PHOTODORK » Health

The Beauty of Jeans

Photodork — Thu, 27 Jul 2006 23:30:41 +0000

I am wearing jeans today, something I have not done for five whole months. It is splendid. At first, I could not wear jeans because of the lovely skin lesions I developed as a result of taking Colazal. Jeans put too much pressure on the areas affected by the drug rash. I was pretty much limited to wearing sweat pants, which I realize does not sound too awful, but they do get old after about 2 weeks. We managed to get the plague under control after two months or so, but the medication that subdued the plague causes water retention. Lots and lots of water retention. So much water retention, in fact, that I do not fit into any of my jeans. It is sad.
So today, after attempting to squeeze into a pair of my jeans (they almost fit, it was really close), I borrowed a pair of my moms. They are slightly snug in the waist…but they do fit. I am a happy camper.

Wearing my big girl pants…

Photodork — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 21:54:19 +0000

Today was my first appointment at the anticoagulation clinic, and I was fairly stressed about it. I knew it was only a finger stick, and having performed several of these on myself, I also knew that they don’t really hurt. Still the tiny voice in the back of my head kept insisting that it might, and needles just freak me out anyway. But I managed to be a big girl about it, and now I don’t have to go back for three more weeks. Nice. I finally seem to be making some steady progess towards getting well. I also got my steroid dose reduced on Monday, which has been wreaking little havoc emotionally, but hopefully will squelch some of the physical side effects I have been experiencing.
Today was the kick off for the bank’s United Way campaign. I volunteered to be on the committee this year, and spent the morning parading about distributing information packets. It was generally a good time, and it is for a worthy cause. Hopefully our efforts will be successful.
Tonight Dylan and I are having dinner with my mom. I am excited about it for two reasons: 1- we are having chicken happy meals (not from McDonalds , but of the roasted chickens you purchase at Safeway variety) and 2- I will get to see her new kitty. All in all, it should be a nice night.

Yea…Time to Read!

Photodork — Thu, 13 Jul 2006 21:03:05 +0000

I have been reading a lot lately, and really enjoying it. It is perhaps one of my favorite things about working part-time. Mostly I have been reading books that Jamie (my mother-in-law) has lent me. She has quite the collection and has been very generous about lettimg me borrow them. It is nice that we have similar taste in books. Right now I am in the middle of “In Her Shoes”, which they made into a movie last year I think. I’ll admit that I thought the movie looked kind of dumb, but the book is very good. I will probably have to rent the movie now…sorry Dylan (since he will most likely end up having to watch it with me). After I finish this book I have two more by the same author that I think I will read.
I finally seem to be on the mend for good. I got my picc line removed on the 4th, so it really was Independence Day for me. I was completely freaked out about having it taken out, and felt like a big dork afterwards because it took one second and I didn’t feel a thing. So I frettted for nothing. I will start going to the anticoagulation clinic next week to have my blood tested and I will only have to go every other week…yea!!
Dylan and I are attempting to train our little ginger cat by using a spray bottle. So far it seems to be working. He has this peculiar habit of howling and pawing at the windows. It wouldn’t be so bad if he didn’t insist on doing it at 4 or 5 in the morning. I feel bad about squirting him (or I suppose I should say Dylan squirting him) but our previous method of dealing with this behavior was to shut him in the garage, so I guess this is a better alternative.
I am still happy about my new job. I might go full time which would reduce my reading time, but it would be nice financially. It is funny because I get confused now when my personal phone rings. It is hard not to answer it like I do for work. It always takes me a few rings to remember how to answer it. I’m a dork.

I am Boring.

Photodork — Sat, 24 Jun 2006 17:23:54 +0000

It has been same old stuff lately. Just working and hanging out at home. Even though there hasn’t been much exciting going on, I can’t say that I mind the peace and quiet.
My friend Amanda has been in town this week, which has been really nice. She goes to school in Golden and has an insane schedule, so we rarely see each other. She and I work at the same bank and have gotten to visit quite a bit. I have enjoyed catching up with her. Amanda is just fun.
Dylan and I accidentally bought the reduced sugar Cinnamon Toast Crunch. I honestly wouldn’t have thought that it would make that big of a difference, but it does. I knew something was wrong right away, which is what prompted us to examine the box and discover our error. So this is my public service announcement: don’t buy reduced sugar cereal. It’s gross.
Well, sadly that’s all the news I have to report at this point. Except that I found out that one of my medications comes in a format that can be mixed in with icecream. Sweet. I will certainly be following up on that. I don’t really need an excuse to eat icecream, but this would certainly provide me with one, and that can’t be a bad thing.

