Siiiiiiiiick

I've been down with a nasty cold for a few days.... will write more once the snot clears from my brain..hehehe.

Sleep trouble

I had a bit of trouble sleeping last night. I Did not settle in til about midnight and woke again at 3am feeling very restless and unable to go back to sleep. I got up and had a snack, played some solitaire then went back to bed...still could not settle in after about 30 minutes so I took half a melatonin tab and that did the trick. I woke after 11am (very late for me) and just finished some breakfast....or lunch..whichever ;-) I plan to use the rest of my day to clean up a bit and bake like a mad woman...hehehe... brownies, breads and cookies to sell tomorrow. ta-ta for now!

One day at a time

Selling goodies went well on Friday...brownies were the most popular and sold out right away....the carrot cake was sadly neglected. I guess there aren't that many health nuts out there ;-) I was able to set up outside the thrift store in exchange for a percentage of my sales :-) Less walking and more customers..yay! I had a lead on a job at blockbuster and went in to talk with the manager yesterday. It turns out she cannot afford to hire anyone else at this time, and is even having trouble giving her current employees enough hours. So, I'll keep selling baked goodies as I continue my job search :-)

Slept in

I slept in today and missed my yoga class. I think all the walking yesterday must have worn me out more than I thought. No big deal tho, I'll take it easy today and stretch my muscles while I bake for tomorrow :)

I'm rich!!

Selling brownies today was a success!. I sold almost all of them at 50 cents apiece and earned about 6 dollars. So I'm not a millionaire yet.....that is still 6 dollars that I didn't have yesterday :-)
I am also feeling better than I did yesterday which is great, and am looking forward to yoga class tomorrow morning. I'm going to stretch my muscles tonight so they won't freak out so much tomorrow...hehehe. That's all for now!

Tired

I feel a bit run down today which could be the result of being so active yesterday. I still have not heard back about the online job, so I baked some brownies today to sell tomorrow. I've got to do something to earn some money while I'm looking for steady work.

Better stamina

I've had a bit more stamina since starting the thyroid meds, and have not been struggling as much to stay awake in the afternoons.
This morning was to mark the beginning of yoga classes....but I mistakenly went to the wrong building at first, then somehow thought it was an hour earlier than it actually was....so, when I finally made it to the right building, I sat down and waited for an hour and walked into the classroom just as it was ending...oops!...must've left my brain on my pillow ;-) Fortunately, my ride was late picking me up, so I decided to stay and attend a later stretching class which was very nice :) It left me a bit out of breath, but I really enjoyed it. I was amazed at how simple stretches increased the blood flow to my tired muscles....my limbs especially were very warm when I finished. I plan to stretch daily at home from now on :) I have another yoga class schedule on Thursday....I'll be sure to bring my brain along for that one ;-) ttfn!

Change in treatment

I saw my doctor today and we have changed our game plan. She concurs that my 'relapse' was likely not a relapse at all, but rather a seasonal bug, and that my fatigue may simply be the result of my adrenal fatigue and possibly low thyroid function, as my levels are on the very low side of normal. So, as of tomorrow I will be adding Nature-Throid in the amount of 1/2 tablet ( or 1/4 grain) twice per day, and Isocort next week in the amount of 2 pellets twice per day.

I have not heard back regarding the training date for my new job. I sent the hiring manager another email this morning and hope to hear back from her soon.

Pretty good

I'm feeling pretty good today. I slept about 9 hours last night and woke at around 4am. I'm still a bit weak from whatever got into my system last week, but I'm definitely feeling an improvement. One new symptom is a slight numbness and tingling in my fingertips, especially my left thumb. I'm not really concerned about it because I think it's likely due to my neck and shoulders being a bit out of whack... I've been sleeping in odd positions lately. A good crunch from my chiropractor should help :) Also, I think I'm dehydrated even though I'm drinking lots of water....the skin on my hands stays when I pinch it and I'm having headaches and achy lower back, as if my kidneys were having trouble. I'm going to bring this up with my doctor when I see her Friday.
In other news; I interviewed for an online job yesterday and I think I got it! The woman who interviewed me said she would send me some final paperwork and contact me by next week to let me know when training starts. She didn't officially tell me I had the job, but it sure sounded as though I got it. I'm also starting yoga classes twice a week beginning Dec 15th. I'm so excited! I can't wait to stretch/strengthen my muscles....they've been soooo bored! *chuckle*

Relapse?

