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An HPS morning

6:30 a.m. I look at the clock and leap out of bed. I’d set the alarm for 6:00 a.m. because I wanted to get to work early. I’m behind at work, thanks to the bout of fatigue, and I want to get to work early to catch up.

Leaping wasn’t such a good idea. As soon as my feet hit the ground I feel aching in my ankles. Sometimes I get joint pain in my ankles, knees, wrists and fingers – it’s a mystery that comes and goes. So far, no one’s been able to explain why.

This morning my ankles hurt worse than usual. As I try to rush to the bathroom one of them buckles underneath me and I fall into my Gazelle (exercise machine). My leg scraps against something on the side and now there’s a scrape on the upper part of my thigh about the length of my thumb. It’s not deep, but is bleeding.

I stumble to the bathroom, get the appropriate gauze to hold pressure, and then stumble back to bed and listen to NPR.

It’s now 7:00 a.m. I’ve missed the early bus. I can still make the next one.

7:50 a.m. I’m missing the next bus. I’m still not dressed because this silly scrape is still bleeding. Not as badly as before, but blood is still managing to seep through band-aids and I don't want to get it on my pants.

8:20 a.m. I’m finally able to put on some band-aids and get dressed, but I’ve missed the last bus to work. I get online to check my work e-mail and call a taxi. Forty minutes and $20 later I’m at work, only 10 minutes late officially, but way past when I had intended to be there.

It’s been an HPS morning.

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