Posts Tagged With: digestive

Telling the Truth is Really Hard

TRUTH: The past 24 hours have SUCKED mostly physically but mentally too!  There I said it!

I TOLD THE TRUTH!

DETOX IS HARD!

ANOTHER TRUTH!

Being on an emotional roller coaster yesterday for HOURS was REALLY HARD!

MORE TRUTH!

Feeling A LOT OF PAIN, FATIGUE WITH HEAVY LIMBS, SHAKINESS, LIGHT-HEADEDNESS, WEAKNESS, TINGLING, WAKING UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT WITH A HORRIBLE KNIFING PAIN ON MY RIGHT SIDE (making me freak out it’s my appendix or something crazy) AND HAVING TO RUSH TO THE BATHROOM (TMI–just getting you ready) ONLY TO HAVE MY BELLY MAKE THE LOUDEST RUMBLING NOISES AND THEN ACTUALLY HAVING THAT TRIP TO THE BATHROOM BE PRODUCTIVE (used to not be in the middle of the night and I would suffer for hours so that’s something) AND THEN HAVE THAT PAIN GO AWAY BUT FEEL THE DIGESTIVE AFTERMATH IS REALLY HARD!  BUT–THANK GOODNESS THAT KNIFING PAIN WENT AWAY AND HAS NOT COME BACK.

YES I’M YELLING!

PHEW!

It feels so good to get it out.

I have only had 2 Chiropractic treatments in the past week, BUT I have also added an Alkaline Water Detox prescribed by this Chriropractic Doctor added to my treatment so it has been extra potent.  I CLEARLY have a ton of acid in my body.

IT HAS BEEN 1 WEEK AND MY BUTT FEELS KICKED FROM 2 CHIROPRACTIC TREATMENTS?!

OY!

You know, I have heard over the years from all kinds of people on social media and elsewhere talk about all the “GOOD” effects of Detox of the body.  NOT ONE OF THEM THAT I’VE NOTICED HAS EVER TALKED ABOUT ANYTHING NEGATIVE.  Did they ever feel anything crappy going on in their bodies or was it just absolutely divine and magical with birds chirping with light breezes as they frolicked over the rolling green hills singing songs from the “Sound of Music”?  That’s what it’s always felt like to me.  So I have no idea if these people have EVER felt crappy.

Is it because they don’t want to tell the truth because Gawd forbid they look weak?  Is it because they really are feeling JUST PEACHY (although if you ask me I’d never say I was Peachy because I CAN’T STAND PEACHES so it would be the opposite for me if I said I was PEACHY.  In fact let’s all make that note now.  PEACHY for me is CRAPPY.  OK then.  Now that we’re all clear.  Back to my ranting…) KEEN?  Did I even spell that word right?  The point is, AM I THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS FELT CRAPPY FROM DETOX?  AM I THE ONLY ONE WHO IS NOW TELLING THE TRUTH?

MORE ON MY TRUTH:  Okay.  So for the past 24 hours I have wondered what wall I hit this time.  In some ways I haven’t felt like this in a long time.  Felt like someone kicked my butt and the rest of my body really hard.  What’s interesting is that the first 24 hours after treatment were actually QUITE GOOD.  I think I was on a mental high and my body was TRYING to follow along.  I felt so much mental clarity and relief and life almost felt like it was ALL good no matter what.  I almost wanted to skip down the street singing “La la la” but my legs weren’t QUITE up to it.  Oh and just to be clear, I didn’t feel up to frolicking through the rolling green hills singing songs from the Sound of Music.  I wasn’t THAT good.  That’s good right?

Anyway, I did so much in that 24 hours because I thought, WOW, I can do this.  This Chiropractic treatment stuff rocks.  It was ONLY the 1st Treatment that would be really hard at first.  Perhaps I’ll be feeling this later but not now.  LIFE IS GOOD.  I got home, made some medical business calls, wrote a Blog post, did stuff and things and I DID let myself REST a bit BUT THEN off I was running out to get groceries that evening while my mental hyperactivity was still on overload (I think now that I look back).  I mean, we NEEDED groceries and my head told me it was RIGHT then no matter what.  So I left at 6:30pm and by 7:30pm as I was almost done my ARMS started telling me they were really tired and didn’t want to work much more and then they were in pain.  Then by 8pm my BODY was done.  By 9pm my MIND was done.  And yet there was still some clarity so I stayed up way too late.  I CONFESS.  I didn’t LISTEN enough to my body at that point.