I am wondering if perhaps this was not a relapse after all, but rather my body being stressed from fighting some other seasonal bug. I feel quite a bit better tonight, the pressure/tenderness in my abdomen has lessened and I have a bit more stamina. Just last night talking, eating, standing etc still had me out of breath, and today that's much better. I was able to put a load of laundry in the washer, take a quick shower and even stroll around in the back yard and enjoy the fresh air :-) I took my camera with me and got a few good shots of some cacti and our mesquite tree. I'm still taking it easy, resting a lot and drinking plenty of fluids....I'm hoping this was just some nasty little bug and that I'll be back on my feet again soon :-) ttfn!

Relapse

The occurrence of new symptoms turned into a full-blown relapse on Thursday, Dec 4th, with impaired motor function, slurred speech, little to no stamina, extreme muscle weakness and a pressure/tenderness in my midsection which increased with contact and consumption of food. Heart rate remained stable, though pulse was difficult to find (possibly due to a drop in blood pressure). Since then I have been sleeping for periods of 12-15 hours, waking only to use the bathroom and try to eat something with my meds. I am able to sit up for 20-60 minutes before I need to lie back down and rest/catch my breath. During my awake time I have been online looking for work and checking emails as well as talking on the phone with friends to keep me from going nuts ;-) In the first day of relapse, I became very depressed, crying for hours. After having a taste of recovery, going back to semi-bedridden status really pissed me off. I'm feeling better emotionally now, and am trying to stay positive and be proactive when I am awake so as not to slip into a deeper depression. I spoke with my doctor and she wants me to go back on the Protocol, starting at low doses and working my way up, so that is my main focus at the moment. Time to rest, will write more later.

New symptoms

For the last 2 days I've had a tingling sensation around my lips, which seems to increase when lying down and after I wake up. I feel very heavy upon waking and it takes some time to get moving. I'm also having mild balance problems - I trip over my own feet and sway a bit when standing still. I'm going to email my doctor and get some input on this. In the meantime, I'm drinking plenty of fluids and taking it easy.

In other news, the dog bit my sister last night, which is twice in two days that he's been aggressive without reason. This time he was sitting in the kitchen with sis and her friend, sis bent down to talk sweet to him like she always does, and he bit her face! She has two red lines on her cheek. I have no idea what is going on with him. He has been barking more than usual as well. I wish he could talk, so he could tell us what's wrong.

Odd doggy

My sister's dog bit me today. He's never done that before. He was lying in the doorway to her bedroom looking adorable as always, so I strolled over and bent down to softly scratch his ears...after a few seconds he snarled and chomped down on my arm! He didn't draw blood, but his teeth did leave marks and a few scrapes. I have no idea what set him off.....he's standing next to me with his head in my lap right now, sweet as ever, soaking up the petting. Perhaps he was defending his master's territory....or maybe he didn't recognize me at first (I had just come from the shower after using a new shampoo). Who knows?

A good month

This month has been pretty good. I had a wonderful holiday! First a late lunch with family, and then dinner with friends. The weather was lovely and I felt really good despite eating enough food to choke a horse which included half a chicken, a plethora of side dishes and an entire pumpkin pie! I have been actively looking for work both online and outside the home. Right now I'm going a bit stir-crazy with all the energy I have and would really like to put it toward earning an income.
In other news, I am in the process of collecting recyclable materials that can be used to build a solar-powered space heater. I've been browsing online schematics and have found one that I can build myself :-) Some of the materials, such as a sheet of Plexiglas and heater hose I may have to buy, but the rest will be recycled materials. I'm really excited, and hope to start building it within the next month so I can save my Dad a bit of money on his electric bill this winter.
Well, that's all for now. Bye!

