Health: I've been having a difficult time the past few weeks. I am on three oral antibiotics (Omnicef, Mepron and Zithromax). I attempted to start the fourth one (Doxycycline), but I began vomiting with that one. I think it's the combination of the four that did me in. I've had a multiple of symptoms over the last two weeks. They vary in severity. I've had a lot of pain. I've experienced headaches as well as pain in my neck, shoulders, arms, hands, lower back, legs, knees, feet, lung and side. I've experienced some twitching, chills, sweats, fatigue and breathing difficulty. I've also experienced occasional sneezing, nausea and itching.
One of my most frustrating symptoms, other than the pain, is with comprehension. I had slowly realized it was happening, but a few weeks ago I was talking with my friend on the phone. I realized that I had no idea what he was saying. I couldn't comprehend him at all. I was too embarrassed to tell him I couldn't understand his words or their meanings so I changed the subject and rushed him off the phone. Comprehension is better in person, but phone calls lately have been brutal. It's not all the time and it's not just one or two people. When it happens, it's frustrating. It is what it is, but it doesn't mean I want it to continue happening.
Home: We've not made any new changes to the house since the last update. I've used our upright steamer to straighten out a couple of curtains. I'll eventually get them all done, but it is taking forever because my stamina isn't holding up.
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Very Quiet
I've been very quiet this month, mostly because I just simply didn't have much to say. So here's an update. Health, Work and Home.
It's hard for me to be so extra positive when I feel so extra terrible. In June, I worked ZERO days. I barely left the house by myself. In fact, I may have only left the house by myself once (maybe twice) in June. July has been a little different. I've worked twice and left the house by myself several times, but it's because I've forced myself to.
The antibiotics are doing a number on me. I'm on three of them currently. Supposed to be four, but haven't found the courage to take the one that I know will kick me down. I *will* start the fourth one this week because I want to have been on that one at least 4 weeks before I see the doctor again.
I'm on a multitude of pharmaceuticals. I'm on a multitude of integrative supplements (herbal remedies and vitamins). Some I've been on before and some are new.
I mentioned that we had living room furniture, but didn't mention what we purchased etc. Maybe one of these days I'll write a post about our furniture karma.
We're settling into our new home. I absolutely love it. Downstairs is looking pretty phenomenal actually. I have room for company to come spend the day. I rarely have company, but it's nice that they'll have a place to sit now. Originally we were going to buy whatever it was we wanted for living room furniture. We were going to be cautious and not extravagant, but we weren't going to get cheapy cheap furniture either. At our old house, we had a futon. -- a futon. you know in lieu of a couch. a FUTON. which was not comfortable for sitting or for sleeping.
We looked online at the big stores in Raleigh (so that we wouldn't have to go in person unless we found something we wanted to sit in) and visited smaller furniture stores in our area. Then one day while we were waiting for a friend to arrive at a restaurant (we had called a friend to meet us out to eat and it was going to take longer for him to get there than us -), we stopped by Big Lots. We go to Big Lots on occasion, but honestly we rarely actually buy anything from Big Lots. So we strolled aisle by aisle and then hit the furniture section. We saw a few, "actually those aren't bad" pieces and got word that friend had arrived at the restaurant. We went back to Big Lots four times before deciding we'd go ahead and buy three pieces. One Couch, One Loveseat and One Recliner for less the price we would have spent on one couch.
So I've already found "my spot" (ala Sheldon Cooper). I pretty much only sit (or lay down) in the left hand side of the couch. Occasionally, I move to the recliner.
Here it is. There is room behind the couch - we have the fish tank (which is huge and pretty, but unused at the moment) . The side table there and ottoman are temporary placements. We aren't sure where they'll go, but for now that's where they stay. It gives me a place for my drinks and food when I'm in my spot. I love love love the color of the curtains and the color of the chair. Speaking of colors - so the chairs LOOK black, but they also look brown. It's the most bizarre thing. When the curtains and blinds are open, it looks brown. (for the reference, I wanted brown -- brown dark brown brown - but we chose these because the only brown -- brown dark brown brown Big Lots had were not comfortable, this set was comfortable)
It's hard for me to be so extra positive when I feel so extra terrible. In June, I worked ZERO days. I barely left the house by myself. In fact, I may have only left the house by myself once (maybe twice) in June. July has been a little different. I've worked twice and left the house by myself several times, but it's because I've forced myself to.
The antibiotics are doing a number on me. I'm on three of them currently. Supposed to be four, but haven't found the courage to take the one that I know will kick me down. I *will* start the fourth one this week because I want to have been on that one at least 4 weeks before I see the doctor again.
I'm on a multitude of pharmaceuticals. I'm on a multitude of integrative supplements (herbal remedies and vitamins). Some I've been on before and some are new.