Got up for a dang Fasting Appointment the next morning to have blood work done with a doctor I have VERY mixed feelings about and thought all was going to be OK.  I was still OK.  Sure I was tired but Fasting Appointments are really hard for me.  My body with its MS, lupus, IBS and you NAME IT needs its routine.  No food means no medications.  No medications means my body is already unhappy.  No food yet already being active when on a normal day it usually takes me over 4 hours to really feel like I can go on with my day as a human being is not a good thing for me.  At least let me have some food.  PLEASE.  If my body lets me that is…

ANYWAY, after the appointment, I ate and I felt a bit more invigorated YET to be honest my body was starting to protest more.  And then I ran around doing too many errands at once when I should’ve just gone back home to at least get some more rest before doing them made my body VERY UNHAPPY before 12pm.  The appointment had been at 8:30am.

BY 12PM I had HIT A WALL.

ALL DONE.  Had to push to do the basics.  The emotional roller coaster (was told this would happen even more and be magnified according to my Chiropractor as the emotions are cleared out and released from my body and it was ALL part of the healing process) started for the next 5 hours at least, my body had a hard time letting me do the basics like get up and move around.  It was shaky and weak and in pain.  SOOOO DONE WITH ME.

So I rested.  AND RESTED SOME MORE.  Resting helps.

RESTING HELPS.

Phew.  Sometimes resting doesn’t ALWAYS help the way I want it to.  My body has been recovering ever since.  I’d get waves of physical symptoms into the night last night and then there was that time in the middle of the night of complete and utter pain and discomfort and I’ve been working through that ever since.

SO GLAD I CAN WRITE THIS.

Yesterday I wouldn’t have been able to write this in any way.  ALL OF ME WAS DONE.

DONE.

But this Blog post has been bubbling up to the surface ever since I FINALLY was able to really get up out of bed today.  EXTRA SLEEP HELPED TOO.  I HAD TO WRITE THIS TODAY.  I HAD TO EXPRESS MYSELF.  I know it is all part of the healing.  I call it EMOTIONAL HAIRBALLS.

Meanwhile at the same time, as I think about how my body is overall, I know it’s not a regular lupus/multiple sclerosis flare.  I know my body is flaring up because all kinds of healing trauma (WHAT?  HEALING TRAUMA?  Parts of me want to object to what I just wrote and argue with me.) because it feels cleansing.  It feels like all kinds of toxin crapola is being FORCED out.  My mind is clearer.  My body is clearer.  So strange to say that and feel it and NOT REALLY BE ABLE TO DESCRIBE IT.

So the FEAR comes up.  Is this Treatment too much for me?  How will I do this?  I DON’T WANT TO MAKE MY BODY WORSE.  I CAN’T MAKE MY BODY WORSE.  I DEAL WITH ENOUGH.  IT’S HARD ENOUGH.  But then the nurturing side of me comes in and gently reminds me that I am feeling better at the same time.  I’m going to NEED TO BE VERY UPFRONT with the Chiropractor tomorrow at my next treatment and tell him EVERYTHING that has gone on in the past 24 hours BEFORE he jumps right in and manipulates my body into its relieving craziness of the next treatment.  He had told me it would be hard especially at first and to try to trust and be honest with him and myself in all ways at all times about how I’m doing.  That we would adjust treatments accordingly.  He also told me I’d have to rest more.

That’s hard to do.  I’m TRYING to have a life and I have SO MUCH going on right now.  FINDING BALANCE is a whole other issue I’m dealing with.

WHERE DOES IT ALL FIT IN?

Well what I have to remind myself is that it all fits in the way it is supposed to fit in.  It will all work out and it will happen or not happen BUT the world still turns.  It doesn’t explode because “MY PLANS” didn’t work out the way I liked.

DO THEY EVER?

SO WHY DO I KEEP TRYING TO FORCE MY PLANS OVER MY LIFE?  It doesn’t work that way.