Change in meds

I saw my doctor on the 14th and we decided to change my meds a bit. After two months on the full protocol, I was feeling really bogged down, so I went off everything but one antimicrobial; Samento. I slowly upped the dosage to reach a daily dose of 20 drops. That is when I began to feel a great deal of improvement. I explained this to my doctor and she concurred that the full protocol is just too much for my body to handle. So, I will continue on the Samento, and add Serrapeptase and Zeolite; two enzymes that eat up cellular debris which should help keep me feeling well, and ease any Herx reactions I may have in the future. I'm very excited about this and am looking forward to greater improvement in my health :-)

Tired today

I have been very tired and foggy-headed today. I feel pretty drained so I haven't done much and will most likely go to bed early. Hopefully tomorrow will be better :-)

A slight improvement : -)

Sorry for the gap between posts. I've actually seen a bit of improvement in my condition and the excitement at being able to do a little more physically has pulled my attention away from this site. My stamina has been pretty steady despite feeling tired most of the time. It's more of a general tiredness, as opposed to the extreme "I've got to lie down right now!" fatigue. For about the last week I've been able to sweep and mop the floors several times, and have been cooking dinner almost every night :-) I was even able to walk to the store and back ( about 2 neigborhood blocks) without the extreme backlash that usually comes after exerting myself....I did feel a bit more tired than usual, and had to add a nap during the day, but all in all, it wasn't so bad. I love to cook and am really enjoying trying out new recipes. My baby sister and her friend have gone vegetarian, so I've been experimenting with vegetarian dishes where I normally use meat. Tonight I made veggie spaghetti....zuchinni, bell pepper onions sauteed with mushroom sauce over pasta. It was a hit! :-) Anyway, that's what I've been up to. I will try to post more often now that I'm out of bed more. Ciao for now!

Family reunion

My older brother came to visit on Tuesday (28th) with his wife and kids...I had not seen them in about 8 years.....the girls were soooo big, and the baby whom I hadn't met was already 16 months old, and sooooooo cute. My whole family showed up - about 15 people - and we stayed up til 1am talking, laughing and roasting hot dogs and marshmallows in the fire pit out back. We all took a ton of pictures and I followed the kids around with the camcorder...hehe. I started to fade out early in the evening....a can of root beer helped me stay up for the remainder of the 17-hour event. I went to bed immediately after everyone left and ended up sleeping a total of 35 hours over the next two days. I am still recovering.

Lazy day

For some reason today, I didn't feel like doing a thing but holding still..so that's what I did :-)
Stayed in bed all day and dozed on and off. It felt goooooooood. But now I'm ready to get something done. Tomorrow I'll be going to the state office to finish my application for food stamps..yay!....*laughing*....not a huge deal, but it does mean that I get to leave the house!

ZZZZZzzzzzzz

After a very restless night on monday, I fell asleep at 2pm yesterday and slept for 13.5 hours, followed by a 2 hour nap this afternoon. I really needed the extra z's. I am weak and dizzy, but rested...if that makes sense *laughing* I am continuing to raise the dosage of Samento and am now up to 11 drops per day. I hope to pick up the rest of my medications soon.

good news!

I found out on Friday that I can safely take advil or tylenol to ease my joint pain, yay! Since then I have been taking a 200mg advil at night which helps me stay comfortable enough to sleep, and continues to ease my pain well into the next day :)

In other news, I attended my first Lyme Disease support group on Saturday! One of the members there gave me a ride to and from :-) It was great to be in a room full of people who know exactly what this disease does, and who do not expect me to be normal just because I look that way on the outside. We talked in great length about the documentary "Under our Skin" and shared treatment options that have helped us. I'm really looking forward to attending again next month.

Today I joined a yahoo group where I can post photos and prices of things I want to sell for locals to purchase. I'm so excited to have this opportunity to make some cash from home!

Grrrr...

