Posts Tagged ‘rheumatologist’

Labor Day Weekend

September 7, 2017

This is often considered to be the end of summer weekend.  For us it is very warm and with more fires all around us, very hazy, smokey and hot.  Sinuses are not happy but not a lot we can do.  Meanwhile, my two sisters are having Seattle summer weather.

My younger one in Nashville had rain from Harvey but no flooding; my older sister on the Jersey shore is also having comfortable weather and some rain.

Nashville

Ocean Grove, N.J.

We are having spectacular sunsets and sunrises because of the air quality.  Some people think people in Seattle are wimps because it seems we are  never satisfied – not enough rain, too much rain, etc.  I would not trade places with anyone, this is definitely my place.  People with all kinds of chronic illness are having difficulty with the weather and conditions, it is tough on the body physically, especially with a compromised immune system.  What I also know is that so far my survival rate from difficult times is 100% and I will make it through this as well.  Patience has been something I have had to learn – I will admit to times when it is stretched to it’s limits.

I was looking back at the beginning posts I wrote back in 2009 – I had forgotten a lot of it and it was a good reminder to me.  It also gave me a subject for my radio show this week – I wouldn’t be surprised to find quite a few more.  My contract with the radio station is up at the end of October, I have been working on finding sponsors to continue the show for another year.  I have three possibilities that I hope will come together.  We now have a metaphysical shop in Burien and they are an oasis for me.  I was there last week and one of the owners was saying that by tomorrow when Mercury goes back home and several other planets and eclipses occur, things will come together.  It is a matter of patience.  My problem is that I want it all settled and “in the bag” right now before my deadline.  I will see what unfolds in the next few days and weeks with as much patience I can muster.

THURSDAY

Tuesday morning I left for my show and it looked very odd outside – almost a green tinge similar to the eclipse.  When I came up the hill, the sun was a red disc – very odd.  I had never seen it that way before.  The fires are getting worse and growing – it has been so difficult for the firefighters to access the slopes and put out the fires.  For several days the smoke has made the sun red, there was talk the moon is also red – hard to see it.  I have sinus headaches and once again I am coughing with a dry, scratchy throat.  I hate to think what it is like for people with major respiratory problems.  I’m having a hard enough time with my body.  My rheumatologist’s office called yesterday because they were concerned my sed rate went up after finally going down.  I told Jennifer my body has been very uncomfortable since the fires started and the smoke hasn’t helped my sinuses.  She said a lot of patients are having trouble as well.  I am hoping when they do blood work again at the end of October, I will have lower labs again.

Now when I look at Texas and Florida, this is no big deal – it just feels that way at times.  I can’t imagine losing everything or the threat about to arrive as it comes toward Florida.  I was in one hurricane in Connecticut – spent the time curled up in a fetal position on the sofa.  Eddie was out of town and driving back – I wasn’t sure he would make it.   I didn’t want to be in the hurricane alone, but if I had to, I could do it.  To take my mind off it, I taped windows – wow, I had no idea how many we had!  Just as things began to rock and roll, Eddie got home.  I was so glad to see him.

I also saw my first Nor’easter there, we were in East Haven on the shore.  I sat and watched from my dining room window.  The Sound came up to the fence on the other side of the street – one of those days when I was glad we didn’t have beach front.  Things were flooded out on both ends of the street, but we were okay.  Afterwards it was a little tricky in places, never quite knew what would be flooded and what wouldn’t.  There have been other kinds of weather I’ve been through, I can certainly relate a small bit of how it is.

I know this too shall pass, I just like it to get on its way a little faster and bring some rain the clear and clean the air and help put out the fires.  The pictures I’ve seen are horrendous.

