Doctors Week

Actually, Doctors Week is every week for me it seems. I've been non-stop busy for the past couple of weeks. Geoff and I took Aja up to college this week for orientation, and while we were up there, Geoff's step-father passed away, and we ended up taking him to the airport and driving the 600 miles home without him.

Aside from being sad about the loss of such a wonderful man, I'm upset that I couldn't make it to the services. Geoff wouldn't hear of it, and he's right. I would have done nothing but send myself into a flare if I tried to push myself in order to make it to Virginia in time for the funeral.

Today I'm going to the cardiologist for my check-up. It's good timing because it feels like my heart has a life of its own lately. Tomorrow I have a colonoscopy. I've been having blood in my stool and chronic diarrhea, so the doctor has to check that out.

Since Geoff is out of town, Aja is going to be my ride from the colonoscopy tomorrow. I never understand what the doctor tells me after surgery. Usually Geoff is there to ask questions. I guess that I'm going to have to try to catch up with my doctor when I come back to my senses.

I always try to end with advice relevant to my experience, and I'm having a hard time coming up with something. Oh wait, I got it! I used to have a doctor who used to give me a colonoscopies while I was wide awake. That was the most miserable experience ever. The first time my new doctor gave me a colonoscopy and told me that I would be put to sleep for it, I wanted to go and punch my old doctor in the face. If you're ever offered a choice between pain and comfort, choose comfort.

Take care Lupies.

LupieKat

Hi Lupies

I know it has been a while since I've written, but it was a challenge for me to keep on schedule when I sprained my ankle. When it first happened, I did all this research on lupus and injuries. I wondered how an injury would be different for someone with lupus. In all my research, I didn't find anything, so I thought it all would be fine. Then I woke up the next morning.

I was too dizzy to use my crutches when I woke up, so I had to crawl on my knees to get breakfast, or I had to have someone get it for me. That was extremely agitating, but you do what you have to do, right?

I'm off the crutches now, but I'm still in a brace. It looks like I'm anemic again, so my doctor wants me to go into the hematologist again. Loads of fun!

Next week, I'll be on the road. Geoff and I are taking Aja up north for her college orientation. Both of my kids will be away in college. Unbelievable!

Take care Lupies.

LupieKat

Sprained Ankle

Hi Lupies:

I've been having a fun few weeks.  Not!  After feeling down with the infections, I started to feel better this past Friday.  I was so excited about this weekend because I felt well enough to go out and do things. 

Friday night, my family and I went out to see "Up".  Cute movie.  My husband wanted to see "The Hangover" too, but I didn't have enough energy for two movies.  The next day, I dressed up for Carnevale at Venice Beach.  (Yes, that's how good I was feeling.)  I was feeling so happy to feel better, I was determined to make the best of it.  My daughter was embarrassed to be seen with me.  Sometimes, it's just good to look and be silly.  Especially when you're lupie.  Saturday night, my husband and I went to the theater to see a musical western.  Geoff tried to talk me out of it since I'd gone to Carnevale that day, but I told him I was only at Carnevale for an hour, and I rested for the remainder of the day, so I was good to go.

The theater wasn't a big theater, it was a small independent theater.  Right before the show, I thought I'd run to the ladies' room so I wouldn't have to worry about needing to go during the show, I walked through the door to the ladies room and hit the ground because right behind the door, there was a set of steps.  They should warn people about this!  I ended up spraining my ankle and spending the evening in the Emergency Room.  The doctor said I'm going to be on crutches for a month.  Woohoo!

Yesterday, I spent the day in a Vicodin haze with my foot elevated.  I was bummed because I missed the Dodgers' game.  I am missing more than I'm making this year.    I was just so tired from the Vicodin.  Also, it would have taken a lot of energy to wander around the stadium on crutches.  The Dodgers got killed yesterday anyway.  It's also just best with lupus and injuries to rest and take care of yourself.

Today, I'm off to work.  That should be fun!

Take care Lupies.

LupieKat

Infections, Infections

Throat and intestinal infections.  That's what I have today folks.  It's been lots of fun!  On the plus side, I'm losing that bothersome last five pounds I've been trying to shake for months.

The hardest part of this is that my brain is tired.  Usually, when I'm not feeling well, it's just my body.  Now, it's my mind.  I'm too tired to read or think.  It's a bit frustrating.  I always felt that lupus couldn't touch me as long as mentally I'm able to keep up.  My husband tells me I'm being hard on myself, and I need to rest.  He's probably right.