The pain I had yesterday continued throughout the night as I tossed and turned, unable to sleep. At around 4 am I finally conked out.... I dozed on and off til my alarm rang at 8:15. I heard it in the distance but was unable to move. I thought of my doctor and how bad I wanted to see her today....but my body just wouldn't cooperate. I laid there, my limbs so heavy...eyes glued shut ......by the time I was able to pry my eyes open and un-fog my brain enough to move, it was 2pm. Damn. I stumbled to my feet and got to my computer to send her an email, explaining what had happened. The whole time I was typing, I was getting more and more pissed off. I hate what this disease has done to me....it has made me unreliable, one of my biggest pet peeves. To me it is a sign of disrespect. I mean no disrespect when I'm unable to keep an appointment etc, but it sometimes comes across that way...I've been yelled at for it...even punished in a sense by the clinic I go to. If I miss my 3 month check-in appointment, they make me come every 2 weeks, or they will not give me my medication...even though I explain to them the reason I missed my appointment was because I was very ill, and it is not possible for me to come in every 2 weeks. It's even in my chart "client has a habit of not showing up for appointments"....I hate that!!!
OK, takin' some deep breaths here....... gonna lie back down for a bit.

More pain

The pain is worse today after holding steady since the 4th (my last post). I cannot seem to find a position that gives me any relief. Keeping busy is about all I can do, but that is difficult since the pain limits my mobility and gnaws at my brain's ability to focus. I'm continuing to drink plenty of fluids....but so far, it has not helped. I'll be seeing my doctor tomorrow...perhaps she can suggest something that might at least take the edge off.

Pain

I've been in a lot of pain the last two days, mostly in my knees, hips and lower back. It makes walking difficult, but I manage when I need to and there is plenty to do that can be taken care of while sitting or lying down. The pain has also been in my stomach, mostly right after I eat. It does fade though - I'm just a little tender - and is not causing me to vomit, so I'm grateful for that.

Yucky

Dizzy and nauseous today, especially when I try to get up and move around - which I can only do for a few minutes at a time before feeling light headed and out of breath. I'm wobbly on my feet and have very little strength.....been breaking out in cold sweats all day. I feel slightly better when lying down, so I've been keeping to my bed as much as possible.

Tired

My body is still very run down. I've been sleeping 16-18 hours per day, and not really able to do very much during my awake time. Even simple daily activities such as getting to the bathroom or changing my clothes leave me weak and winded.

The day after

My day started at 5am. By about 8:30am I was ready to go back to bed.....tired, achy and very weak. I rested for a while but couldn't sleep....finally got up around noon. Since then I've been looking through old photos and browsing the web for a USB driver for my dad's camcorder. I'm very worn out and mentally dopey (what I like to call "stupid-tired") but too uncomfortable to sleep just yet. Every joint in my hands and arms ache.....my leg muscle are restless and jumpy. I might take some extra Valerian root tonight to help me relax.

A bad day

I made a mistake yesterday, and overestimated the amount of activity my body could endure. I had taken the bus to a nearby appointment. On my way home I decided to walk across the street to the grocery store for some rice milk before walking the 2 1/2 blocks back to the house. I should have gone straight home after stepping off that bus..... I was already exhausted and out of my mind.......
I wandered through the store in a daze...my steps short and uneven. I was looking for something, I just couldn't remember what. I finally stumbled upon 'it' while wandering down the cereal aisle.....rice milk! that's what I had come here for. I pulled a half gallon off the shelf and cradled it in both arms as I shuffled my way to the register. As I reached the end of the aisle, my exhausted and delirious mind decided I should buy some turkey too, so off I staggered - like a zombie - to the deli section. The trip back to the register is a blank. I have no idea how I got there. Perhaps the chill from the hunk of frozen turkey, which by then was burning the fingers off my left hand had kept me lucid enough to find my way back. I paid for my things and headed out the front doors....I needed to rest so I sat on some crates next to the door that had been left as part of a display. I was so tired...my whole body ached. I pulled my cell phone from my purse and dialed my friend Steve....as it rang I began to cry. I sobbed into his ear as he listened and calmly reassured me that everything would be alright. After a few moments I tried to stand again to see if I could make it home.....still on the phone I inched my way across the parking lot. About half way to the street, every cell in my body suddenly screamed in unison: "SIT!!" Like a well trained dog I immediately parked my butt on the asphalt and wept - defeated - into the receiver. I just could not walk one more step. I felt utterly helpless.....I bawled to Steve "I can't do this...." His voice of reason broke through the fog in my brain...."Can you call someone for a ride?" I hadn't thought of that...I hadn't thought of anything really, my brain was such a murky, confused mess. I hung up, blew my nose, and tried my best to sound calm and collected as I dialed my dad's cell. Luckily he was just a few blocks away and came by several minutes later to pick me up. I slowly hoisted myself into the truck and fought hard to hold back tears on the ride home. Once there, I slid out of the passenger door onto my feet and stumbled to the porch, but that first step was so hard....I gripped the wrought iron post to help my weakened legs make it up the 6 inch step. As I got up there and set both feet on the concrete I could no longer keep my composure...I dissolved into a puddle of tears. My dad was right there and wrapped his arms around me....deep sobs racked my body as my tears drenched his shoulder and blubbered "I hate this disease....I just want my life back!" He helped me to bed where I stayed for several hours, crying on and off. I called Steve back to let him know I was home safe and talked with him for a bit between sobs. After our conversation ended, I kept dialing friends and stayed on the phone til my battery was almost dead...I didn't want to be 'alone'. Sometime that afternoon, exhausted from crying and talking, I fell dead asleep.
I am still very weak today and moving is still difficult. I have pain in every joint from the waist down. The good news is that I'm not crying anymore and am still holding onto hope of having a semi-normal life one day. That's all for now. Ciao!