A Particularly Uncomfortable Few Days

November 29, 2014

Boy, computers can bug the hell out of me!!!!!!!!  Yesterday we signed Eddie up for his prescriptions and they sent an email for an electronic signature.  We did it just now and nothing works to send it through.  However, it just occurred to me they are closed, their computers are too.  We’ll try again tomorrow.  And for some reason, the first time I started this post, the bugger would only let me write the title, not the post itself.   Now it’s working – technology 2, Me 0.  I WILL not let it defeat me!  I won’t even mention the printer.

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This is one of Candy’s photos, after the week I’ve had, it always brings a smile to see the rose.  Thank you Candy.

That isn’t the subject, I got sidetracked just before I started writing.  It isn’t painful, just aggravating.

And now to business.  A week ago Thursday I was here in the office and ended up with another splinter in my foot from the hard wood floor.  It is the only place it happens and this time I couldn’t pull it out.  I could feel the end but since it was on the bottom of my heel, I couldn’t see it or bend enough to see it.  Eddie tried getting it out, but he couldn’t either.  It wasn’t that uncomfortable, I have had other splinters that stayed in my foot and have not given me trouble.  By Saturday I could feel it, it seemed to be pushing itself farther into my heel.  I began to feel as if I had a twig in there.  By Monday it was so uncomfortable and I didn’t want to walk on it.  I was sitting here and Eddie said “You have that look.”  I asked what look.  He said the look of “I don’t like this”.  Spot on, he was so right.

Tuesday I was really limping – fortunately I had an appointment with my rheumatologist and my infusion.  When I saw Jennifer – the doc’s nurse – I found myself ready to cry.  I had been having a really bad time and I so appreciated Jennifer as she took the splinter out and cleaned all the junk in it – it had become infected.  It hurt like crazy when she took it out, but I was so relieved to have it gone and cleaned up.  As it was, I did  start crying a bit from relief.

They put a bandage on it and decided I wouldn’t get my infusion.  Fortunately I also had an appointment with Doc Pierce in the afternoon – could I have timed it any better?  He checked it out and gave me a prescription for antibiotics and orders to soak my foot in Epsom Salts.  I have another appointment with him on Tuesday, then an appointment on Thursday for the rheumatologist and I hope my infusion.  Not the most comfortable week, I spent a lot of time sleeping or napping to rest from all the pain and stress.

I am still soaking my foot and everything is so much more comfortable.  I hope it looks good to both docs next week.  As for me, it feels so good to walk comfortably again.  The antibiotics are for 8 days, 3 a day.  Tuesday night, Eddie was ready to cancel our dinner reservation for Thanksgiving  “because you can’t walk”.  I’m glad he didn’t because I was doing much better Thursday afternoon and we had a lovely dinner at Il Fornaio.  It was amazing how quiet it was on the viaduct and downtown, hardly any traffic.  We were half an hour early and they gave us a table right away.

We decided to do the traditional Thanksgiving dinner of 3 thick slices of white meat, yams, stuffing, mashed potatoes, haricot vert and cranberry sauce.  I couldn’t eat all of it, but I did enjoy it.  We decided to have pumpkin pie as well, though it was one thing too many.  But it was a great dinner all around.  We just relaxed all day, reading, working the computer and watching some tv.  It really felt good.  We were glad we were home before it started raining.

However, Friday we were out paddling around in the heavy rain, didn’t go too far a field and were glad to come home and be warm and dry.  This morning we woke up to snow – really coming down for a while.  I think we had an inch or so, the roads were bare and wet fairly quickly.  Good thing because the temperature has dropped and anything liquid is going to be ice.  We saw so many people who had left their car outside, full of snow not very well cleared off.  What a difference to keep our cars in the garage so we don’t have to scrape.

Today we went out for a bit, the wind was really cold and it is due to be colder tonight and the next few days.  It will be drier, clearer and colder – not much fun being outside in that weather.  Not much else to report, we haven’t been doing much these days of the holiday but we have enjoyed it.

That Was The Week That Was

November 23, 2014

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Fall at Vanderbilt University – nothing to do with my post but so lovely I wanted to share it.