There are two days left in Lupus Awareness Month.  Apparently, I've decided to celebrate Lupus Awareness Month by having lupus.  The rest of you, get out there and share your lupiness with the world!

Take care lupies.

LupieKat

Gotta Love that Prednisone - I have no choice!

Well I feel better than I did a few days ago.  I finally broke down and broke into my emergency stash of Prednisone.  I hate to turn to the Prednisone because of the long term use side effects, but my asthma was killing me, and also, I was just miserable in pain.  I have a love-hate relationship with Prednisone.  When I use Prednisone for a few weeks, it's great.  Longer than that and it makes me feel more miserable than when I started.  I am enjoying my burst of energy right now.  I'm not going to let it go to waste!  I'm going to try to do some productive things this weekend that I haven't had energy to do in the past few months.  Maybe I'll take a short hike tomorrow morning!  

In Lupie news this morning, there's tons of things going on for Lupus Awareness Month.  In Canada, there's Walk a Block for Lupus on Sunday.  Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois is holding a Spring Concert.  Just tons of things, so check your local news and see what's going on.

Have a lupie day!

LupieKat

The First Hour

Good Morning Lupies!

I woke up about a half hour ago, and I'm lying here contemplating my day.  I had a rough one yesterday.  I haven't been able to sleep through the night for a few days because my asthma has been troublesome.  Then yesterday I woke up with nausea and diarrhea.  My friends wanted to go out to lunch when actually, my stomach was feeling very blech.  I didn't want to tell people I felt bad yesterday because sometimes it feels like that's all I say, so I smiled and said, "Sure!  Sounds great!"  I did choose a place that I thought I could find something light.  We went to a healthy Japanese restaurant, Sachi Teriyaki in Inglewood, and I ordered a bowl of chicken teriyaki and rice.  It tasted so good, and it sat so well, I was able to eat the whole thing.  I'm glad I didn't opt out.  It was the best I had eaten for a few days.

There was also another earthquake yesterday!  Let's just say, it made me a little jittery.  By the end of my work day yesterday, I had chills and my asthma really started to hit me hard.  By the time I made it home, I could barely breathe.  I took about 20 mgs of prednisone and relied heavily on my Albuterol.

Now, I'm lying here in bed after being awake for about 35 minutes now, and I'm trying to gather up the energy to get up and get my day going.  I was hoping to bake cookies for tonight's weekly poker game, but so far, I'm just not feeling up to it.

I think I'll get up, brave those first few lupie steps, eat a bowl of raisin bran, take meds, meditate to clear away yesterday's crappy feeling day, and focus on today and right now.  Not how bad I felt yesterday, nor all the things I have to do today.  Just right now.

Sometimes, that's all you can do.

Live Lupie!

LupieKat

World Lupus Day

Today is World Lupus Day, and this month is Lupus Awareness Month.  I had plans to put up posters and hand out fliers, but I guess I was too busy having lupus to spread lupus awareness.

Yesterday, I was set to go to the Revlon Walk for Women to take pictures of my co-workers, but I woke up in dreadful pain.  When we got to the event, I could barely walk because I was in so much pain.  By the time we got to the location, everyone was gone.  I forgot to bring the fliers I had planned to hand out about Lupus Awareness Day.

Then I thought that today I would go and put up posters around the neighborhood, but my family took me to brunch, and I came home and slept for five hours.  My brain has far more ambition than my body.  It's not too late to put up posters for Lupus Awareness Month, so I think I'm going to go do that when I'm done writing here.

As I said, my brain has far more ambition than my body.  Yesterday, I had planned to go to a party after the Revlon Walk, but I just couldn't do it.  My joints were aching, and I had a fever.  I told my husband to let me sleep for 15 minutes and then we could go.  I woke three hours later.  I felt so bad because when I miss events when I promised I would be there, I feel like a flake.  

With lupus, you really have to learn to forgive yourself when you just don't feel well enough to do something.  I'm forgiving myself a great deal this weekend!

If you have more energy than I seem to have right now, please help out by posting fliers about Lupus Awareness Month.  You can find fliers here on the Lupus Foundation of America Web Site.

Thanks Lupies!

LupieKat