Saturday, October 31, 2009

Happy Halloween!

Well, Halloween is almost over. I didn't do anything celabratory. My dad is in the area playing cards with his friends so we went out for lunch and took care of a few things. I watched some movies and TV and just hung around. I am kind of achy and still in my "i hate lupus" mood so I was not really in the mood to deal with much. Also, my favorite month ends now.

Since my doctor was an hour late for my appointment it was quite rushed and I did not get to discuss everything I wanted. Like how I want to come off the Imuran because I am nervous about the increased cancer risk and the lesions on my legs.

Hopefully I snap out of this soon.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Doctor Update

I have a few minutes to update since my doctor was an hour late for my appointment and I missed my first class.

My sed rate was up last time I got blood tests so I have to get that checked. Also I am getting all the antibody tests done again. I have to have an EKG soon. All in all pretty uneventful. Hopefully the blood tests I got done today will be normal.

And she said I need to be twice as worried about the flu. Oh well. I'm still not that worried.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Ho Hum

Today I had a neuroendocrinology test. I studied really hard for it, and it was pretty difficult. I hope I do OK on it. I'm not too happy with how I am doing in school right now. It's only midsemester and I am not doing horribly, but I'm EXTREMELY hard on myself when it comes to school. I did pretty bad the first couple years because I was sick and missing school, on all sorts of meds....But now I am better and I've done really well the past couple semesters. I have pretty big ambitions, so I need to keep my grades up.

I have an appointment with my rheumatologist on Thursday. It is at 9:30 am and about 25 minutes away from my school. Tuesdays and Thursdays are usually my sleep in day ( I wake up at 9:00am) but I had to wake up at 8:15 this morning and 8:00 on Thursday. So no sleeping in for me.

I have a couple things to discuss with my rheumatologist. I am concerned about the cancer risk from taking Imuran. I have tried Plaquenil, but it made my stomach go crazy. I DO NOT!!!!! want steroids and other immunosuppressives have the risk of cancer. I have gotten COUNTLESS CT scans, x-rays and bone density scans that I am so worried about the risk of blood cancer. I have to get a bone density scan in December because the Lupron for endometriosis I am on can cause osteoporosis. No sign of that, though, thank goodness.

I also want to know just how in control my lupus is. My blood tests do not usually show activity even when I am miserable. My white blood counts and sometimes my red blood counts are low. My ANA has been positive once and my complements are always good. My sed rate and c reactive proteins are variable. So my blood is not a reliable indication of how my lupus is doing. But I feel so up and down. I can be incredibly achy one day, with mouth sores, migraine and low fever and be fine the next day. And I am so tired. I do a lot, but its the can't move, can't think, don't wanna sleep, just lay there tired. I guess I am tired of lupus. I am tired of being sick and I am sick of being tired.

It's just one of those days. I spent more time than ususal trying to arrange doctor-type stuff. I have had a know right below my collar bone for as long as I can remember. It is hard and does not move. My doctor all of a sudden has taken an interest in it. So I had to call around and get previous imaging studies sent to him. I had to talk to the nurse of my endometriosis specialist. And I am feeling pretty blah in general. Oh well, hopefully this mood improves.

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Almost Back to Normal

I don't really know what happened to me the past few days, but I think it is passing. The mouth sores are gone. I only have a bump where one was and it is not painful anymore. My joints are still aching a bit, but the migraines are gone. I still have a spot on both of my legs that I am not sure of. Maybe a discoid lesion? I see my rheumatologist Thursday.

I saw my doctor yesterday. All my blood tests looked good except a low white count. I have something called Gilbert's syndrome that raises my bilirubin but causes no other health problems, so that test was also abnormal. I also got the last Gardasil shot. Man, those things hurt. They were out of the flu shot and my dad said the places he called back home are all out to. So I guess I am not getting that. I'm still unsure about the swine flu shot.

This upcoming week is not so bad. I have a neuroendocrinology test on Tuesday, and oral Spanish test on Wednesday, but that is it. I am rewriting my history religion paper for a better grade and I will give a draft to my TA on Wednesday to look over.

I'm so happy its the weekend. Also, don't see Couples Retreat. The movie is AWFUL.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Still Not 100%

I don't really know what hit me, but the past couple of days I have not been feeling well at all. No (high) fever, so I know it was not the flu. I tend to run mild temperatures 99.0-100.0 and mine these past couple days never got out of that range. I got these mouth sores and then all day yesterday and this morning I had a horrible, horrible migraine with accompanying nausea. I was miserable and it seemed as though my migraine meds were not working. I took it again around 5:40 this morning and that seemed to do the trick. I went to all my classes today and participated in a research experiment. By noon the headache was gone, so I think the worst was over. Now its just this lingering slight stomach ache and mouth sores which are persisting. I think it is only one or two left now though. I also think I may have a discoid lesion on the back of my leg. I see my primary care doctor on Friday and my rheumatologist next week. Hopefully I start to feel better soon.