One step forward, two steps back

The semi-human feeling I had yesterday morning didn't last long....maybe 2-3 hours before I returned to a state of woozy, weak cotton-headed misery. I spent the afternoon resting and conked out at 6pm. I'll be glad when this is over. Right now I'm trying very hard to be patient with my body and just do what I can each day and not worry about the rest. One day I'll finish painting the walls, building my table and sewing my curtains, but right now I have a more important task at hand...taking care of me.

A little better

Good news today. I slept for 14 hours and actually woke up in the 'morning'...hehe. 8am! yay!
I'm walking a little better and don't feel so woozy....I started feeling slightly better yesterday after I had some liver. So I had some again for breakfast this morning and I'm feeling semi-human. My brain also seems to be waking up a bit.....not so much cotton in there ;-) I'm going to start on some long overdue paperwork and may write some more later. Ciao!

Hangin' in

I've been feeling steadily worse since writing my last post. My time is spent taking meds and lying in bed sleeping on and off. Tonight I got up to use the bathroom and was shaky and out of breath when I got back to bed. Again, I expected this, so I'm just riding it out......hopefully this is the worst of it and I'll start feeling better soon. I doubt I'll return to posting daily for a while yet, but will try to post as often as my health allows.

Worse

I am worse today than I have been in a long time. Very weak and easily exhausted. I spent the entire day in bed asleep....woke for 'breakfast' at around 5pm, then went back to bed, as the activity of nuking some scrambled eggs and eating them wore me out. After two more hours in bed, I got up.... I just couldn't stay there any longer without going nuts. I still feel pretty rotten and am having trouble keeping my balance - I weave and bump into walls etc - but my mind needs input/activity. Even if it's something as simple as sitting here writing this blog...I have to DO something.

I hate this disease

I am very weak today. My hands are a bit swollen and very sore with achy joints and tender fingertips. The pressure/achiness in my chest has worsened and I've begun to cough again when taking deep breaths. I'm going to focus on taking my meds and drinking plenty of water today, and try not to worry about anything else.
In other news, my cell phone is out of service. My dad said he would pay the bill, but I think he forgot. I don't want to remind him, as I really hate to ask for anything. But my phone is my connection to the world outside this house, so I may just break down and do it.