I mentioned that we had living room furniture, but didn't mention what we purchased etc. Maybe one of these days I'll write a post about our furniture karma.
We're settling into our new home. I absolutely love it. Downstairs is looking pretty phenomenal actually. I have room for company to come spend the day. I rarely have company, but it's nice that they'll have a place to sit now. Originally we were going to buy whatever it was we wanted for living room furniture. We were going to be cautious and not extravagant, but we weren't going to get cheapy cheap furniture either. At our old house, we had a futon. -- a futon. you know in lieu of a couch. a FUTON. which was not comfortable for sitting or for sleeping.
We looked online at the big stores in Raleigh (so that we wouldn't have to go in person unless we found something we wanted to sit in) and visited smaller furniture stores in our area. Then one day while we were waiting for a friend to arrive at a restaurant (we had called a friend to meet us out to eat and it was going to take longer for him to get there than us -), we stopped by Big Lots. We go to Big Lots on occasion, but honestly we rarely actually buy anything from Big Lots. So we strolled aisle by aisle and then hit the furniture section. We saw a few, "actually those aren't bad" pieces and got word that friend had arrived at the restaurant. We went back to Big Lots four times before deciding we'd go ahead and buy three pieces. One Couch, One Loveseat and One Recliner for less the price we would have spent on one couch.
So I've already found "my spot" (ala Sheldon Cooper). I pretty much only sit (or lay down) in the left hand side of the couch. Occasionally, I move to the recliner.
Here it is. There is room behind the couch - we have the fish tank (which is huge and pretty, but unused at the moment) . The side table there and ottoman are temporary placements. We aren't sure where they'll go, but for now that's where they stay. It gives me a place for my drinks and food when I'm in my spot. I love love love the color of the curtains and the color of the chair. Speaking of colors - so the chairs LOOK black, but they also look brown. It's the most bizarre thing. When the curtains and blinds are open, it looks brown. (for the reference, I wanted brown -- brown dark brown brown - but we chose these because the only brown -- brown dark brown brown Big Lots had were not comfortable, this set was comfortable)
First Photo: Foreground: Living Room showing the Peacock color chair and the peacock color curtains and the recliner. Background to the left 1/2 Bathroom door, Background Middle kitchen, Background Archway leads to garage, laundry room and master bedroom.
This shows a portion of the living room. You see the curtains and seating area of the living room.
Well, I have to go rest. I've been up for one hour and need to go lay back down. It stinks, but I'm learning to live with it for now. At least I have a comfortable place to rest.
Friday, July 13, 2012
Follow Up 1 week ago
I had my follow up 8 days ago. I've really had to digest this last appointment.
Each appointment, we get closer and closer to pulling out the big dogs. By big dogs, I mean IV antibiotics. I truly believe that if we weren't having such a tremendous heat wave (even though this week is cool -- and if my appt had been this week, our decision may have been different) he would have scheduled me to have a picc line inserted. However, we had a string of over 100 degree days and a line with that weather (and humidity) is just doomed from the beginning especially with my skin sensitivity to the line, dressings, cleaning solutions. It's much better to be a cooler temp.
So with that said: My next follow up is near the end of August. This weekend, I will start all 4 of my oral antibiotics along with a multitude of supplements. I will be on these through my follow up. Depending on how I do will depend on the next step, but based on previous attempts --- more than likely at the beginning of September, I will be having another picc line inserted to do my first ever IV antibiotics. It will also give me access for other types of IVs as well.
Truthfully, I should have started this process in January - but it takes my mind a while to catch up with what my body needs. I was fighting this process and now I'm fighting Lyme and Babesia and apparently Mycoplasma Pneumoniae. I'm tired of fighting, but I can't afford to give up. I've given myself a medication respite with approval from my LLMD so I could get some stuff out of my body, but I really need to restart them. I work a long day today (but Jennifer, you quit back in December you say --- well I went on substitute status and they really need me to work today --- ). I've known for a few weeks I'd work today which was one of the reason I went on med respite this week so that I wouldn't be having a herx reaction while working.
I've worked a couple of 6 hour shifts since quitting in December, but no more than that. So pray that I can make it for the 9 hours I'm there (plus the scant hour of traveling) without falling asleep and without mental confusion and without great pain.
Each appointment, we get closer and closer to pulling out the big dogs. By big dogs, I mean IV antibiotics. I truly believe that if we weren't having such a tremendous heat wave (even though this week is cool -- and if my appt had been this week, our decision may have been different) he would have scheduled me to have a picc line inserted. However, we had a string of over 100 degree days and a line with that weather (and humidity) is just doomed from the beginning especially with my skin sensitivity to the line, dressings, cleaning solutions. It's much better to be a cooler temp.