So for now I’ll go back to resting and doing THE BEST I CAN WITH WHAT I HAVE.  It feels really good to have communicated this today.  Thank you ALL for reading.  It means so much to be able to get it out and STOP HOLDING ONTO IT.  Something tells me this may not have come out if it wasn’t for this detox and new treatment journey I’m starting.

I feel much better and calmer right now and I will enjoy it while I can.

Take care all and please if you can, be gentle with yourself and your body.  Healing can be really hard but what I’m discovering is that I’m worth it and so are you.

 

 

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OH THE FUN MEDICAL TESTS I GET TO HAVE!

Just posted this on Facebook as my status and thought it was a GREAT BLOG RANT FOR TODAY!  Look at what I get to do tomorrow…GOOD TIMES!
“So I have to do a strange test first thing tomorrow morning for at least 3 hours called the Hydrogen Breathing Test. They’re going to be giving me things to ingest (great–something tells me it won’t be yummy) and have me blow into a balloon-like thingie to see how my digestive system reacts… Oh goody. Something tells me I may not be feeling too good from this. And I’ve also been doing a strange type of prep diet for it that makes me feel both full and hungry at the same time. Glad to be able to eat but so bizarre. Leave it to me to have to do weird tests and do weird things to see if I can find out what’s going on in my body. Soooo, I’ll be bringing books and music and posting a lot on FB I’m sure with my phone even though they don’t have WiFi–which reminds me to bring a charger… So that means I can’t really watch anything because my IPad doesn’t have WiFi but oh well. I’m told I’ll be doing this test with a small group of people. I hope they’re OK to hang out with that long or it could be even more fun! So yeah. That’s what I’ve been preparing for all week. Please if you can, send along some good vibes. I can’t eat or drink ANYTHING after 8:30pm tonight because I need 12 hours of no ingestion and the tests starts at 8:30am. NO WATER?! BUT I LIKE WATER! I’m ALLOWED to brush my teeth and rinse thoroughly in the morning BUT THAT IS IT. Sooooo, I won’t be able to eat or take any meds (but WHAT THEY GIVE ME–ACK!) till at least 12pm tomorrow if I’m lucky…OY!!! NEEDLESS TO SAY, I HAVE NOTHING ELSE PLANNED AFTER THE TEST EXCEPT TRYING TO EAT IF MY BELLY IS NOT TOO MESSED UP FROM WHAT THEY’VE GIVEN ME AND TAKING MY MEDS SO I CAN FEEL MORE LIKE ME AGAIN…OH AND RESTING SHOULD BE GOOD TOO…Will be glad when it’s over that’s for sure.—And this is all happening when my digestive system is starting to settle down again…OF COURSE! TIMING IS EVERYTHING RIGHT!?”
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It’s So Hard to Have Multiple Sclerosis and Lupus and…Part 3

…and BE ME…

…and HAVE LIMITS…

I mean, let’s face it.  I’m a hard person to be.  I have goals.  I have ambitions.  I am a Go-Getter.  I am a Type A Personality by Instinct. The first idea in my head is GOGOGOGOGOGOGOGOGO!!!!

There’s no room for LIMITS…

Hmmmmmmm……

Welllll……

That’s really hard to deal with when I have multiple sclerosis and lupus.  I’m not even mentioning the digestive symptoms and syndromes, food allergies, environmental allergies, any infections that I might be fighting off, the fun womanly once a month irritations, sinus symptoms and issues, my crazy GOGOGOGOGOGOGO head, or even headaches that might come and go here and there.  I mean really.  I don’t get a chance to GOGOGOGOGOGO.  And if I do by chance get back into that habit, I am in TROUBLE and back on my butt FEELING AWFUL FOR SOME REASON…

UGH…

Sure that’s probably a really good thing.  Actually, it’s a blessing that I am grateful for quite often.  I’m grateful that I have to take it slower and actually see my life go by.  I don’t get a chance to be sprint through it.  I get an opportunity to get to know myself (scary sometimes yet really nice to do), to get to know others out there in the world who are cashiers and other customers for example, to smell the flowers, to really take care of my plants, to love on my dearest Cleo Kitty, to sit and just BE (so hard sometimes), to take my time, to look at the sky, to watch the world, to take a few extra breaths and maybe even DEEP BREATHS here and there…

BUT I WANT THE CHOICE to GOOOGOOOOGOOOO…or Do I?