Weaker

The pain/pressure in my chest has let up a bit, but is still there. I called the allergist my primary doctor referred me to and left a message....I hope to hear back from them soon to schedule an appointment. It's often difficult to decipher which symptoms are Lyme related and which aren't. So, when a new symptom occurs, I like to have it checked out in case it's a separate issue.
The last few days I've felt weak and drained and it's been getting steadily worse. My muscles burn even when making small movements, or holding a position for more than a few seconds. I often have to stop and catch my breath after typing, pouring water, writing etc...Last night I was doing a crossword puzzle while lying in bed, and had to stop after each word I filled in to catch my breath and wait for my arm and fingers to stop burning. It seems to happen most when using my upper body muscles, so I'm still able to walk when I need to.
Today my joints have begun to ache again, this time in my hands and arms, and I'm having shakes/tremors in my upper body. I've had them on and off for years. My arms curl toward my torso, my shoulders scrunch up and I twitch as my head kind of pulls to one side.....fun. They only last a few seconds though, and I'm not feeling any additional pain as a result, so I'm glad for that.

Under our skin

I saw a wonderful documentary on Saturday called "Under our skin". It was terrifying, heart wrenching and very well done....I was in tears at several points throughout the film....cussing at others. It chronicled the lives of Lyme sufferers and their pain, frustration, anger and despair at not being able to find adequate treatment. It was a frightening look into our health care system, and a must-see for anyone who has the disease, as well as their friends, family and physicians.

My nephew came to visit today. We goofed around and chatted a bit while I sat in my office chair, which he decided to spin around with me still in it.....I was happy to play with him and tucked up my feet to spin in the chair as he giggled. After about 3 or 4 revolutions I began to feel dizzy....my equilibrium suddenly left me and I fell off the chair onto the floor. I tried to stand up but couldn't. He laid down next to me, his nose to mine and stroked my hair as I took deep breaths and waited for the room to stop spinning. I cursed in my head and wished that he didn't have to see me like that....he's only 8 years old. As I began to regain my balance I was able to pull myself up onto the bed. He helped me as much as his little arms would let him, and began holding up fingers in front of my eyes, asking how many I saw......" one.....four....two.....ten......" then began signing letters...."g.....r.....c..." and picking up objects from around the room...."cow....glue.....water..." to show me to "make sure your eyes are ok"....the next thing he held up was a roll of toilet paper I keep beside my desk.....I wanted to make him giggle so I said "cucumber". He gave me a very stern "I'm serious" look which didn't go away until I correctly identified the object. He's such a sweet little guy, I hate that he saw me that way, and I think it scared him a little. He climbed up on the bed with me and kept me company while I rested, laying his head on my tummy and doing silly things to make me laugh. I love him so much. OK, I'm gonna sign off before I start to cry.

Allergies?

I'm Still feeling pressure and a bit of pain in my chest when I breathe deep, as well as random fits of sneezing. On Tuesday I chose a primary care doctor on my health plan, as I didn't have one selected and gave her office a call. She was able to get me an appointment Wednesday morning. She had me take a breathing test and did a thorough exam. The test came back normal and other than blocked sinues, she could find nothing wrong, so she referred me to an allergist to see if the high mold content in the house could be causing the chest issues and sneezing fits. I should receive the referral in the mail next week and will set up an appointment as soon as possible. In the meantime I will contact the health department for information on the different types of mold in the area and how to get rid of them.

Monday outing

I spent monday in the hospital with chest pressure/discomfort when inhaling and fluctuating heart rate. Fun, fun, fun!
After 12 hours of blood-sucking (9 vials), x-rays and monitoring, they ruled out pneumonia, and heart defect - whew! Since my heart itself is ok, I'm guessing the fluctuating rate is due to the Lyme disease, as the bacteria often short-circuit signals to the major organs. As for the chest pressure/aching, they said one possibility could be inflammtion of the area around where the ribs connect in front......that can be treated with ibuprofen. they also recommended that I follow up with a local clinic just to be safe
I got home yesterday at 5pm, and after inhaling a sandwich I grabbed from a local sub shop on the way home, I hit the pillow hard and slept til 8 o'clock this morning. I feel a little better after having had some good sleep, but the sneezing is back..eek! I'll try taking a hot shower soon and see if that doesn't help. Later!

