October 13, 2012 – Crazy Week

This week has gone by fast!  My fridge started leaking… again, so the landlord just came by and brought me a brand new one.  It’s nice and white and big!  I hate short fridges bc of me being tall.  I like height!

Thanksgiving was great.  Got to see my two step bros, my brother Kirk and his girlfriend and kids, my dad and Lois, and Jess and Travis (my oldest niece and nephew).  I always love getting to see the kids bc it’s never that often!  Their sis Caryn didn’t make it out though, unfortunately.

Monday, we had Thanksgiving at my moms, where it was her, my Grams, my sis, Nick and I for dinner.  It was a good dinner too, and I got yummy left overs!  (love not always having to cook!)  My mom was given a dog after hers passed away, by our friend Meghan.  Her dog’s name is Niles, and he is the same breed my mom’s dog Winnie was.  A Shi-tzu.  He’s very loveable and he had me laughing so hard playing with me.

Tuesday I got my nails done at the Cat’s Meow.  It was great!  It’s more of a hair salon and spa, so I was upstairs in this area only for nails, and I was the only customer.  It was nice and relaxing.  The girl that did my nails was only 23 and did a great job.  Turns out she has Crohn’s too!  I would recommend the place for sure, but a tad expensive for me to go again.

I finally got all my Halloween decorations out, including my glowing pumpkins that sit on the window sill to peer at people going by.  I love them   The rest, are probably all Dollar Store decorations LOL.

Thursday I was to go washer and dryer shopping, but my SSW Susan was sick.  Normally it’s me that’s too sick lol.  It worked out though, bc I ended up feeling terrible myself so we will be going probably next week lol.

Today, after school, Amanda and Nick came for our Mexican night.  My PSW Lilian, gave me her quesadilla maker and it makes such a big help!  Guaranteed we would have had stuff everywhere trying to flip the tortillas in a pan.  Nick nor Amanda had ever had them before, and I was so glad they loved them!  Nick even told me I was a good cook   And coming from an honest 6 year old… that’s serious complimenting right there lol.  Only downside to the meal, was we needed more of it!  We were all still hungry afterward!  Nick and I had chocolate fudge ice cream with brownie chunks in it, but Amanda missed out bc her Crohn’s has been bad.  I meant to take photos of the meal in progress of being cooked, and I forgot until AFTER we ate and had settled down to relax!  Next time though!  For our next Around the World dinner we are thinking Indian food.  I really want to learn more about cooking with curry, bc if it’s mild, I reallly like it.  Maybe I should let Amanda do it, and stink up her place instead LOL.

Tomorrow I am off to my mom’s to do laundry, and dog sit Niles for her, while her and my Grams go to an anniversary party.  Should get some good pic.s in of all the animals there… if I remember my camera hehe.

Ash,

Yay For Frost!

Image via Wikipedia

It’s been so cold here I LOVE IT!  Yesterday, I went out on my porch around 11am and it was so cold I wish I had brought gloves out with me!  I actually had to warm my hands up by putting them in my coat pockets!  Awesome! hehe.  Of course, the crappy part about the colder weather is me *sniff* giving up my poor flip flops lol.  But my knees thank me!  I always and am in huge pain by the end of the summer bc of my Patellofemoral Syndrome in my knees.  I totally didn’t spell that right… oh well too far gone now

So my Cardiologist, from the last time I posted was a crap shoot as usual.  Bc I was on Prednisone still, he thought that it was me going through the withdrawal from it.  Bull!  I’ve been on this drug many times over.  I know what it feels like to go off it, and this was POTS symptoms!!!  So NEXT TIME I GO *cough* supposedly *cough* if I still feel like crap, he’s going to start working on the blood flow and all that crap… like the hosiery, etc.  ABOUT TIME!

I went to the dentist this week to get my cleaning and check up done.  I actually don’t mind getting actual dental work done bc I’m frozen, so I don’t feel anything, but for something general like a cleaning, where you obviously aren’t frozen I am a spazz!  I cannot help it!  My teeth are SO damn sensitive that it feels like I’m being stabbed repeatedly in my gums.  Lately though,  I’ve noticed my sensitivity not being so bad, which I thought was a great sign!  But what actually is happening, is my gums are SO inflamed, that they are covering any potential cavities I might have, and a lot of the sensitive areas.  The dental staff where I go is so amazing with me.  And they are great about taking all of my illnesses especially Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome seriously, but it seems like no matter what I do, my teeth are just falling apart!  So now they are trying to get disability to fund me getting all this gum therapy done which I will be frozen for (YAY hehe) and to try to rebuild the enamel on my teeth.  I at home, am still using the special tooth paste, flossing as usual, and using these little bristle things to massage the gums in between the teeth.  Right now, it feels like I am still the bristly brush right through my gums, but you got to do what needs to be done!  And I have to stop using normal Scope mouth rinse and start with a fluoride rinse instead.

