Friday, May 28, 2010

Not Impressed

Sorry for the gap between posting again. I had written a long, thought out post a couple days ago and erased it by accident and couldn't retrieve it. I basically described my meeting with my new rheumatologist. I don't really like her and my father was not that impressed either. She made some recommendations that I don't think I will take her up on. The only thing I said I would do is try Plaquenil again. I refused the prednisone (again) and some other things she suggested. She seems to be in favor of polypharmacy and I am certainly not. She also just seemed bored while I was there.

I gave my blood to some blood bank for lupus research while I was there. This rheumatologist is affiliated and located in a big research hospital so I have opportunities to participate in research. I also consented to be contacted by the people running a study on Vitamin D and lupus. I take a weekly megadose of Vit. D because my levels tend to be pretty low.

My summer classes start June 8 and are available for preview on June 1. For some reason I am looking forward to starting them although I know my tune with change once they actually do start.

I have been going to the gym regularly since I have been home. I want to lose 10 more lbs before school starts again. I want to go again tonight but I have had a pretty bad day and I am very aggravated so I just want to go to my favorite ice cream stand and watch the Celtics WIN.

That's all for now. Enjoy the holiday weekend!

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Sick Day

Unfortunately, soon after writing yesterday's post, I started to feel a little tickle in my throat. By this morning, that tickle evolved into a full fledged sore throat. Of course these things happen when I am 100 miles away from my doctor, but it is not bad enough that I feel like I need medical attention. Since none of my stuff is even remotely unpacked (which I may explain in another post) I can't find a thermometer to see if I am running a fever. If I was, then I would be a little more concerned.

I wanted to go to one of my really good friend's fashion show today, but now I am unsure if I will make it. Even though the Cellcept has made me feel really good, I still understand my limits with lupus. And because Cellcept is an immunosupressant, I really have to be careful.

My plan for now is to stay in bed and watch movies and drink tea and soup. It is a rainy, chilly day here so it is especially conducive to not doing much.

Also, I made Dean's List!

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Has It Really Been That Long?

Sorry I have not posted in over a week. I got home a week ago today and have been pretty much just enjoying my time here. I started back at my internship yesterday and I am still waiting to hear back from a real, paying job. I had an interview on Friday with Sears, so maybe that will turn into something.

I am still liking the CellCept, but unfortunately I got my blood test results back a couple days ago and one of my liver enzymes was increased and my C3 complement was high, which I gather means acute inflammation of some sort. Hopefully when I go to The Lupus Center next Tuesday they don't tell me that I have to stop it.

However, while it is still working very well, I have been a little more achy over the past few days, even when taking pain medications constantly. But it is nothing I cannot manage and my evergy levels have been really good.

I am still waiting to get my grades back. I think I got 5 A- and a C+ in Spanish. That class was horrible for me. I took French in high school and unfortunately, that's what I spoke in Spanish class. It was not so bad last semester, so I don't know why I couldn't get the hang of it this semester. In any case, I hope that the C+ wont keep me off the Dean's List for this semester because I have all As for my other five classes.

As I have said before, I am a little crazy about my grades.

Hope everyone has a good week!

Saturday, May 8, 2010

Is This What ENERGY Feels Like?

Today has been a busy day. I woke up and logged onto my school account and had a message from Financial Aid saying they needed a whole lot more information to process my file for next year. Fine. So I got up and went over to the building where Fin Aid is housed (about a 20 minute walk, in the sun and on a fairly warm day). After I squared them away, I went to Health Services because I left my lens prescription there the other day (hello bifocals!). Then I realized it had been a month since I had my blood tests done, so I went and drove to my doctors office about 25 minutes away, got my blood tests done and drove back. I barely got back in time to go to work, so I parked my car, ran up to my room to drop off the prescriptions I had picked up from CVS, and ran back out to catch the bus to work. The bus didn't come, so I walked to another street and caught a bus there. I made it to work with 1 minute to spare. At this point it is 2 in the afternoon and I have not had time to eat. So I finish up some paperwork and send some emails so that my boss will be set until another assistant comes in during the summer. I then go to the other place where I work because I am SO HUNGRY. So I pick up something to eat and go back to my apartment. My roommate tells me the second that I get in that the person who was supposed to come to do her hair for Commencement Ball did not arrive and would I help her? I told her I would but I had to eat. While I was eating, the person called so I was off the hook. I then decide to watch some TV, but after a little while I got bored and called a friend. We went to the movies and saw Iron Man 2 (amazing!!!) and I finally get in around 12:45. Whew!

Is this what it feels like to have some energy? Doing even half of these things would have wiped me out just a few weeks ago. I still don't want to jinx the CellCept, but maybe, possibly, could it be that this is why I am feeling so much better? I am reluctant to say anything because things change so dramatically with me so quickly, but hopefully this is something that will last.

Monday, May 3, 2010

Cautiously Optimistic

I am beginning to think the CellCept is taking effect. I worked my (last) 8-4 shift today and I felt almost human after I was done with it. I was not nearly as achy as usual and this morning I wasn't either. This afternoon, however, my knees were pretty achy. But I think this is a step in the right direction!

Tomorrow is the last day of classes. A week ago my Psych/Lit class ended. I finished my Writing as Communication class today when I turned in my case study and tomorrow I have a group presentation for New Media and a test in Plagues. I only have two scheduled finals for Spanish and Media Programming. The end is in sight.

I have also started the medication Amitriptiline for my migraines. I gave it two days last semester because I didn't like the effect of weight gain it can have. I went to my doctor on Friday because of an increase in my migraines and he suggested I give it another try. He assured me there would be no weight gain on the dosage he would put me on. So I am going to try it again because it does help me sleep better as well. My doctor did not want me to go up on Verapamil because my pulse is very slow and my blood pressure is generally borderline low.

Well that's my life/school/medical update. Enjoy the rest of the week!