It snot funny

I woke Saturday morning with a stuffy nose. I didn't think much of it until that afternoon when I suddenly began sneezing my brains out in a fit that left my head spinning and about half a roll of used TP wadded up in the trash bin. Since then I've produced enough snot to drown at least one person. I spent the night boiling water for my steam tent and cradling my roll of TP as if it were my most prized possession. Finally, at about 5am I was able to fall asleep propped up in a sitting position, TP crammed into both nostrils. Great mental image, eh?
I woke at about 11 this morning and picked right back up where I had left off. Seemed like everything I did started a sneezing fit...talking, eating, moving.... tons of fun. I decided to take a hot shower about an hour and a half ago, and have been sneeze-free since. Yay!

One day at a time

The last two days I've woken up with a heavy feeling in my upper chest.....as though there is a weight lying on it. It feels less heavy once I get up and move around, but never really goes away. Also, if I laugh hard or speak louder than usual, I feel a sort of itch/tickle in my chest and start to cough. I'm wondering if it could be from the high mold content in the house....it's everywhere....doors, cabinets, refrigerator...pretty much every porous surface has it. We have swamp cooling, and it gets really humid and sticky inside the house. I'm going to email my doctor about it and check into getting a dehumidifier for my bedroom to prevent the mold from spreading in there.
Also, while the severe joint pain in my extremities has eased up, the dull ache remains. My hands especially are still very stiff and sore, and often swollen when I wake up. The pain is not too bad, just enough to be uncomfortable and interfere with pretty much anything that requires more than mild dexterity, such as typing and writing.

Better today

My legs and back feel a bit better today. Just a slight dull ache. I'm drinking lots of water in hopes that it will keep the severe pain at bay.
An odd thing happened this morning..... I was sitting at my computer and stood up to head to the kitchen. As I put my right foot on the floor, a stabbing pain shot up the back of my heel. I'm glad no one was around to hear the string of cuss words that leapt from my mouth at that moment. I managed to get myself to the tub, soaked my foot in hot water, then put some menthol creme on it and covered it with a thick sock. Most of the pain is gone now ....just a bit of tenderness left and I'm able to walk on it carefully. I still have no idea what caused it.
In other news, I found a cute little spider out by the laundry room the other night.....I would not have noticed it if it weren't for the sound of my baby sister screaming like she was being killed...hehe. I went out to see what all the fuss was about and noticed the dime-sized spider clinging to the wall. As I leaned in for a closer look, it launched it's 8-legged self off the wall and swung like a mini tarzan right at my face, at which point I began screaming like a sissy girl - arms flailing. After I regained my composure and my friend - who was on the phone with me at the time - stopped laughing hysterically, I put the little guy (I'm assuming it's a dude spider) in an empty cookie bucket and brought him inside for closer inspection. I browsed the internet in an attempt to identify him, but had no luck so I shot a few photos of the critter and sent them to the bugman (whatsthatbug.com) for identification before releasing him back in the the 'wild' near the laundry room. :-)
Scroll down to see the spidey :)

Pain

Last night I experienced what felt like an extreme case of arthritis pain - common for Lyme Disease sufferers - which ran from my lower back to my thighs, and then progessed to my knees and shins. The pain was excruciating and had me in tears. It felt as though several ice picks had been jabbed into my spine. Attempts to stand or walk made the pain even worse. I contacted a friend and he stayed on the phone with me while I cried through the worst of it, and helped to distract me as I waited for the quart of water I drank to kick in - the only thing that helps relieve the pain. It had lessened to a dull ache by about 3:30 am and I was able to get some sleep.
I woke up about 5am and my heart rate was 104....a bit high for someone lying still in bed. I'll continue to monitor it over the next few days and contact my doctor if it continues, and head to the ER if it gets dangerously high.

Sleeeepy

I've been feeling very weak the last few days.....all I want to do is sleep....constantly feel like I've just run a marathon....sore muscles, fatigue etc. I think it is a reaction to increasing my meds on friday and again last night. I up the dose a tiny bit every other day. I may stay at this dosage for a few more days to give my body a chance to adjust before increasing it again.
The intense exhaustion has taken a toll on my emotions. I broke down last night and cried for about an hour.....was one of those "I feel yucky and wanna be held" moments. Luckily I had a friend on the phone to talk me through it.
Well, I'm off to prep my dinner meds. Ciao for now! :-)