I really have no idea.

I just don’t like having multiple sclerosis and lupus.  That’s just it.  I can’t stand them.  I want them to go away.  If I’m not careful I get sucked into a black hole of “Why me?” and “What did I do to deserve this?” and “Why won’t they just leave me alone?” and the list goes on and on…I think I could go on forever in what I call “WHOAISMS” and sometimes I believe I’m allowed to do that.  But I hope I have something to pull me out and I usually do.

So then I need to really work on spirituality whatever that means to me that day.  I could be meditating.  I could be actually letting myself sleep if my body and schedule allows.  I could be looking at the flowers.  I could be beating on my Bongos.  LOVE THAT by the way!  Seriously, if you have anger, I suggest you find something to beat on as long as it’s not yourself, or another living being, or something you’re going to damage—hmm….maybe I shouldn’t have mentioned to find just anything to beat on.  For a long time I’ve used the Hulk Hands that are out in toy stores that Corey has bought me (the first pair really was the best) that actually had Hulk’s voice and yelled, “Hulk Smash!” and would growl so when I put them on I got to laugh and feel big and strong and punch the wall.  I don’t recommend punching a wall without that kind of cushion.  PLEASE BE CAREFUL WHATEVER YOU DO.

But then now I have these Bongos and that’s great but I can’t just jump in and do a long set of banging.  I have to pace myself and only do it a few minutes at a time and build up to longer because then my hands and arms hurt.  Well, that’s just great.

So that’s what I mean, I’m always putting limits on myself and what I can do but in TRUTH: THERE REALLY ACTUALLY ARE LIMITS.  I’d like to continue to be able to use my hands and arms which are the most affected by both my lupus and MS and I’d also like to not feel the pain and throbbing from having overused them…on the bongos that I just enjoyed banging on to help me relax and calm down…

Then there’s the exercise.  Exercise is great to keep me flexible and stable.  Yay.  Go me.  Notice I’m not too excited about it.  Some days it feels like real work and like my body is complaining the ENTIRE TIME.  Then other days my body is thrilled and wants to be stretched and moved even more.  But again, there are actual limits if I want to keep functioning.  It is cumulative.  However, WALKING HAS BECOME MY THING.  I am well on my way to having walked 300 days in a row by the end of February.  AND THERE IS A LIMIT TO THAT.  I need to NOT JUDGE myself about walking and what I did that day.  I need to not push myself to walk an hour every day.  I need to be willing to only even walk a few minutes if that’s all I can do.  The TRUE BENEFIT comes out of keeping my legs and body moving and honestly, it’s helped my mind immensely too.  I have so much more confidence now than I used to in general just because of walking but they have truly loosened up and become more stable, strong and can endure more.  They DON’T complain that often anymore.  And by now it’s become such a habit to take a walk that I can’t imagine my life without it.

But then there’s trying to have a life.  I know.  Crazy.

A LIFE.

You know, that life where I can socialize with people, maybe even have some real friends out here in LA, maybe even keep in touch with the friends and family at a distance, spend more time with my husband, get out into the world and do things besides grocery shopping (although that is important too), and doctor appointments, and medical tests and be on the phone with something regarding Disability, Medical Insurance, following up with doctors, finding an attorney for a legal issue, filling out paperwork and the list goes on.  And what about being creative?  I yearn to be creative but I can’t do too much OR I have to slow down and my body asks for it.  But when will that happen?

WHEN AM I DOING TOO MUCH?  WHEN IS IT WORTH IT TO PUSH IT?  WHERE IS THE LINE?

There is no pattern or predictability.

Again, the worst part about these diseases is the UNPREDICTABILITY.

For goodness sakes, if only they were PREDICTABLE.  What a different world it would be.  I might be able to make plans and keep them.  I might be able to sign up to take regular hobby classes or regular ANYTHINGS.