It’s a week later and I am relieved to have the letter and its accompanying  attachments on their way to DSHS – all thanks to Dave Gagley.  It will be interesting to see  if there is an answer and if so, what it will be.  Fortunately they will be sending it to Dave, not me.  Now I am possibly making it out to be worse than it is, I don’t like messing with government in any form.

I feel I have taken off my training wheels for the radio show, I am feeling more confident being on air, the times when I am suddenly at a loss for words are fewer and I am able to  recover.  I am still working on my archives, the downloads don’t quite fit the mb quota of my site.  Definitely need to work out how to put it on iTunes as a podcast.  I am also working on guests, some people are a bit shy about being on the air, even if it is on the phone.  But I am not pushing because that doesn’t help make people comfortable.

I am beginning to think my fatigue has loosened up a bit – I sleep all night, have naps in the afternoon and still have trouble getting up in the morning.  I planned to do  several things this week, instead I was dragging and had naps.  Wednesday afternoon I went to the eye doctor for a check up – I’m doing well and there is only a slight change, I don’t need to buy new glasses.  However, when we came home, I was in bed like a shot because I was beat.  I also just saw snowflakes instead of lights and things were a bit blurry, seemed the smart thing to do since I couldn’t do anything else.

Friday was a really good day.  I was able to do things all day and didn’t feel the need for a nap.  I can’t say the same for Saturday, I work with each day as it comes.  I will say I am impatient to have energy again, it feels so long ago the last time I felt energetic.  It’s so much easier to do things with energy.  I am noticing I  tend to say “I’m tired” – doesn’t help the attitude, my goal is to be aware of what I say about it and make sure it is positive.  It’s a thought, and a thought can be changed.

We have been having rain again, I really noticed it on Thursday.  My legs and hips were stiff and sore, I knew something was going on, but not sure what.  We had a lot of clear, cold and sunny days, we are back to the 40’s and 50’s with rain.  Typical Seattle fall weather.  I will take this  rather than deal with snow, ice or any other cold stuff.  I remember a woman I worked with at Boeing who was from Buffalo.  she said when it snowed hard, her Mom would let her young sister outside because she couldn’t find her in the piles of snow.  I’ve seen pictures of this last snowfall there – a lot of people have prepared for it and are concerned about the snow on the roof.  When it starts raining, that snow will be even heavier.  We had a snowstorm here with quite a few inches, then it rained and roofs caved in.  They were showing on Lake Union the roofs of the boat houses collapsing from the weight.

This coming week is a medical one, Monday afternoon is the dentist – talking to him about being on the show as well as my teeth.  Tuesday is my rheumatologist and then my infusion.  It will be my last visit to her, she is retiring at the end of the year (she is younger than I am).   I will miss her, I’ve been going to her since I moved here 12 years ago.  For their long time patients, they called each of us to let us know this was happening.  also, there are 4 other rheumatologists now, so they looked to see which doctor would fit the patient.  I will see Dr. Shasteen in January, I haven’t met her before but a friend had her as a doctor and really liked her.  Nothing stays the same, certainly I haven’t stayed the same.  I think I also see my primary care doctor as well.  Have to check the calendar.

Eddie is taking Thursday off – we have reservations at Il Fornaio for Thanksgiving dinner at 3:30.  We haven’t done this before, so I’m looking forward to it – we enjoy their food and the people.  For years Eddie would get a turkey as a work bonus and there we would be, a big turkey and the 2 of us.  Some years we invited people over, or we were invited and we provided the turkey.  I think last year we found a ball of turkey at Whole Foods, just dark and white meat and not too big for two. It worked out quite well.

We have also taken care of Christmas shopping for my sisters plus our niece and her family in Toronto.  We had everything sent so we don’t have to carry it on the plane.  Let’s hope there isn’t an ice storm this year – it was really something last year.

