My plate iz full

R U Ready for this? I wasn’t

December

So I have been through many things since my last post. I was typing along, enjoying the blog and responses, listening to my ipod and just taking all things for granted. UGH!

I look at my techno-logic life and write a nice blog about my big realization, lose power due to weather and laugh at it when it comes back. Well, that was then. This is now. I have been through several blizzards since then and not just snow either. If a human being can have a internal all powerful, destructive blizzard in their body, I have just had one.  After the Techno-logic post and 1st blizzard of the season, I found myself in the hospital. I felt chest pains of some intensity on the left side. Of course I felt this was heart related, but not a heart attack. I went through all the typical tests and BS with an emergency staff that had no idea what was wrong with me. They send me home after a 7 hours stay in the coldest most uncomfortable room in the world, but the pain was still there. It felt like a piercing through my heart over and over again. Like someone was sticking me with a needle. YUCH!  Merry Christmas?

I go see my regular physician the next day. He immediately does a million tests (blood) and sends me to an internal medicine doc and throws me on disability. (Boy, does that take care of my coworker problem or what!) I am hearing words like LUPUS> WTF! Blood tests, blood tests, blood tests. Lab folks are like vampires, I start getting sick from all these tests, bruising on the arms.

Allergy testing too. I have to tell ya, I don’t think my allergist did a good job. I am sitting in his Sacramento Office, warm and beautiful there compared to the frozen tundra I live in. Anyway, I am sitting there having an allergic reaction to the pollen flying around (visible pollen) and he tests me for numerous allergies, Mold and Pollen included (highly allergic to both) and they come up negative. I carry an epi pen for mold - so I think his tests were a little off. Plus he gave me some meds to take for the pollen reaction that worked really good!

Okay, I need to start working out - UGH!  Happy New Year?

Meanwhile, I am watching everything that goes on with my body - in a paranoid sense and I mean it. Back is killing me still!  My fingers are turning blue? My face has red patches with blisters on it. My chest and arms do also.    I become lotion tester - Found Ponds Cold Cream. You know that stuff your great great grandma used. Wow, works amazing. No need to research any other stuff anymore.  But a good sunscreen is highly recommended seeing how every time I step outside in any kind of sunlight, my face turns red. This is a photosynthesis lupus, pretty common with the SLE Lupus, the one that is probably attacking my internal organs, specifically my heart. Nothing is getting rid of the chest pain.

Need to work out eventually, possibly go back on a diet as I gain weight from all this medication.

When it is really cold (i live in blizzards) my fingers and toes turn blue. I combat that with a nice pedicure - blue with tiger stripes. That way everything matches. Reynauds Syndrome, pretty common for lupus peeps.

Oh, did I tell you, I quit smoking on the spot. No patches, No pills.  Not great for weight gain or loss for that matter. 20 pounds to the not great. I weighed in at 202. WTF

January - Internal medicine doc. Woo Hoo, more blood tests. She in unconcerned about the weight. She is a very cheery doctor as well. Tells me I have all the symptoms of Lupus but she will not diagnose me until I see a Cardiologist. She was fascinated with my Mylar Rash - just looked at it over and over again. “how long in the sun?” She says, 15 minutes…. NOT GOOD with a smile on her face.  She loved it, it is what she does. I guess my rash is impressive. More tests again, took a month to get them back.

OK, I really need to start to work out! Right? Maybe a bit of dieting? Please, no more meds.

February: I hit rock bottom. I hate my life, myself, my medications all 13 of them. Walking is a chore because of the weight gain. SNOW -  FML

Snow, snow, snow. FYI- I have a little ski park by where I live, they have over 600 inches of snow accumulation this season. My house is a bit less. So it has been a winter thus far. My garden will never recover.  We have lost power, trees, plants, Gas money (UGH) to run a generator going so my food doesn’t spoil. One of the main reasons Lupus flares up is stress. I become a wood stove (source of heat when power is out) cooking expert. I lost power for 9 days once. I am not camping here!

Okay - back to the internal med doc. - she is like (giggling and smiling - I really love her actually) I know you have lupus, but since this is an incurable disease… Go to the cardiologist ! Oh and did I mention you have fibromyalgia - WTF is that?

GOOGLE: Fibromyalgia: A syndrome characterized by chronic pain, stiffness, and tenderness of muscles, tendons, and joints without detectable inflammation. Fibromyalgia does not cause body damage or deformity. However, undue fatigueplagues the large majority of patients with fibromyalgia and sleep disorders are common in fibromyalgia.

Thanks for that Back is still broken, Lupus and this. Makes sense though

March - SNOW, whatever the f$%K ever!!!!! 15 feet in 2 weeks - power is overrated, really.

I become a cup cake expert - I am really good too. There’s a positive.

Fingers have been blue for months.

Still not working, so no stress from that.

Oh did I tell you that they want me to try Medical Marijuana (California native :)) ? Doesn’t that give you the munchies?  College days revisited or not… Still toying with that one. I mean really - medication #14 - meds are meds as far as I am concerned.

Waiting for April to see Cardiologist to see why I still have chest pain after quitting smoking. Maybe I am just to live my life with chest pain.

work out? Pain? Need to decide which is more important. Doc says - SWIM - go figure SNOW  and cold has been a deterrent…

APRIL: After you hit bottom, the only way to go is up…

I decide I am going to diet. then slowly get to that pool I am paying for. I research this fibro lupus WTF disease with chest pain I have and wouldn’t you know it, low carb. Atkins here I come.

4/7/2011 weighed in at 202. Well that is an improvement, I maintained a 202 weight. (should I be happy about this?) I didn’t weigh 225 like before, so I guess that is good.   ate 22 carbs total for the day.

4/8/2011 - weighed in at 201.5 - water weight? What metabolism?  Are you ready for this.

I go to the gym, I swim for 1 hour and used the little water weights that the old ladies use in the water. I know how to do all this, I swam with my beautiful size 7 body and 11% body fat for years.  I do a light water work out, but absolutely did not stop moving in that water for an hour.  I am astonished and excited. I really did it.

I buy some Alpha Lipoic Acid and take 200 mgs with meals to up my ketosis.  that 1/2 pound of water weight broke my heart.

4/9/2011 - Aside from using pain killers last night to have an ability to make dinner and rinse dishes for the dishwasher - i didn’t really do to bad while not moving. I felt pain in parts of my body I forgot existed.

This is kindy funky - but I think I need to mention, my urine smells funny - like I ate a case of asparagus. Ketosis is here. Thank you Lipoic!

I am going to go swim today and tomorrow to jump start all of this, I hurt like no one’s business, but I think the swim will help the pain. I have to get past this. I will skip Tuesday and Thursday and continue this for some time.  It is supposed to snow this week, but I bought some swim skins from the local Big 5~ worked well too. Not too chilly, blue fingers are not so bad - besides Reynauds syndrome doesn’t seem to hurt.

Weighed in: 198

I am floored. More to come.