I mean, let’s not forget it takes me at least 4 hours to get ready in the morning if I’ve included waking up, stretching my body in bed to get it moving again (tends to get stuck and stiff from sleeping if I’ve slept that is), do more stretches to stand up, follow a spiritual way of life (numerous ways to do that and I try to be creative with that), probably go to the bathroom (I know TMI), take a few pills, feed and be with my Cleo Kitty who has health issues of her own and is desperate to eat by 7am or ELSE, try to wake up a bit more before eating and taking more meds, plan out my day, get stuff ready to go if I have a medical appointment and I usually have at least one a week (the next 3 weeks I have 2 each week–goody gumdrops for me), pull myself together meaning exercise to the best of my ability to wake up my body, take a shower which is an event in itself and can take a lot out of me, not to mention brushing my teeth (an electric toothbrush is best so I can save my hands and arms and their energy), get dressed, try to make my hair look presentable (thank goodness for purple short hair so it’s already kinda cool and easy), pet and love my Cleo Kitty who always needs extra love and well so do I, make sure I wear my hat to protect from the sun, wear my sun protective jacket or at least a shirt with longer sleeves, get Cleo ready for me to be gone, make some sort of business calls if I have the chance, try to sit and rest here and there because it’s a lot to ask my body since so much activity has already happened, try to maybe wash the dishes or at least some of them, sort through any weird symptoms I’m having and do my best to take care of them, and the list can still go on.

THAT’S JUST THE MORNING EVENTS…no matter what even if I’m feeling crazy fatigue–I may go back to bed but what if I can’t because I have an appointment?  I’ve gotta get through it.  I’m so exhausted from thinking about my morning and writing about it that I haven’t even written the next parts of the day where I have to keep myself in check and have all my meds sorted out to take and make sure I take them on time and have meals at good times or I end up feeling worse.

And there’s always laundry to be done.  Can I do it today?  Should it wait?  What if we need underwear?  (Hey, I’m being honest).  And what about groceries?  What about the “What abouts”?

What’s the real priority?  There’s always some sort of life that needs to get done and if I let it go it’s still there tomorrow and I have to try to be ok with not getting it done YET.  I’ll admit, that is one of my biggest struggles.  LETTING SOMETHING GO UNTIL TOMORROW…OR ANOTHER DAY…OR ANOTHER DAY…

YET SOME THINGS CAN’T WAIT…

I’VE LEARNED TO LET GO OF A LOT BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN I’M OK WITH IT.

So life just keeps on happening.  I keep having multiple sclerosis and lupus along with all the other syndromes and issues and the world keeps spinning.  Thank goodness for choices but it’s still so hard sometimes.  I really have eased up on so much in my life and with my expectations but it takes a strict way of thinking that I really can’t get lazy with too much (sometimes it’s a wonderful thing but I can’t let go of it too long or I lose myself again and may go back to pushing too hard)…

SO I GUESS I’M STILL LEARNING…

THESE CHRONIC ILLNESSES I TELL YA…

There is just so much I can say about them and so much I don’t have the words or energy to talk about.

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I can LIVE. I can FUNCTION. I can DO.

A week ago today I was in the ER TRYING to get some answers about why I felt digestively HORRIBLE!

TODAY: I feel sooooooo much better!

AMAZING!  I am truly grateful.  It means so much to me to be feeling better.  Sure, I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop (you know, that infamous shoe that is always hovering and just waiting with baited breath to drop) but it hasn’t happened yet.

I definitely still have recovering to do BUT I can eat.  I can LIVE.  I can FUNCTION.  I can DO.

ACTUALLY:

Despite the absolutely miserable week I had last week until about Friday, I have received 3 VERY GOOD PIECES OF HEALTH NEWS that I feel I MUST pass on to you.

1. I heard from my Rheumatologist that all of my bloodwork came back really great and stable and that she firmly believes my lupus has gone into REMISSION.  It doesn’t mean I won’t have symptoms BUT it does mean that all of my organs are healthy and I am stable.  There is definitely no sign of a FLARE of any kind.  I’ll take it for as long as I can!

2. I had an appointment with my MS Specialist Neurologist today and he told me he felt like my MS was under control and that despite all of the crap I had been through in the past week (or even in the past 2 months digestively overall) that I am doing extremely well and my physical well being according to an MS standpoint is BETTER than it was in July!  He’s very happy with my progress.  Now this is with having a VERY early appointment this morning, hardly having time to shower, and rushing to eat (and thank goodness I could even do any of that–not sure how I would’ve gotten there had I felt any worse but I digress and think about things I don’t need to), and being half asleep the whole time.  WOW!  It usually takes me about 4 hours every day to really feel like maybe I can get through a day.  It’s just the way it is.

