A blog about my life with rheumatoid arthritis and all that goes along with it. The ups and downs. The highs and lows. The laughter and the tears. Sounds so dramatic, doesn't it?!
Friday, September 30, 2022
COVID VACCINE #5
Thursday, September 29, 2022
NO-BAKE CHOCOLATE SALTED CARAMEL COOKIE DOUGH
Wednesday, September 28, 2022
FOOT DOCTOR
Tuesday, September 27, 2022
MADE MY COVID VACCINE APPOINTMENT
Monday, September 26, 2022
BACK TO WORK
Sunday, September 25, 2022
DAY 9 OF STAYCATION
Saturday, September 24, 2022
DAY 8 OF STAYCATION
Friday, September 23, 2022
DAY 7 OF STAYCATION
Thursday, September 22, 2022
DAY 6 OF STAYCATION
Wednesday, September 21, 2022
DAY 5 OF STAYCATION
Tuesday, September 20, 2022
DAY 4 OF STAYCATION
Monday, September 19, 2022
DAY 3 OF STAYCATION
Sunday, September 18, 2022
DAY 2 OF STAYCATION
Saturday, September 17, 2022
DAY 1 OF STAYCATION (OR HOMECATION)
Friday, September 16, 2022
MY NAME DAY
Thursday, September 15, 2022
A LATE POSTING
Wednesday, September 14, 2022
TALKED TO A FRIEND
I talked to my friend who lives in Europe today. It is interesting to hear other people's experiences over the last almost three years. She and I have written and sent cards but this is the first time we have spoken. I admit I got a little choked up. I miss talking to people who I haven't talked to in a while. I wish I could have stayed on the phone longer but I had a work phone call.
I had an exciting surprise tonight. Lucky jumped up on the couch! Okay, you are not impressed but Lucky has not jumped up on the couch in months. This was one of the reasons why I originally took her to the doctor. One day she stopped jumping on the couch and I thought it was her legs or hips. It turns out it was an inflamed tummy and protein in her urine. Just two weeks on the medicine and she is playing with toys, eating more, running around the house, and jumping again. Tonight she wanted to play a favorite game "catch me" where she runs around and I chase her. I was sweating and she was happy. Two months ago I couldn't get her to play this, her favorite game, at all. This makes me so happy.
I need to check the moon but weird things have been happening. Three earthquakes, a three car accident tonight down the road, I don't know. I wonder if it is a full moon.
I just checked the weather and it is a 60% chance of rain for one day of my staycation. I am glad I am making a Plan B of things to do if I have to stay inside. Today I set my work email response for my staycation. Don't bother me! LOL.
Until tomorrow...
Tuesday, September 13, 2022
COOL DAY
Today was cool. Not like "cool man". Cool like breezy but not breezy. Just cool. It is funny to think that it was 100 degrees last week and now it is around 60 degrees. Temperature whiplash!
I am feeling SO much better today. I ate more real food and it is fine so far. My voice is still raspy but the pain in my chest is much better.
I got a lot of work done today. I took Lucky for a walk. I got a load of laundry done. I felt like I got a lot accomplished.
I started planning my staycation. I have a list of things to do for the Plan A (good weather) and Plan B (crappy weather). I am starting to get excited.
Oh, there have been two earthquakes. They are little earthquakes but they are the first earthquakes I have felt in years. The first was last night. I didn't feel it but Sunny felt it and went crazy. Birds feel earthquakes before humans. The second was around dinner time today and I definitely felt that one. It was little but I felt it. They both were little but sometimes when they are close by you can feel them. Hopefully that will be the end but the natives call this earthquake season.
Update on Lucky: she is feeling SO much better. She wanted to walk more than we could today. She wanted to play this evening. She ate more than I gave her for dinner. These are good signs.
Until tomorrow...
Monday, September 12, 2022
4th DAY AFTER ENDOSCOPY RESULTS
Sunday, September 11, 2022
3RD DAY AFTER ENDOSCOPY RESULTS
Today I felt better. I took Lucky for a walk. I met up with some neighbors on the walk and talked some. I met a new neighbor and gave their daughter $2 for her orange juice stand. I don't drink orange juice, especially now.
Then I buckled down and did some invoicing. I got one client completed for three months. I am sure they will be thrilled.
I had phone calls from various family members.
I decided to try real food. I have been taking both my medications so it should be fine. Well, it has been two hours since I ate the food and I am beginning to regret it. I had a vegan chick'n sandwich with tomato, lettuce and vegan mayo. Maybe I should have stuck to the rice. My chest is not feeling too good again.
It is time to go lay down and watch some TV.
Until tomorrow...