Slowing down

The last few days have been very busy. I got a wild hair up my rear on Monday, and went a little nuts with the physical activity..... I cut and assembled a set of shelves with some wood I had bought a few months ago. My body reacted with muscle weakness/pain and exhaustion. Taking it easy is something I really struggle with. My mind wants to do more than my body is capable of, which usually lands me in bed for a day or two. So I've been trying to slow down a bit physically and focus my efforts on finding an online job. After many hours of sifting through a plethora of online scams, I sent off applications to three companies and received one response yesterday morning. I'm doing a double-check on the company to make sure it's legit before I sign on. Anyhoo....all this sitting has caused me to work up quite an appetite ;-) I'm off to the kitchen to wrangle up some grub. later!

Day three

My youngest brother turns 20 years old today....time sure does fly! I remember witnessing his birth; it was amazing....he was a tiny, wrinkly little pink thing with a heluva set of lungs! hehe. His party will be held tomorrow, and I'm hoping I'll be well enough to attend. I cannot afford a present for him, so he'll just have to settle for a big hug from his 'dorky' older sis ;-)
I'm feeling semi-ok today...still very weak but able to function.....I even had a shower...yay! I'm relaxing as much as possible and only moving around when necessary....this takes most of my will power -who knew that taking it easy could be so hard!? - especially when my baby sister's adorable pup wants to play! Yesterday he trotted over with his favorite toy and put it in my lap, then looked up at me with those big brown eyes of his....nearly broke my heart to turn him away. As soon as I'm well, the two of us are gonna spent a ridiculous amount of time 'ruff' housing.
Well, that's all she wrote today....ciao for now!

Day two

I feel sluggish today,which is most likely the result of starting the meds again yesterday. I expected this and will be taking it easy from now on, as any kind of exertion will only make it worse. It's going to be difficult, because I'm a girl who loves to be active, so I'm just going to have to use a bit of self-discipline and confine my activites to those that can be done sitting or lying down. I do have some hobbies that I can still enjoy such as drawing, blogging, chatting online and solving just about any kind of puzzle - crosswords and cyphers are my favorites - so those should help calm my urge to climb the walls ;-)
Ok, time for another dose of meds.......ta-ta for now!

Back on meds

I started taking my medications again today. I had stopped taking them after having a bad reaction that left me unable to function. I let my doctor know and after a few email exchanges we agreed it would be alright to continue taking the regimen, only at a much lower dose and slowly work my way up to the recommended dosage. So far, the only ill effect (if you can call it that ) is the supremely nasty taste ;-) I';m taking it easy today so my body can spend it's energy adjusting to the meds and working on fighting the lil parasites.
In other news.....my two youngest brothers came by today - ages 23 and 19 . They walked in, raided the refrigerator, belched loudy, then roughed up the dog and left. Gotta love the little boogers...hehehe.

You bastards!!

The activity of painting one wall and the ceiling in my 11'x7.5' room two days ago has left me weakened and fatigued. It is painful to walk, stand or or be in any position other than horizontal. My brain matter is about as useful as a bowl of bean dip, as I cannot seem to make simple decisions such as what to eat or what color socks I'd like to wear ( as a result I'm simply not wearing any). On days like this I wish I could do hand to hand combat with the tiny bastard parasites that have invaded my body......I hate them with a fiery passion! I feel so helpless in fighting them. I cannot give up, but I do have to give in to the effects they have on my body. This can make staying positive an extreme challenge. I just have to remind myself that it could be worse, and has been worse. Today my heart rate is within normal range, I can stand when I need to without assistance and my bowl-0f-bean-dip brain has at least enough power to write this blog ;-) So, here's to taking life one day at a time, and finding the positive in the most unlikely places. Ciao for now.

Happy Sunday morning!
I just moved to my dad's house yesterday morning, and am getting my room ready. It needs a lot of work. I have the paint, wood for some shelves and a light fixture to attach to the wires sticking out of the ceiling. I'm not sure how much I'll get done today.....will have to take it easy and see how I feel in a few hours.I will try to take pictures throughout the process so y'all can see what I'm doing :)

My first blog ever!

Hey there, blog-lovers!
This site is a work in progress...please visit again soon as I will be updating it daily.