn’t work, if nothing else it made it worse. 2 ½ weeks ago started to noticed a lot more hair left behind in my brush after washing my hair and drying it. Well, today I have a patch/path from my right temple (2 to 2 ½ in wide) going back to the crown of my head that has thinned out so much it almost looks like I’m bald (I feel like crying right now). I went to my primary doc and she gave me a referral to a dermatologist. I had an appointment for tomorrow the dermatologist I made last week, but because of this MANDATORY training, I had to cancel and reschedule the appointment. What’s worse is that I now have to wait tell May 11 for the next appointment, UGGGGGG. My primary thought maybe it was a fungal infection, or maybe psoriasis. Naturally after I got home I did goggled psoriasis and it seems to fit all the symptoms I’ve had in the last few weeks. My wife got some medication for me that seemed to have eased the major discomfort I’ve been feeling on my scalp but I’m still losing hair which has put a damper on my emotions lately. I’ve waited so patiently the last 1 ½ to let me hair grow out only for it to start falling out. One thing I’m not clear about yet, is if the hair will grow back or not. It’s as if I’ve been on chemo I’m trying to hang in there but it’s getting more depressing very time I wash my hair. I guess I’ll have to see what the doctor says in two (more) weeks.

I have a few other stress’s going on but prefer not to share those things quit yet, maybe never. I’ll have to see. Anyways, life at home has been going well with the family. Last week was my birthday so my wife and daughter and I went to visit my son at school and we went out to lunch/diner at a great place called Bobby Q’s in New Haven, CT. They have some great BBQ there by the way. I’ll be happy to go there again the next time we have a chance too. It was a nice weekend spent with the family, and no cooking on top of that, lol.
Well, that it for now. BTW, if anyone has any tips on psoriasis, PLEASE let me know.
Take care everyone.
Hugs Michelle