This does have me very scared that I am flaring. All these symptoms especially the mouth sores running rampant and thi possible discoid lesion have me nervous. Since I am still not feeling 100% im considering not going to class and sleeping in. I have history in the morning and a meeting with my history TA to go over my paper so it would not be horrible if I missed the class. But I may be great tomorrow, so I will see. I hate missing class. But I also can't mess with a flare.

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Ouch!

These mouth sores are really hurting. It was like I had 7 or 8 of them at one time. Now its just the last two that are hurting really badly. Ow,ow,ow.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

What is Going On???

I've been thinking that a lot today. The first reason is the weather says it might snow tomorrow?????? Absolute craziness.

Also, I have had a resurgence of mouth sores the past couple days. It hurts to talk, chew, whatever. I'm not sure why this is happening.

I missed my first class today because I was exhausted and couldn't print out the notes because the file wouldn't load. So I stayed in bed and got some rest because I woke up early this morning with pain in my joints, which is never a good sign. Along with these mouth sores....I don't even want to think about a full blown flare. I also felt completely guilty about missing this class. But I need to take care of myself as well.

I have a paper due tomorrow for my Shakespeare class so I really need to get started on that.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Tuesday or Monday?

So because of the long weekend, my school decided to make today (Tuesday) a Monday schedule. Totally has me thrown off. I also had to work today but I thought that I did not because in the real world it is Tuesday. But since I work on campus, I, unfortunately, had to go in. I've been having some problems at work with people I work with and I was not looking forward to having to go in today. I'm beginning to wonder if I should tell my supervisor about my lupus. I made a comment about me having an autoimmune disease but did not go into detail. My problems are not with her, but I wonder if I speak to her she can tell some other people to back off. For example, today I was taking longer to process what I was being told during a training session because I had a migraine and am totally and inexplicably exhausted. Hopefully that gets better.

I would really like it to be the weekend already. I'm not feeling that great. Migraines are out in full force and since yesterday I have been EXHAUSTED. Wonder if I am coming down with something? I was seriously ready for bed at 6:45 last night. I want to go to bed now but still have assignments and stuff to get done. I have two papers and my Communication portfolio due this week, but those are probably going to wait until the night before unfortunately because I am just too tired to do anything else. I guess everything is catching up with me.

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Long Weekend!!!

It is Columbus Day on Monday and my school observes it so I get a three day weekend! I'm so happy about this. Another day to relax before the usual craziness of my weekend begins. I have barely done any work so far this weekend. I'm going to get started on some history reading in a few. I HAVE done a lot of visiting with friends and shopping. I have spent way too much money this weekend.

This past week was pure craziness and the upcoming weeks are not that better. This time to relax is great. I was in bed by 11 last night and slept in until 10. Saturday I had to get up early for my wisdom tooth consultation and did not get to bed until around 3 that morning. So sleeping in was wonderful.

My wisdom tooth surgery is not until January 8. I am not being completely knocked out like I wanted. I am just getting a combination on Valium, laughing gas and novocaine. The surgery is on a Friday and is up by where my school is so I will be spending that weekend at my aunt and uncle's house in case there are any problems I do not have to drive 2+ hours back to the surgeon's office. I'm extremely nervous. Although I have had two surgeries before, I DO NOT like anyone messing with my mouth or throat. Getting a throat culture on me is one of the hardest things a doctor or nurse will probably ever have to do haha. I'm very, very sensetive about that region. I always have been and probably always will be.

I have been feeling OK. I end my antibiotics for my sinus infection today, although the headaches are continuing. I don't know what that is about. I have an appointment to see my doctor for a follow up. I also am seeing my rheumatologist in a couple weeks. My joints have been bothering me at night recently also. All in all, though, things are OK. Hopefully they stay that way.

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Midterms...Kind Of

Well, one of the most dreaded times of the semester is upon me. Midterms. And I think they are a bit early this year...

I had a history paper due at 11:59 last night which took me forever to write. I have seriously never had such a hard time with a paper before. I hope I got a good mark on it! I also had a written Spanish test and a Spanish paper due. Tomorrow I have an oral exam for Spanish and an advertising test at night. Next week I have a paper for Shakespeare, a paper for World Music/Cinema and my protfolio is due for that class is due also. The week after I have an audio/visual project due for my World Music/Cinema class, a test in neuroendocrinology and another Spanish paper, test and oral exam. Whew!

My grades so far this semester have been really good so hopefully I will continue that trend. I am a bit of a perfectionist so I won't really be happy if they are not good. I also have not missed a single class yet this semester!

This weekend is a long weekend but I am not going home. My plan is to RELAX. Things have been very bust for me and it is not going to let up anytime soon in the next few weeks.

On Saturday I have a consultation with the oral surgeon to get all four of my wisdom teeth out, so I will updat about how that went.

Saturday, October 3, 2009

Quick Post

I think the antibiotics I am on for my sinus infection are messing up my stomach. It feels horrible. I'm considering going to urgent care and seeing what they can do. Also, I woke up with a migraine today. I'm wondering if it has anything to do with the Lupron shot I got yesterday?

I've got 4 papers, 1 project and 2 tests coming up in the next few weeks. The first paper is due on Wednesday for my World Religion class. I'm starting to outline it now. That's my Saturday night!