3. And now it seems that getting a 2nd opinion from a different Gastroenterologist paid off for me.  It’s all about new input and different experiences.  My 1st Gastroenterologist has been really integral in getting my health where it was until about a few months ago.  I do believe it’s time for a change.  This new guy might just be my choice.  He saw things a bit differently, approached it on a different path and convinced me to JUST TRY (he really emphasized that because I was so against more medications) this new medication treatment and see what I thought.  If it didn’t work, then he’d try something else.  Come to find out, my Primary Care Physician’s newer Physician Assistant knew of this specific specialist and was pleased to hear I was seeing him.  She said her experience is that he is VERY GOOD and an expert with what I’m dealing with.  Well OK then.  Guess it was the right choice.

4. BONUS: I just had to add this because my goodness, I just brought up all these titles of medical professionals in 3 paragraphs.  I think I need to get some credit for being able to come up with their names when my head is so tired.  Phew!  Rheumatologist (and how on earth would anyone know how to spell this if they hadn’t seen it written out tons of times?), MS Specialist Neurologist (so specific), Gastroenterologist (took me forever to figure out there was an “e” there and not an “i”–not sure why there isn’t an “i” but anyway), Primary Care Physician, Physician Assistant…WHOA!  I AM TRULY GRATEFUL TO HAVE ACCESS TO SUCH TALENTED PROFESSIONALS IN THEIR FIELDS who are so proactive with my health and were completely available for me in just 1 week!  In fact, if you count my first Gastroenterologist, he was also available to me, I just didn’t agree with what he was thinking about my health situation at the time…

So all very very good things are finally happening.  It is about time.  I’m going to cherish them as long as I can because as we all know, everything can change in an instant.  Now about cures…  You know, I stopped expecting cures for anything I’m going through a long time ago.  I’m really just looking for relief and to feel better with a much more improved quality of life.  Waiting for a cure would make me STOP living and I am doing everything I can to LIVE.

IT IS ONE HARD JOB TO LIVE BUT I’M DETERMINED TO DO IT!!

P.S.  I’ve been quite reflective lately about all I have been through.  I think a lot of it has to do with my 10 year MS diagnosis Anniversary coming up.  10 YEARS…I think that speaks for itself.  I feel a very personal Blog Post coming in the very near future.  Stay tuned.  Right now it’s all still processing.  It will be direct from my heart.

LOVE TO ALL!!!

*And special thoughts go out to those affected by Crazy Storm Sandy.  Wishing for peace and relief for all of you!

 

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Happy Halloween and Health Update!

Happy Halloween!  Hope you’re enjoying the day!  Let the Holidays Begin!

Hi there.  Feels like I’ve been off the Blog Radar for a really long time!

How are all of you?

I have had quite a struggle lately with my health.  I’m currently on what is becoming a long journey to find out what is bothering my digestive system so much.  It is a difficult and draining path right now as I call my doctors and ask for their input, continue to feel intense yuckiness, see new doctors as quickly as possible, try to live my life, take care of Disability Business, take care of life business, take care of other medical business, try to take care of my MS AND LUPUS, have some fun perhaps, spend time with my husband, Corey and my Cleo Kitty and do what I need to do for mental health and stability.  Exhausting.

It is definitely really hard right now but I have hope that with this big group of medical supporters, I will find answers.  I feel like a coin that can flip any time from “full of hope” on one side to “full of dread” without even a second passing.  Right now it feels like I’ll never get answers but I know it’s because when I have discomfort in my torso, that is all I can even manage to process in my mind.  It is the center of my body, the center of my Being.

And so I’m burned out.  I’m discouraged.  I’m frustrated.  I’m grieving the whole health situation I have found myself in.  I’m also hopeful, I feel loved, I feel very supported by all of you, I feel resolved to get answers and there’s even some faith mixed in there.  I don’t like the other “negative” choices of how to deal, so I’m gonna have to choose to keep on keepin’ on and with any luck I’ll find some answers and start to feel better.