So with that said: My next follow up is near the end of August. This weekend, I will start all 4 of my oral antibiotics along with a multitude of supplements. I will be on these through my follow up. Depending on how I do will depend on the next step, but based on previous attempts --- more than likely at the beginning of September, I will be having another picc line inserted to do my first ever IV antibiotics. It will also give me access for other types of IVs as well.
Truthfully, I should have started this process in January - but it takes my mind a while to catch up with what my body needs. I was fighting this process and now I'm fighting Lyme and Babesia and apparently Mycoplasma Pneumoniae. I'm tired of fighting, but I can't afford to give up. I've given myself a medication respite with approval from my LLMD so I could get some stuff out of my body, but I really need to restart them. I work a long day today (but Jennifer, you quit back in December you say --- well I went on substitute status and they really need me to work today --- ). I've known for a few weeks I'd work today which was one of the reason I went on med respite this week so that I wouldn't be having a herx reaction while working.
I've worked a couple of 6 hour shifts since quitting in December, but no more than that. So pray that I can make it for the 9 hours I'm there (plus the scant hour of traveling) without falling asleep and without mental confusion and without great pain.
Sunday, July 1, 2012
The Heat Is On
It has been HOT in North Carolina. I've heard lots of jokes on facebook lately about faces melting instead of sweating, how their sweat is actually sweating and just in general about how hot it is out there.
Friday we reached a tied all time record high of 105. This has only happened at our airport 3 or 4 times since the record keeping began. Then yesterday, we broke another daily high and tied the all time record high temperature again of 105. When we walk out of the house, the heat hits your face. It's overwhelming. You know it's hot when at 8pm at night the temperature is still in triple digits.
I try to keep the perspective that my army friend is in his army gear over seas where the temps are reaching 135 degrees, but honestly it doesn't help much. Hot is hot is hot. We feel blessed to have kept our power although it did flicker a few times on Friday. For me, hot weather causes problems. It causes me to feel downright lousy. The best way I can explain it is that I struggle to breath and I feel icky inside. I get out of breath from the front of the house to the mailbox.
My husband and I have been in and out of the house since we moved. When he's home, we're on the go. We just really enjoy going out. Today, we've pretty much stayed home with exception of about an hour when we left to pick up a curtain rod for the window in our ,non breakfast nook, breakfast nook area.
** House Update **
Slowly, but surely we are getting there. The dining room looks awesome. The living room is now functional. My goal for the week is to get the bedroom looking awesome, which entails emptying boxes that are just in the middle of the floor. The secondary goal is to get my office looking better, which also entails emptying boxes or at least putting them in a location that isn't so obvious when you walk in the door that we've recently moved in. Then I will feel like the first floor is company ready. Our only big purchase for the first floor left is the heavy duty blinds that will help keep out light (when we want it) and heat. We know exactly what we want, but have to wait a few weeks to order them. There are a few curtain and rods that need to be bought too, but we'll wait for those as well. As soon as I get the first floor organized, I will post some pictures of "before" and "after."
Friday we reached a tied all time record high of 105. This has only happened at our airport 3 or 4 times since the record keeping began. Then yesterday, we broke another daily high and tied the all time record high temperature again of 105. When we walk out of the house, the heat hits your face. It's overwhelming. You know it's hot when at 8pm at night the temperature is still in triple digits.
I try to keep the perspective that my army friend is in his army gear over seas where the temps are reaching 135 degrees, but honestly it doesn't help much. Hot is hot is hot. We feel blessed to have kept our power although it did flicker a few times on Friday. For me, hot weather causes problems. It causes me to feel downright lousy. The best way I can explain it is that I struggle to breath and I feel icky inside. I get out of breath from the front of the house to the mailbox.
My husband and I have been in and out of the house since we moved. When he's home, we're on the go. We just really enjoy going out. Today, we've pretty much stayed home with exception of about an hour when we left to pick up a curtain rod for the window in our ,non breakfast nook, breakfast nook area.
** House Update **
Slowly, but surely we are getting there. The dining room looks awesome. The living room is now functional. My goal for the week is to get the bedroom looking awesome, which entails emptying boxes that are just in the middle of the floor. The secondary goal is to get my office looking better, which also entails emptying boxes or at least putting them in a location that isn't so obvious when you walk in the door that we've recently moved in. Then I will feel like the first floor is company ready. Our only big purchase for the first floor left is the heavy duty blinds that will help keep out light (when we want it) and heat. We know exactly what we want, but have to wait a few weeks to order them. There are a few curtain and rods that need to be bought too, but we'll wait for those as well. As soon as I get the first floor organized, I will post some pictures of "before" and "after."
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