Published on
June 7, 2010.
Guess what? I feel better. Better than I have in five years or so. What changed? Interesting, that…
A couple weeks ago, I decided to do a reboot of the diet. My reading on Fibromyalgia led me to discussions of Celiac disease and how much of an overlap there is between the two. I figured that going back to a basic diet of protein, vegetable, and fruit for a week or two would be a good reset. What I didn’t expect was how much different I would feel.
The pain in my knee went away almost entirely. The fatigue went from being a daily battle is now just an occasional struggle. Instead of sleeping six fitful hours I’m now down for nine and feeling well-rested. The cognitive issues — difficulty concentrating and remembering — have improved drastically. My GI issues have also made a very welcome change for the better.
Maybe it’s not Fibromyalgia after all. Maybe it’s a combination of the two. Lupus still hasn’t officially been ruled out but I should find that out Thursday. In any case, I feel better and that’s what counts. I’ve re-introduced everything but gluten in my diet and I still feel good. The one day I did try eating gluten, well, let’s just say it wasn’t a fun day. I’m relatively sure we’re no longer on speaking terms. The only problem is that diagnosing Celiac usually requires you to be on a gluten-rich diet and, uh, hell no.
Now that my brain is getting back to normal, I’m finding that I am far behind where I’d like to be in pretty much everything. Clarion’s coming up quickly so I’m finishing what I can now and you can be sure that there will be much ass kicking and fixing of things once I return.
Published on
May 24, 2010.
This was a good news/bad news kind of week on the medical front. I wish I had more energy to talk about it, but I am running low on spoons and need to conserve them.
Good news:
- Kidneys and Thyroid are normal.
- It’s not Multiple Sclerosis.
- It’s probably not Lupus.
The bad news:
- There is still a chance it could be Lupus, so I had more blood drawn to confirm/deny.
- I do have Fibromyalgia. All of the symptoms fit.
- I need to have a sleep test to determine if I’m suffering from sleep apnea or cataplexy, and to see if it explains the occasional fugue states I sometimes experience.
I will have a lot more to say about Fibromyalgia. Right now I’m still in the acceptance phase, which isn’t always easy. Figuring out my limitations and triggers is going to take some time. I’ve already started re-evaluating my diet, to try and determine what foods may be causing flares. I imagine that this could be a long process of self-discovery.
I also have just over a month before I leave for Clarion, so I’m going to be busy wrapping up all of the legal and medical stuff, and reading. Lots and lots of reading. Lots of work, too. And when Clarion is over, I can go back home to Canada. If I’m quiet, sullen or manic, well, you know why.
Published on
May 14, 2010.
I had hopefully one of the last post-divorce court dates this morning. Nothing terribly surprising came out of it. Judge says I need to pay my ex’s lawyer fees since I didn’t meet the original terms of the agreement (to which my attorney still argues was an impossibility). That’s a hard lesson chalked up to experience. Never be afraid to question your lawyer, or fire them, if you don’t think they have your best interest at heart. This morning boils down to:
- I owe a bunch of money I don’t have
- I don’t have a lot of time to pay it
I’ll be figuring out a plan of action over the next week, but I’ll find a way of pulling it off and put that bill behind me. It may be time to say goodbye to my desktop computer and monitors, though. Anything I can do without, I will. I’m pretty accustomed to life on the laptop now anyways. Frankly, the more I can get rid of, the less I have to move and the sooner I can do it.
Health-wise, it’s been an odd week. I had a theory about all of the symptoms I’m having. Between the autoimmune and similarities between Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue, and Lyme Disease, I decided to get re-tested for Lyme. I spent last summer taking care of Dad in Wisconsin and had more than a few tick bites for my efforts. The good news is that test came back negative. The bad means we’re no closure to figuring out what’s wrong. Next week, I hope, will start bringing some answers.
I’ve also had three nights this week where I’ve been in bed before 10pm and slept more than 8 hours. That’s highly unusual for me. It felt good while it lasted. The insomnia and restlessness seems to be back tonight, but hey, I also wrote 300 words of a new story so I won’t complain.
Tomorrow I’m off by train to Chicago for the day. I have a meeting for the day job that will hopefully lead to bigger and brighter things for the company. More resources means more time I can spend doing the things that make money, which takes care of many of our current worries.
My friends and family, you are all awesome. I miss being home with Andrea and the menagerie dearly but this is turning into a life lesson about getting things done that need doing and not procrastinating. Summer will fly by, debts will be settled, and life will move on together.
Published on
April 20, 2010.
Earlier this month I mentioned that I was heading in for some long overdue checkup with the doctor. Many of you have been following my progress on Twitter. I’m a firm believer in paying it forward and that includes being open and honest about sensitive topics. Forewarned is forearmed.
Continue reading ‘It’s never Lupus.’
Published on
April 10, 2010.
I used to think I was a superhero. A rotund, pasty, privileged superhero, but superhero none the less. I’ve held jobs more or less consistently since the time I was twelve. How much I work became a running joke among my friends. I abused my body with unhealthy amounts of caffeine to squeeze more work hours out of each day, and I did this for years without much of a break.
Last year when my Dad needed surgery, we packed up our dog and cat show and headed north to take care of him. I worked my forty plus, ran errands, made sure doctors appointments were made and kept, and did the occasional shuffle from Tomahawk, WI to Minneapolis, MN for check-ups with the surgeons. Three months later, Dad was healed up and I was falling apart, freshly diagnosed with at least one pinched nerve and Diabetes.
My body had been trying to tell me something and I finally had to stop and listen. “Only human.”
Tomorrow I’m heading back to Illinois. There’s one more post-divorce court date to attend to. More importantly, I’m *cough* getting to that age when it’s prudent to get ones pipes cleaned and tubes checked. I can’t ignore the aches, pains and lumps any longer. The doctor awaits my arrival Monday morning and there I’ll stay until we get things fixed.
I have a lot of things to look forward to: an awesome wife and best friend, adventures living in a new country, writing. Who knows, maybe kids will be in our cards, too. I need to be as healthy as I can so I can enjoy that life.
Published on
February 18, 2010.
My mom had reconstructive ankle surgery to correct some of long-term damage caused by polio so I spent the last few weeks with her, doing laundry and cooking and whatnot. I also took the opportunity to wear down my annual deductible and get a few lingering medical issues looked at. And while in Illinois, I picked up a rather nasty flu that has wiped me out completely.
Most of the effects of the flu are gone, knock on wood. My energy seems to be the last thing to return. I’ve been regularly sleeping 10-12 hours/day, which is a far cry from my usual 6-7. It’s cut into my writing time severely, including updates here and on twitter. I suspect I’ll be back to normal in a few more days and will be back to work on things. End of month deadlines that must be met, flu or no flu.
Published on
January 27, 2010.
From time to time I talk about things of an extremely personal nature. Talking is cathartic and healthier than the alternative. Herein I ramble about depression, anxiety, and other foibles.
Continue reading ‘This glass ceiling also has a floor and four walls’