I want my life back.

I AM DETERMINED TO GET IT!

 

 

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STUPID INFECTIONS!

TODAY I’M FRUSTRATED!

I have had enough of feeling sick!  I’m so done!  Too bad my body isn’t!

Yesterday evening my digestive issues started up AGAIN!  They had calmed down and things were ALMOST good for about 4 days…THEN BOOM!  I’m doubled over and having stomach cramps really bad AGAIN.  AGAIN!  To be honest, I didn’t think I was out of the woods yet with this small intestine bacterial infection.  My doctor had mentioned it would take awhile and that I’d probably continue to have some bad waves.  But he had told me to take the antibiotics for as long as needed so that I could go through the whole process of feeling really sick and nauseated and wait it out to the other side.  Then he said to wait a couple of days after I started feeling good and then I could stop taking it…

WELL I WAITED FOUR DAYS…just to be SURE.  That’s what I get for taking care of me right?  I mean, the 4th day started and I really thought I was doing well yesterday.  BUT THEN 6pm HIT me like a bomb and I haven’t been feeling well since.  I thought perhaps it had passed by this morning…BUT SLOWLY the stomach cramps started again and I started feeling bloated and nauseous…

UGH!!!!!!!!  GRRRRR!!!!!  I NEED TO FIND MY HULK HANDS AND PUNCH WALLS!

(Disclaimer: No hands will be punching walls on their own…must have lots of cushion…)

So I muttered and grumbled about it this morning and couldn’t help but be angry.  I’M TRYING TO LIVE MY LIFE HERE!  Trying to get back into the swing of things AGAIN!  The stomach discomfort can be so paralyzing and disabling I can hardly do ANYTHING when it happens and I’m usually a mess after the wave passes–IF it passes.

Soooooo, I called the doctor like a good proactive patient even though I resented it the entire time.  He called me back a few hours later and told me that what I’m going through what sounds like a classic small intestine bacterial infection reaction to the treatment itself.  That the good news is that it sounds like the MAIN infection has been killed BUT that there are pockets in the intestines where the bacteria can hide and that they’ve come out and are free since the first layer of crud is gone and the antibiotics are now KILLING these furious LITTLE CHOMPERS and are not letting them hide and sneak around anymore!  At first he was going to have me keep taking the antibiotics twice a day till this passed but I was honest and I told him this was day 18 and I was really irritated and my body was quite uncomfortable from the forced and prolonged detox.  He listened to that, seemed to change his mind and said that I should take the antibiotic twice a day for the next 2 days so that I will have taken it for 20 days in a row with this round.  The next step will be to start a MAINTENANCE regimen and only take it once a day twice a week on Monday and Thursday for a month or two to make sure there’s no more new growth for awhile…  I’m pretty sure I’ve done this before and it has worked out really well…HOWEVER it also means I’m going to continue to have these really bad waves while feeling “almost good” the other times…Sooooo, there will continue to be NO status quo JUST YET–if that’s EVEN possible for me.  Once the maintenance round is done then I start on Probiotics to help maintain even MORE digestive health.

Well OK then.  FINE.  So glad that the antibiotic is still killing and working as necessary BUT what about me?  It affects ME.  It makes me have to STOP everything.  It makes me feel AWFUL as it’s all happening.  I’m the one who has to PAY FOR IT.

SOOOOOOO FRUSTRATING….

I know this will also pass.  I know that being so committed and determined to do what I can to kill this infection is what will help the most in the long run.  IT DOESN’T MEAN IT WILL BE EASY!!!

STUPID INFECTIONS!

*******

I’m also trying to remember to keep in mind that I also saw my Rheumatologist today for a follow-up regarding my lupus.  The GREAT NEWS is that she thinks the lupus has really calmed down quite a bit and that more and more of the disease seems to have gone into a bit of remission.  Sure I’m having some symptoms that are flaring up but overall I’m doing a lot better…

YES THAT ROCKS!!!!

And it seems like my MS has also calmed down quite a bit so that’s also AWESOME!

NOW ABOUT THIS INFECTION–GO AWAY!  I’M BUSY TRYING TO LIVE MY LIFE!

 

 

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