Saturday, September 10, 2022
2ND DAY AFTER ENDOSCOPY RESULTS
The oppressive heat finally broke. It was 75 degrees today. That is wonderful and the perfect temperature. I am feeling a bit better. The house is still so hot inside. There is a joke going around that the heat outside has broken but it will now take three days for our houses to cool down.
I am trying to take it slow and sleeping a lot.
The most I did today was use my replacement electric (battery charged) bathroom cleaner. I had one but I lost a vital piece. Then I bought one and charged it but it charged for 12 hours and the light never turned green. I had to return it and get a replacement. The replacement works great. Not as good as my original one but good enough. I am still hoping I find the missing piece. If you are a long time reader, I do find missing things years later. (iPods, remote control pieces)
I am hoping to eat real food tomorrow. I am tired of apple sauce, yogurt, rice, bananas, etc. soft food. I shall see how real food works out.
Until tomorrow...
Friday, September 9, 2022
AFTER THE ENDOSCOPY RESULTS
Getting good news about my endoscopy has been great but it doesn't decrease the pain. My voice isn't any better. The medicine I need showed up today and I hope that will be a help. It is a coating medicine that should coat my throat.
I am still on soft food to keep it from scraping my esophagus. I am tired and still in pain.
I can't wait to feel better. I am so happy to hear I do not have anything really horrible.
Until tomorrow...
Thursday, September 8, 2022
GOOD NEWS ABOUT THE ENDOSCOPY
Wednesday, September 7, 2022
PAIN IN MY ESOPHAGUS
The pain in my esophagus is like drinking glass. Not that I know what drinking glass feels like but I am imagining it. I found the Gaviscon that the doctor told me to buy and had it delivered. I am not sure it was the Gaviscon or the propofol or something else but my stomach got upset this afternoon. The doctor called in another medication but the pharmacy had to wait for a delivery before they could send it to me.
I tried eating a muffin for breakfast and that was horrible. The rest of the day I stuck to soft food: vegan jello, bananas, ice cream. I sucked on a few cookies. Not too nutritious but what am I to do. Everything hurts to eat or drink.
I got nauseous again in the afternoon and had to take a nap. I don't know if I am nauseous because of the heat, the pain, not eating, or the medicine I took. I don't know.
I am hoping it gets better so I can eat again.
It was in the 90's again today. It is hot. Not as hot as yesterday but still hot.
Lucky went on her first walk with the dog walker in two weeks. She seemed excited to see him but she ran back inside the house. I had to take her outside but then she went with him. He sent me a video of her and she was walking along fine. He said she was walking fine and keeping up. Much better than three weeks ago when she was dragging during the walk. I think she is feeling better.
We woke up early and went to the veterinarian's office and picked up Lucky's new medicine. Lucky was excited to get in the car. I definitely see a difference in her attitude.
Until tomorrow...
Tuesday, September 6, 2022
ENDOSCOPY COMPLETED
I woke up at 5:29 am and took a gulp of water. I had to beat my 5:30 am deadline of "No drinking". I got myself together and took care of the pets. I had already booked my taxi to get to the center. I decided to walk my mail to the postbox with Lucky when the taxi arrived 12 minutes early. I rushed back to put Lucky in her cage and get myself together.
I got the place and checked in. It was surprisingly crowded. Well, more crowded than last time I was there for my colonoscopy. I only had to wait 35 minutes before I was taken back. They put in my IV and it immediately hurt. A lot. I told the nurse and she said "yes, it is on your wrist. It will hurt when you bend your wrist." I waited a few minutes and told another nurse "It really hurts." This nurse called the anesthesiologist over to look at it. The first nurse seemed annoyed. It turns out the IV had infiltrated the vein. Good thing I pointed it out before they put the propofol in! They got what I call the "OG" nurse who has been working there for years and you can tell is the "go to" nurse to find hard to find veins. I have great veins but I was so dehydrated because it is 100 degrees outside and I was not allowed to drink anything! My veins had dried up. This OG nurse found a vein first try and got my set up. I had a huge bump where the vein infiltrated.
The procedure went fine. I was asleep so I really can't give it a review. I woke up and my chest and throat were killing me. Reasonable since I had a tube down there. I was told that the Dr. didn't see anything concerning but she took biopsies. Five biopsies. She is testing all sorts of things.
She did see inflammation. My esophagus is irritated. Well, the biopsies did not help this situation. It made it so much worse.
My neighbor came to pick me up and took me home. I let the dog out and fed her. Then I got into bed. I dozed and watched TV all day. I tried to eat and drink but it was like eating glass. It hurt so much I was almost in tears. I feel nauseous. In the afternoon I finally called the doctor. This can't be alright. She said she felt awful that the biopsies irritated me so much. She called in some meds.