Glitches Handled Well

March 27, 2013

I enjoyed last week a lot, I felt a feeling of well-being and energy – something I haven’t felt for a long time.  Yesterday I went to see my rheumatologist before I went to have my second infusion.  I did the first one two weeks ago so she wanted to know if I had noticed anything.  When I said a feeling of well-being, she said that is often what people first notice.  After seeing her, I went up stairs for my infusion – I asked for the corner suite, but it was occupied.  When I was there two weeks ago, I had it and it was quite enjoyable to look out to the west and the south – didn’t see much of the harbor because of all the tall buildings in front.  Looking to the south I could see the freeway and there weren’t buildings  blocking it.  Unfortunately, both times it wasn’t sunny, just cloudy and sulking.

However, all of the IV nurses at the Infusion Center were really nice, gentle when putting in the needle.  It takes about 45 minutes to do the infusion, plus they get it started by doing a saline solution at the same time.  They also offer drinks, soup, not sure what else.  The first time I was really tired, so I had the chair reclined and I dozed during the treatment.   I moved my elbow and that set off the alarm.  This time she put it in very well and it was fine if I moved.  I had forgotten my book the last time, so I remembered this time.  It made the time go by quickly, plus I was really into the book and its story.  I had apple juice, it tasted cool and really refreshing.

After the infusion, I had to go to Radiology to have hand and foot x-rays so there is a baseline to measure if there are changes as a result of Orencia.  After I finished there, I went to see my Mom.  I decided to stop and have something to eat and read for a bit.  When I got there, I found her sitting in her chair sleeping.  It really hit me, who was this old woman sitting in my Mom’s chair?  She didn’t look like my Mom – I didn’t expect that.  Then I found she is now using a walker – she has fluid buildup in her legs and it is really bothering her knees.  She won’t keep her feet above her head to help reduce the fluid so she is more comfortable.  Sucker punch two.  When I saw her last Friday, she was sleepy, so I didn’t stay very long.  She is doing well, but she mumbles a lot and I am not sure what she is saying.  She is pleased to see me and glad I come to visit, though I don’t know how much she remembers.  I  thought I had come to terms with what is happening – NEWS FLASH – looks as though I haven’t.  Now we are getting to the really hard part.

It has been that kind of week since I came home from the seminar.  I came home and found Eddie had trouble with his computer – after a while I kept thinking things don’t quite add up.  I ended up Monday morning doing a system restore – I had it written down from the last time because I wasn’t sure I would remember.  I was able to restore it and it is fine, though it cost Eddie $300 and a lot of worry – it was a stupid virus scam.  I figured a system restore should do it, though there was a part of me that was worried I would screw it up.  So the worst that could happen was I screw it up royally and then call Larry to fix it.  What a relief to have it restored and Eddie didn’t lose his Round Up and have to do it all over again.  Hooray for me!

I went to see my chiropractor after that and as always enjoyed my adjustment – plus my neck and shoulder were much more comfortable.  I was really looking forward to my afternoon nap to rest up from the weekend.  I ended up spending an hour in bumper to bumper traffic on 167 – would have been better off going on I-5.  Some days are like that.  When I got home, there was a message on my voicemail – a small financial crisis that showed me just how little I can do on some of Mom’s affairs.  Well, if nothing, it was informative.  So I had to go to her bank and later out to the Post Office to take care of it.  At times it felt as if things were falling around me, but when I was done, I felt I handled it competently – I also knew to ask for help from the Universe as well as people at the bank.  I had a feeling of accomplishment, though those three hours felt rather tense at times.

The only thing that made my heart go pity pat was that when I checked Mom’s checking account, she had too much money.  So I have to spend some to make sure she is below $2000 or she could be disqualified for Medicaid.  We had to buy some things for ourselves at Bartell’s, so I bought some things she needs – still have more to spend.  This is crazy, I have to make sure it isn’t over their limit when they check one minute after midnight on the first of the month.

I have a massage tomorrow morning and I am so looking forward to that!


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