I got a Thermafour heat blanket/wrap thing to use for pain.  It’s used with moisture heat, and is helping a lot, except as a safety mechanism they make the on switch, so that you have to hold it down, and the second you let go of it, the heating shuts off.  Which isn’t easy to do with double jointed wrists, thumbs and crazy hand cramping.  So since I literally just got it, I am going to call the company today and see if they have a normal style on switch.

Tonight is my dad’s surprise 60th birthday party.  My sister and I are supposed to go down later tonight to this Hall and celebrate with everyone, but my sister has been SO sick I don’t know how this is going to be possible (she has to drive).

Today is also my Gramp‘s 82nd birthday.  He is the one in the nursing home, and I wish so badly to be there, but I cannot do too much today before going for my dad’s tonight.  Thankfully my Grandpa won’t even notice sadly bc of his illnesses.

Monday is Halloween!!!  I cannot wait!  I am going up to my mom’s as usual to hand out candy.  I have a dress hat, stockings, jewellery and makeup to wear for my witch costume, but I have to go to the doctors earlier that day, so I’m going to just bring it all in a bag to change into.  Even though I’m sure my doctor would get a kick out of me wearing it over to see her lol.  Not gonna happen!  I was all bummed out bc I didn’t think I’d be able to afford a pumpkin this year… I know sad lol, but on Thanksgiving I ended up getting on from my dad’s so I was stoked!  I had a really cool stencil of Heath Ledger as Joker to carve, and then my damn pumpkin rotted this week so I had to throw it out! Grrr!

Hope you all have a great weekend and Halloween!!!!

Ash,

As Per Usual!

I’m not sick…. looking around quick looking for a piece of wood to knock on lol.  After more than two weeks, I’ve finally gotten rid of majority of the bronchitis and strep throat!  Yeah!!!!!!!

All I’m hearing about is Thanksgiving.  I figure the American one is this weekend?  What we do in Canada, is have the weekend off and the Monday following it.   Is that the same for you?

So as per usual the weeks never go as we plan.. and definitely not as I do hehe.  Tomorrow I am doing my Christmas shopping with my dad and step mom, and grabbing some cat food from the animal clinic for Zeus.  Wednesday, I have Marlene coming, and the guy from Shoppers Home Health Care with the grab bar for the shower for me… which reminds me I need to clean the shower BOO lol.

Thursday, my mom is off, so she is taking me to grab my sister’s Christmas gift.  I can’t say what it is obviously, but I’m excited to get it for her.  I have it on a rain check bc they ran out.  So I now have just my parents and step mom to buy for, and Amanda and I have a good idea for dad and Lois so it’s basically just my mom left.

no idea why it’s on a tilt lol was having camera issues

And Friday is the Cardiologist appointment.  Nothing exciting happening there, just going to get a new Beta Blocker to try since Bisoprolol doesn’t work.  And when it did… it made me sicker than a dog.

My mom did come over Friday night, and she helped me get my Christmas tree up.  It looks great I love lowering the lights and just relaxing with it.  I have all the Christmas presents so far wrapped too.  We both slept in, and then did a little shopping the next day.  I finally found ginger candies!  I haven’t tried them yet, so I’ll let yas know if they’re any good for nausea when I do.

Anyway, besides that not much else is going on.  Just been at my mom’s visiting with her and my sis and nephew.  Nick’s been such a cutie pie.

Next week is the dentist, and my birthday, and the Pauls family Christmas dinner near where my dad lives.  So I’ll have to do my grocery shopping asap and get whatever I need to bring with me for it.

Hope you all have a great Thanksgiving weekend, and will write more towards the end of the week!  *hugs*

Ash,

Time to Relax

Hey!  Just got in from being out a little while ago with my Grams.  She seems sooo tired out lately, it’s starting to worry me more.

Last night, Nick was home from his other grandparent’s place, and they picked me up on the way from seeing Gramps at the nursing home.  I was going to go, but was feeling so run down, I thought screw it lol.  We had a lot of fun there, and got to visit tons.  I didn’t take any photos though.  I think everyone was tired out, and none of them wanted their pictures taken in pj bottoms lol.  I actually ate turkey too!  Not very much, but mmm.  Good stuff.  I went to bed last night between 10-11pm bc I was so tired, but then of course I woke right up and was up until about 3am lol. When my alarm clock went off at 7, I had to stumble around lol.

