Saturday, December 31, 2022

Good-Bye 2022 Hello 2023

 I did it again. Unintentionally, but here it is 9 months since I last posted.

I'm sorry I've been away. I will try to do better. Life just has a funny way 
interrupting you.

After two years I caught it. I got Covid for my birthday. I told the giver to 
return it as I didn't want it, but it was apparently nonreturnable. 

Lingering affects of it: Covid fatigue, Covid fog (on top of the already 
existing Fibro Fog...it's awful y'all), and there might be a third thing
but I'm trying and hoping I'm not overreacting or seeing zebras when it's 
only horses.

I get an MRI in 2 weeks or so to find out what's going on with me. It's 
going to be of my lumbar area, though I really think she should have 
asked for a full spine. Especially since I may end up with an upper series
anyway.  Either way, I'm hoping for some answers.

PT is helping a little bit. But Covid set me way back. It's like I'm basically
starting over...almost. And with the fatigue, it's making it ever slower 
going.

We rescued another cat. He is number nine in our current family of cats. 
He's also the youngest as he's now around 7-9 months old. We believe
he was thrown from a vehicle. It took over a month to catch him. Part of that
time he had disappeared.  He has neurological deficits in his hind legs. For
a bit there he wasn't even able to use the box without human assistance.
At his most recent visit, he was up to almost 9 lbs. He will be on prednisone 
for the rest of his life. We are in the process of finding he lowest effective 
dose.  The vet said that while he may not have a long life of say 15-18 years,
we can hope for at least 5 good years with him.  We've named him Jack.

Jack

Anyhoo...I just want to stop in and say "I'm still here!"
I wish you all a very Happy New Year. May it be better than the last two years.

Tuesday, March 29, 2022

Oh HAI! Remember Me?

Well there I go again, disappearing from the blogosphere for almost 3 months.
I didn't mean to.  It just...happens.

Since I've last written, I've lost 5 lbs, gained it back, and lost it again. I'm 
currently seeing a nutritionist at my doctor's office once a month. I go in again
to see her next week to see where I'm at.  She wants me to try to reduce my carb
intake, keep my calorie count at about 1200.  Eat more nutrient dense foods. 
Ditch the soda and sweets. I'm trying.  I'm managing to keep my soda down to a
half of a 16 or 20 oz. bottle. Some days I don't even drink any. I haven't even
wanted any sweets like cake or cookies or ice cream.  
Yet, I feel guilty for wanting to make better food choices and eat better. Food 
prices are getting higher and higher.  It's cheaper to eat crap food, but it's not 
good for me. I've been noticing how certain foods make me feel like crap too, 
something I didn't really pay much attention to before.

Finally got the results of my cortisol test explained. I have adrenal dysfunction.
I'm stuck in "Fight or Flight" mode.  They've added PS and fish oil to my daily
meds. She won't go so far as to diagnose me with PTSD.  She said that due
to my history I have it, but she doesn't want to put that label on me if she can help it.
And I understand her reasoning, I'm just glad she confirmed what I suspected. It
makes me feel a little less like it's all in me head.  People in my past have been 
real good at telling me it's all in my head or that wasn't that bad or that I was
making something out of nothing. You know how it goes.

I'm insulin resistant so I'm on Metformin.  We dropped the estrogen because
it was causing me to bleed. But my cycles are so crazy now, I don't know what it's 
doing.

There was a question of whether or not I had high blood pressure, because when I 
go in it's always so high. But when I monitor it at home it's "normal". But a visit to
the eye doctor answered that question.  They have this really cool camera that takes
a picture of the inside of your eyes. It was so amazing to see the inside of my eyes.
It's like there is a nebula or galaxy in there. He pointed out all the veins and arteries, 
muscles and nerves, even my floaters.  Two things it clearly shows is that I do not
have high blood pressure and there currently isn't any sign of diabetes.  I do have the
very beginning of a cataract in my right eye. But it's just a tiny spot and they can't do
anything about it right now.

I've been giving yoga a try.  I was doing okay for a couple of months, doing it twice
a week most weeks. But this month I have fallen off the yoga wagon. Between the 
pelvic pain and fibro pain, I've been so hesitant to even try. I feel like crap for not doing
it.  I don't know if it was helping any, but I was enjoying it even if I can't do it well.  
My flexibility sucks.  There are also moves that my nutritionist has told me is off limits.
She doesn't even want me to attempt them. And if there is a move I try that causes me
pain, I'm to not do it either.  Like Downward Dog and Cobra poses are not to be done
at all.  Some things she will allow me to do so long as I modify them and use props.

I guess when I chose SACRED/SOVEREIGNTY, I didn't expect to get such lessons
in how hard it is to choose one's self.  I've always found self care difficult. But now, I 
don't really have a choice.  I have to choose me.  It's hard, it is so fucking hard! 
People have a way of making you feel guilty for it whether they mean to or not,
whether they do it knowingly or not. I have a hard enough time not guilt tripping myself,
I don't need outside help to do it.

I think that's it for now.
I feel like there's more, but I just can't think of it.
I'll try not to stay away for so long.  
Stay safe out there.