I have a fairly high tolerance for pain, but I’m about at my limit.

2013 is no longer going to be known as the Year of the Snake. It shall henceforth be known as the Year of the Needle.

Since February 14, I have been poked by needles 17 times. Four of them came from my dermatologist; 12 of them came from my endocrinologist, all at one appointment and all in my neck. Er, thyroid, to be exact.

Another one came today, thanks to the dude who operated on my knee at the end of 2011. Today, however, the issue was my shoulder which he identified as being plagued by “multi-directional instability.” I was the recipient of a painfully long and drawn out injection to help with the pain.

Can I throw in the towel yet? Please?

I feel like an animal that’s on the verge of needing to be put down. It’s exhausting.

Let’s forget for a moment that my thyroid biopsy results haven’t come back yet. Let’s also forget that I also now have a month of physical therapy on the horizon (and by that, I mean it starts next week) for my shoulder — not to mention yet another prescription of the anti-inflammatory variety to take for it.

More time, more money, more issues.

By the way, why are time and money seemingly always the cause of the majority of our issues these days?

I think I get my awesome genes from my mother. She’ll be having hip replacement surgery sometime this summer. Love you, mom.

Did I mention I also recently cracked a tooth? The fun never ends. I assume it happened while snacking on raw almonds or munching on ice. My first tooth issue. Ever. With four more needle pokes to come on that front at the end of the month.

21 needles? Really? Since Valentine’s Day? I’m sure you can imagine that I’m not feeling the love.

It’s like I’m finally growing up, although in reality I’m really just growing old. Tear.

All I can do is laugh at this point, or at least grin and bear it…although I haven’t gotten to either of those just yet. You try laughing and/or grinning when needles are making an assault on your person. Everything aside, I am thankful that my issues aren’t that big in the grand scheme of things (not yet, anyway), and I am thankful for the access to great health care providers when many in the world have never known such a thing.