My Grams picked me up around 8:30, after dropping my aunt Kelly off at the train station.  I can hear the trains come in from my place 2 blocks away, so I went out shortly afterward to meet her.  We went back to mom’s and just visited and cuddled with my sister’s cat Jupiter (Jupy to me- he tried to eat my toast right out my hand, the pig!) and then we left around 11am to go to the doctor’s.

I got my referral to my Crohn’s disease specialists in Kingston, and another referral to the Access Center about getting more hours with a PSW (personal support worker).  I also have more infections again!  My doctor said it’s my immune system, so she gave me repeats to have of the antibiotic with all the crazy side effects, since it’s easier than coming in again and again for it.  GRRRR lol.  So annoying.  I didn’t bother to pick up the prescription today, bc I was just too damn tired and wanted to get home.  She also gave me a flu shot.  I have never had one until now, but after last year, I figured I’d take the chance on the shot making me feel sick since I get repeatedly sick anyway lol.  She warned me my arm would hurt, but no one has felt sick to their stomachs yet from having it this year, I said, “Trust me.. pain in my arm is nothing, I just don’t want to puke!” lol.

My Grams and I went to the library afterward, and I picked up a Candace Bushnell book and a Sophie Kinsella.  Now I’m home with my Zeusy, relaxing.  I’m feeling fine after the shot.. and yes with a sore arm lol.  A sore arm is the least of my worries in my opinion.

Thursday, I have to go to the bank to pay a bill, then I’m hoping to go to the place to get my Health Card renewed since it’ll be up in a little over a month.  Will probably get my med.s for the infection too.

Talk to yas all later when more goes on!

Take Care!

Ash,

Crohn’s Disease

I’ve had crohn’s disease 8 years now.  I went almost 5 years before my first relapse.  I swore I’d make it to 5 years before my next… didn’t happen.

I got smooshed in at my family doctors for Tuesday, so I can get a referral to my G. Intestinal specialists.  I’ve been going to them since I was diagnosed at 19… but since my last relapse 3 years ago, I haven’t been coming as often to be considered a patient still, so I have to be rereferred.  My old family doctor would easily prescribe the remission drugs I need, but since my last relapse, the G.I.’s have realized the old dosing schedule could make the patients really sick, so they do it differently now.  Same medicine, Azathioprine (sp?) a.k.a. Imuran.  So hopefully I can get in there soon bc I feel like my Crohn’s is spreading up into my stomach and or throat.  I hate the idea of getting a scope down my throat, or them wanting to do the other *shudders* which I hate doing the prep for, but so is the course with having Crohn’s Disease.  I am also showing a lot of symptoms of GERD which a lot of people with Crohn’s Disease end up getting or vice versa.  Even if I have nothing new, and am not having a relapse, I will be going back on my medicine since my body obviously can’t fight it on its own right now.  So another 3 1/2 pills more a day grrrr.

I got my appointment finally to see the Allergist.  I go in mid December, and it’s actually located on the street a couple blocks away from me.  I’m really interested to find out what they’ll find!

I’m also excited weirdly enough lol bc it’s been 4 weeks tonight actually since my sleep study, so I’ll be finding out within the next couple weeks if they found anything or not.  It’ll be really nice to get some proper sleep hopefully!

I didn’t end up with a recumbent bike.  The guy who brought it over ended up giving me a regular exercise bike!  So I was using it for the first time tonight, and it obviously became too much and started to get dizzy, so instead of quitting, I set it up against the couch and used it recumbent style lol.

Tomorrow my aunt Kelly is coming down from Toronto   I’m excited!  On Saturday, Amanda, Nick and I are going out to my dad and step mom’s place for Thanksgiving dinner with them, my brothers, and my youngest niece and oldest nephew will be stopping by too for a bit

Sunday Nick is going to his other grandparents, so I’m going over to mom’s to visit with my aunt, and then we’re having our Thanksgiving dinner there, on Monday night.  It will be fun

I’ve been sleeping a lot, or going to my mom’s to stay.  I’ve also been using my bed wedge every night, so my stomach and firey throat is calmed down a bit thankfully.  I’m actually able to eat! lol.  But I’m still taking it easy on how much.  I think not eating for 2 days in a row didn’t help how I felt, but I was too sick to cook for myself.

My Gram’s friend was going to give her a wheel chair she had for my grandpa bc he’s getting worse for falling, but apparently the nursing home won’t accept it, and they have ones there that they let the residents use, so my Grams asked, and the lady is going to give it to me!  It’s obviously not going to be perfect for a POTSy probably, but I don’t mind!  It’ll just be great to have one

Alright, gonna head out to bed.  Have a great long Thanksgiving weekend!!!

Ash,