CYA - finale

[Newton Hunt]

Dear Friends and Colleagues

This is the finale.

I am no longer working at Rutgers.

I have been on sick leave since 12/23/96.

For those unfamiliar with the original posts in the CYA thread; in May of 1996
my chairman wrote of me that I could neither tune nor regulate and that I was
not meeting expectations.  One week later my dean sent me a letter saying that
they were not paying me for July and August because I was being switched from
a 12 month to a 10 month employee.

In a face to face meeting the chairman, a clarinetist, said that "all the
piano faculty had complained about my work."

When I questioned four of the six with whom I have a personal relationship
they all were shocked, dismayed and most emphatically denied having said
anything of the sort and without exception attested to their appreciation of
what I had accomplished for them and their students.  One other person I know
would not have complained but I rarely saw her, the other person did complain
about his displeasure with a mellow Mason & Hamlin AA and wanted a new Kawai
instead.  I was not about to make a M&H sound like a new Kawai so we switched
pianos around.  He is now content.

This last semester I have had more sick days than I have had in all the last
fifty years.

I will be applying for long term disability because I have Chronic Fatigue
Syndrome and Fibromylgia.  Most people know about CFS but few know about
Fibromylgia or FMS (S for Syndrome).

Most doctors know little about CFS and most know nothing about FMS even though
it was originally defined by Hippocrates.

Unfortunately there is no cure for FMS or CFS, just some treatment for some of
the symptoms, which are at the bottom of this post.

The problem stems from my inability to work full time and produce the work in
keeping with my skills and expertise.  I cannot, for instance, tune four
pianos a day for more than three days in a row without needing at least a day
to recover.

At Rutgers I had 130 plus pianos in constant use, some needing new action
parts, some are new Kawais on loan, all needing tuning.

I can still tune one or two pianos a day without many problems.  Some days are
worse, some days are better than others.

I still have a good mind, I think, but then maybe I don't and I am deluding
myself.  Oh, well, I still think, I think.

I would like to have a job that I could do at home, like help people solve
problems using the phone.  If anyone knows of such a job let me know.
Experience and knowledge is a terrible thing to waste.

My wife, Jean, and my daughter, Portia (now 15), are well established in their
school.  Jean teaches music and drama in the middle school and is the chair of
the music department at Rutgers Preparatory School, not affiliated with the
university, and Portia is in the freshman class there.  I have no desire to
relocate because of them and also because soon this house will be fully paid
for.  Moving is such a pain.

I will still continue sticking my 1.5 cents worth on this list but I will have
to switch providers.  I will let you know as soon as possible about that.

In the meantime I will be in and out of the house.  I have to build a deck in
the garage to use for storage and maybe some work space.  I have to move three
tons of equipment, tools, supplies and materials out of the Rutgers Keyboard
Cubby into the garage and still give the car a place to rest overnight.  (On
the insistence of the Boss of this household, and I don't mean the dog
either.)

Dear friends and colleagues you have been most supportive of me over the years
and I do appreciate that far more than I can express.  Thank you all for that.

Now for that list:

                      Chronic Fatigue -- Fibromylgia Syndrome
                                 List of Symptoms

These are individualistic and fluctuate in severity and not all are experi-
enced by those afflicted; may include profound or prolonged fatigue, especial-
ly after exercise levels that would have been easily tolerated before.

I have put an "x" next to those that I have experienced without establishing
any priority.

      Low grade fever.
      Sore throat.
      Painful lymph nodes.
x     Muscle weakness.
x     Muscle discomfort or myalgia (pain or aching).
x     Low muscle oxygen levels.
x     Sleep disturbance (hypersomnia or insomnia).
      Headaches of new type, severity or pattern.
x     Migratory arthralgia without joint swelling or redness.
      Neuro-psychologic problems;
x            Photophobia.
x            Transient visual scotomata
x            Forgetfulness.
x            Irritability.
x            Confusion.
x            Difficulty thinking.
x            Inability to concentrate.
x            Depression or anxiety.
      Night sweats.
x     Shortness of breath.
      Chest pain.
x     Sensitivity to heat and cold.
x     Dizziness and balance problems.
x     Function problems (spacial disorientation).
      Visual disturbances;
x            Blurring.
x            Sensitivity to light.
x            Eye pain.
             Frequent prescription changes.
      Intolerance of alcohol.
x     Irregular heartbeat.
x     Abdominal pain.
x     Diarrhea
x     Irritable bowel.
      Low temperature.
      Numbness of face or extremities.
x     Burning in the hands or feet.
x     Hearing disorders or sensitivity.
      Menstrual problems.
x     Hypersensitivity of the skin or rashes.
x     Allergies and sensitivities to odors and chemicals.
x     Weight changes without changes in diet.
x     Light headiness (feeling "in a fog").
      Fainting.
x     Muscle twitching.
      Seizures.
x     Hair loss.
      Excessive dryness in mouth and eyes.

The cause of fibromylgia is unknown.  Research interest in exploring the
possible causes of various symptoms was given an enormous boost in the 1970s.
At that time, physicians made two discoveries.  The first showed that multiple
tender points are present in those with FMS.  The second discovery demonstrat-
ed that an actual sleep disorder is often present in persons having FMS.  This
is different from the type of sleep disorder that has been shown in depres-
sion.  In FMS it is called non restorative sleep, or an alpha EEG non-REM
sleep disorder...


My worst symptoms are unrelenting fatigue, very low energy levels and muscle
weakness.  Treatment includes some exercise and antidepressants to help with
serotonin and norepinephrine  reuptake.

It won't kill me but I will die with it unless they come up with a cure.

Thanks,

      Newton J. Hunt
      nhunt@jagat.com