Difficulties that Come in Threes

Had tech difficulties the day before the New Year. Found my laptop refused to divert sound through my headphones. I spent much of what should have been a relaxing day checking various websites for how to fix the issue, changing settings, restarting the computer. For a panicked moment, I thought I accidentally wiped my files but logging out and logging back in reversed that. Eventually, I found the fix in the Realtek Audio Driver, which wasn’t easy to get to. By clicking in one of the jack options, I was able to listen through headphones again. More than that, it helped me track down why the sound didn’t mute if I unplug my headphones. 

But messing with those systems had some unforeseen consequences. With virtual therapy meetings, first the sound wasn’t working and then the video wouldn’t turn on. At a loss, I did more solution searching and I discovered hitting the f8 key caused the video issue. Hitting it again fixed the video issue. Moreover, I realized I never changed back some sound settings during my New Years Eve tech panic and so changed them back. Knock on wood, I hope that’s the last of my tech difficulties. At least I was able to track down the solutions.

About to start a major change tomorrow. After advice from a periodontist visit roughly a year and a half ago, I went to an orthodontist and am going to get Invisalign.  I remember the periodontist’s advice that three of my teeth would need adjustment soon but I thought it would involve some kind of surgery. Instead I was given the choice between braces and Invisalign. The former would have restricted me from eating certain sweets and we can’t have that. ;). So Invisalign it is! Tomorrow I’ll go back to the orthodontist to put on a mold for my teeth.

Once the Invisalign is made and arrives, I’ll need to wear it for the next 14 months. I can only take it off when I eat, drink, brush, and floss. Looking it up, the Invisalign's apparently uncomfortable the first week or two before you acclimate to its presence. I’ll have to be careful how I take it on and off and not break or dispose it by accident, since the whole procedure’s expensive. Fortunately, the orthodontist offered a good payment plan. This will be a long journey but hopefully it’ll be tolerable and have good long-term effects for my teeth.

I got sick this month not long after that first orthodontist appointment. It threw off my sleep schedule later and though I was able to claw it back, it’s now thrown off again. At the end of that week, I learned that my PA had left the practice. I worried if I would be prescribed the steroid and antibiotic necessary to deal with the inevitable chronic cough that follows, since doctors can be reluctant to give out steroids and antibiotics. I was pleasantly surprised when my new PA just gave me the two medicines without hesitation. I do worry if I asked for the meds too early before my cough turned chronic, since my cough lingered (albeit in a reduced state) over the weekend and threw off my sleep schedule. I’ll notify the new PA if I need him.

That’s all for now. I didn’t feel like watching and reviewing a film this month. Until the end of February, see you!