Nope - and Yep

OK, I'm NOT sleeping!

Again, about 3 hours last night. I got up in the middle with a "brainstorm" and had to check the computer. I went right back to bed about 20 minutes later and finally fell asleep for that 3 hours.

Removing the vitamins and supplements has been an interesting experiment so far. I'm very unsteady when walking. I didn't realize how bad I was getting. So, I'm using my cane. It doesn't help a whole lot, but folks are more aware of my being in the area, so they watch for me (solicitously). Right now, that's a good thing.

Other things -

I've noticed the "butterfly rash" on my face even when I'm not overheated or have been exerting myself. So that's a pretty clear indication that the diagnosis is correct.

The joint pain is really a lot worse. My knees - even my good knee - hurt like the Devil!

I seem to be gaining even more weight, but I don't understand How! I'm eating a well-balanced, calorie-controlled diet, and yet the inches increase noticeably. My bathroom scale doesn't show an increase, but my clothes are tighter.

I had another sore in my mouth over the weekend. It healed quickly.

My memory feels much worse. I can remember long-term stuff, but I have no words for it. I have the memories, but no way to convey them - does that make sense? And short term memory is a joke!

And the bruising is back with a vengence! I'm covered with bruises that I don't know how I got them. I take one 81mg aspirin each day in the evening with my meds. It's prescribed. I take no other NSAIDS because they all have such bad side-effects. I barely take a Tylenol when I ache. I'm more likely to take a shower to ease the aches and pains.

I'm also having transitory chest pains. I don't know if I should go to the ER or not. They don't seem related to activity, so I tend to ignore them.

My skin is a total mess. The rash on my face is really bad right now. It got that way during school this summer and it has not cleared, yet. I want to make more of the white willow bark solution to use on my face, but I need more of the bark.

So, yeah, this is what it's like to have Lupus and be undiagnosed. We "know" it's Lupus, OK. We just don't have the blood test results to prove it till after Friday. That's me and my Doc - together, we know.

School commentary

Well, it's started for me - Fall semester!

My first class, that looked to be a real drag, might actually be fun. That's technical (business) writing...

Accounting is a real pain - I want the Tues/Thurs morning class but it's full. They don't have waiting lists anymore, so I'm stuck in the Tues evening class unless I can quickly react when somebody drops after the morning class tomorrow. We'll see...

The last class, Excel - it looks like I'm missing a book but I won't know for sure until class tomorrow - just after noon.

I'm enjoying it more than I expected so far. I just wish my body would cooperate. It hurts, I'm unsteady on my feet, and I have NO energy at all.

I'm stopping all the supplements for a check-in. I have my blood test for Lupus on Friday, and since I've been taking Pre-Natal vitamins for over 2 years, I decided to stop them and check in with my body. My nails are as thin and flimsy as ever, my complexion is a real acne mess, and I'm exhausted all the time.

I'm sleeping, but it's broken. If I take a sleeping draught - whether benedryl or melatonin, I wake groggy for at least 4 hours. The difference is that with benedryl I sleep 12 hours and with melatonin I sleep about 4-6 hours. How much time do I want to spend asleep?

So, I'm stopping all the vitamins - the pre-natals, B6, Biotin, Calcium, D3 and chromium piccolinate... I want to see how my body is truly assimilating food and nutrients. I wonder if maybe I've had too much supplementation and that my body is just flushing everything through.

Not taking the Triple-Flex is really affecting me already. My joints are so weak and wobbly without it. My knees hurt more today than ever and I've only been off it for a day.

Well, the blood test on Friday will show some interesting results, no matter what. The cholesterol, liver function and Lupus... I wonder what else it will show???


/

Broken Government

Hey, do you want to really start some crap?? Get hold of the list of all the proposed "pork" that didn't get passed, but provided jobs, no matter who proposed the bills, in the last 10 years. Then, put all those together into a JOBS BILL and watch the reps and congress squirm!! If they vote against their own proposal, you will know they need to get out of government office - they are obstructionist and are only there to fill their pockets.

Lawn and Carpet

Today, the lawn gets cut again, and I start pulling carpet out of this place. I have till school starts to get rid of ALL of it! Self-imposed deadline, but I don't want to deal with it during school. I want to sand the floor smooth, fill in the holes left from construction, and then seal it from insects, stains and stuff that can grow in it. I also need to seal all the cracks - there are a lot of them in the foundation of this 2-year old house. That should get me through winter, and I'll be able to cover the stuff I actually walk on with rugs.

Next purchase - fencing and lumber for the garden beds. I need to get that started.

The pole got moved so I need help moving the shed. That will give me room for the BBQ and a picnic setup near the back door. Any volunteers?

I pray the enough comes in this month to pay the bills. It's pretty short.

Cat Food Recall

Purina issued a voluntary Cat food recall for cat food. Please read the article...


bit.ly/p0kIrE