I just tried to rest and not think about food or drink in the heat. Oh, did I forget to mention that it is in the high 90's today. It is SO hot again. The inside of the house is 87 degrees at 8pm. UGH! These temperatures are fun when you have air conditioning but are not too fun when you have no where to go. I took the bird downstairs again tonight. I worry that a tropical bird might overheat.
It is time to get more sleep.
Until tomorrow...
Monday, September 5, 2022
COULD IT GET HOTTER. YES!!!
Well, it is hotter. At one point I looked and it was 93 degrees in my kitchen and 113 degrees on the side of my house. Ugh! We started out the day upstairs in the front of the house since the sun is in the back of the house. Then we went downstairs where it is 20 degrees cooler because we are subterranean. We spent most of the day downstairs. It is cooler but dark.
I was so excited to use my new electric bathroom cleaner but after being plugged in overnight, it still was not charged. It was a dud. I contacted Amazon and they are sending me a new one.
That was about the only thing I did all day. It was that hot. No walks. No cooking.
I finally barbecued dinner.
I have to be ready early tomorrow for my endoscopy.
Until tomorrow...
Sunday, September 4, 2022
IT IS HOT!
IT IS HOT! It is somewhere in the 90s today and it is hot. I finished up the Vegan Chocolate Oreo Cheesecake today. I needed to add the chocolate top with the crushed Oreos.
These are so chocolatey and smooth and delicious.
I continued doing household tasks. I did the rest of the laundry. I washed my comforter. Very hot days are good for something and that is washing your comforter. I walked Lucky. I put all my chocolate stash in the coolest place in the house.
I also took Sunny the bird to get his wings, nails and beak clipped. I am glad I did because he had broken two feathers and the base of the feather was still in his body. This is very uncomfortable for birds and they will pluck their feathers to try to get it out so I am glad I brought him today. He will be so happy now. I stayed outside the store for about 40 minutes while I waited for Sunny's turn. It was super hot and there was no shade or anywhere to sit. The store owner knows me and was very understanding that 1) I don't want to stay inside a busy store and 2) I just had my Covid PCR test and I have my procedure on Tuesday so I don't want to be in a busy location.
I decided to barbecue for dinner. I made vegan barbecue hot dogs, grilled broccoli and cauliflower and baked beans. I ate outside to try and keep cool.
Until tomorrow...
Saturday, September 3, 2022
COVID PCR TEST TODAY
I woke up early and went to get my Covid PCR test. I decided to get the quick test. It isn't so quick. It took about 2 hours. I went to a place that is one of these new "do everything online" places. Make your appointment online, register online, upload everything online. You show up and you go into a room and they checked my vitals. Then they did the PCR test. I was surprised. The last time I did a Covid test at a place it was in March 2020 and they did the up the nose test that went all the way to my brain. This test today was just in my nostril. Then a doctor came in and asked me how I was feeling. I said I was feeling like I just wanted a Covid test so I can get my procedure on Tuesday. I felt like they were looking to charge my insurance company more money. I didn't need to see a doctor.
My test was negative.
I got home and decided to sweep up the backyard. There was a bunch of stuff left from the guys putting up the fence. I collected three bags of stuff for compost. It looks so neat now.
I started laundry and washed dishes and took Lucky for a walk.
Then I decided to make these vegan chocolate Oreo cheesecakes. I could do the first part and then they needed to sit for hours in the freezer to stiffen. I will finish them tomorrow.
Until tomorrow...
Friday, September 2, 2022
I HAVE A FENCE!
The fence was installed!! After weeks (and months) of trying to get my Trex fence installed, I have a fence! Two days ago I got a call saying they wanted to install the fence today and they would arrive between 8-10am. I felt like they were going to cancel at the last minute once they realized it was Labor Day Weekend. They had to come from a distance and the traffic going back was probably horrendous.
They arrived at 7:20 am and I was in the shower. When I got out of the shower I saw they were outside. I called them and said I would be out in a few minutes. They said my jerk neighbor was yelling at them. Telling them they had to move the truck. He didn't ask them nicely instead he came out yelling. I got dressed and came outside just in time for the company boss to call me and tell me that they were going to cancel the job if the neighbor was going to verbally assault the men. I said I would handle it and I called another neighbor to ask his tenant to move his car. (of course it was the guy I gave a ticket to a few weeks ago when he parked in my driveway). The tenant came out and moved his car and I apologized for the ticket telling him I didn't know it was his car (it had out-of-state plates). The truck moved and everyone calmed down.
The fence was installed. I bought the guys some lunch which made them happy. They were done by 2:30pm and got on the road. The fence looks so great.
It was such an exhausting day that started with such trauma.
Why do people have to be so abusive? Those workers did nothing to him. That neighbor is nothing but a bully who thinks he can get everything his way.
I bought myself dinner because I wanted to celebrate. Black bean plantain burritos.