ANNUAL PHYSICAL

Today I went to see my primary doc for my annual physical.  We went over everything.  Checked everything.  Overall I looked fairly good.  Turns out I have some welts on my lower leg that I have had for a while that I didn't think was a big deal.  Well, it could be.  They could be Erythema Nodosum. 

Erythema nodosum is a type of skin inflammation that is located in a certain portion of the fatty layer of skin.  It results in reddish, sore lumps on the front of the legs below the knees.  The lumps range in size from 1 to 5 centimeters.  It can be self limited and last 3 to 6 weeks.  After it is gone, it may leave a bruise or indentation.  It can range in size from a dime to a quarter.  There are many different causes for erythema nodosum.  To get a diagnosis, I will have to have a biopsy. 

I made an appointment for next week to see my dermatologist.  I am going to have her look at my leg and also have her look at this stubborn staph infection.  Staphylococcal folliculitis.  What a mouth full.  I just want to get rid of it.

It was funny.  I was talking to my doc about getting the blood tests for lupus and he said "you know you don't have to get  all the auto-immune diseases.".  Believe me I am not trying!  His perception is that RA, Lupus and Sjogren's are all shades of the same family of diseases.  He feels it is hard to decipher between RA and Lupus and Sjogren's in some ways.  He says it is more realistic and correct to call it Adrienne's disease.  I have (or have shades of) RA, Lupus, Crohn's, Sjogren's, Raynoud's, Interstitial Cystitis,  Pernicious Anemia.  I am sure I am missing something. 

I will go next week to get the blood test done.  I have to fast so I will do it next week when I have the time.

Congrats for the Boy Scouts!  Half way there!

Until tomorrow...