Doctors and Donuts

Photodork — Thu, 15 Jun 2006 15:44:33 +0000

I’d like to say I haven’t posted in a while because I’ve been super busy…but I think that super lazy might be a more accurate reason. It has been ridiculously hot for about two weeks…it doesn’t help motivate me to do much.
I came down with the flu over the weekend…it was horrible, and I managed to pass it on to Dylan, so he was sick Tuesday. Luckily it was only a 12 hour bug, so even though you were completely miserable for 12 hours, it passed relatively quickly. I have been trying to disinfect our compartment ever since, becuase I refuse to get it again.
I went to the doctor on Monday, not for my flu, but for one of my other various issues and got my steroid dosage reduced to 20 mg. Woohoo! Maybe I will turn into Saroid now, instead of SaROID! Dylan admitted I have been less grumpy lately….I didn’t realize I was in a constant state of mild crankiness, but maybe I was. I hope that I will continue to shrink as a result of the decrease, I actually wore some of my own clothes last week, which was nice.
And yesterday, I went back to the doctor with Dylan. We thought he might have an ulcer due to some stomach pain he was experiencing. It turns out that he actually has something called caustocondritis, which is an inflammation of the cartilidge between your ribs. It is a relief that it was nothing more serious…this is a pretty typical Dylan injury. He can take aleve for a couple of weeks to help reduce the inflammation, but it should go away on its own in a few months. After his appointment we went to the hospital cafeteria, because they have pretty good breakfast there. I was super happy because they had one cinnamon donut left, and those are my favorite. It was our reward for going to our doctor’s appointments.
A crash has just sounded from down the hall…my little ginger cat has probably just attempted to destroy something. He is seriously crabby since we haven’t let him out in a while…it is just too hot right now. But I best go see what he has gotten himself into.

My Body Hates Me

Photodork — Mon, 22 May 2006 16:29:09 +0000

That’s right…more strange health problems for me. My left leg started aching while I was in Boone, but I figured it was just a sore muscle. The weird part was that the pain and tension moved. It started at the top of my leg and then settled into my calf and knee. So…I decided it was better to be safe than sorry and went to visit my doctor. He sent me for an ultrasound, and miracle of miracles they found a rather large blood clot. It reaches from my hip to my ankle. I couldn’t have been more thrilled…especially when it became apparent that another hospital stay was in order. And we all know what hospital visits entail: needles. Always needles. I was able to leave after three days, but am still having bloodwork done on a regular basis and will be on blood thinners for at least six months. Super fantastic, eh?
I spent most of last week recuperating, although I was able to go to work for a little while on Thursday and Friday. And Friday was my birthday. I am now 24, and hoping this year will be better than the last. Bad things are supposed to happen in threes, so I am hoping that maybe I have completed the cycle. It has just become so frustrating. I feel like every time I start to get my life back in order and am adjusting to the requirements of my newly found health issues, something else comes along and I have to start back at square one. It also can make you super paranoid. Last night, I had a few mild twinges of pain in my right leg, and it totally freaked me out. The chances of getting another blood clot while on blood thinners is fairly minor, but I was completely afraid that I had formed another one. It’s irritating. I am trying to have a positive attitude and remember that everything happens for a reason, and that whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, but sometimes I feel really sad that all this had to happen.
C’est la vie, I suppose. I am due for a blood draw in 1/2 an hour and I am still in my pajamas, so I better get a move on. Happier posts later.

The New Plan

Photodork — Sat, 22 Apr 2006 15:12:27 +0000

After observing Dylan’s eating habits the past few days, it has occurred to me that it is going to take him a long while to put on the poundage necessary for his ring to fit him. I, on the other hand, am packing it on like nobody’s business. I eat more than Dylan at every meal. Now, part of this is because I’m just cool, but a lot of it is due to the medication I am on. So, the new plan is just to slip Dylan a little bit of my medication each day. That’ll fatten him up real quick. Okay…not really. I suppose I will use my mediocre metalsmithing skills to fix his ring. Darn moral ethics, always getting in the way.
My doctor’s appointment went suprisingly well yesterday. The doctors were impressed with the progress my wounds are making, so that was nice. When I went last week I was told they looked okay and then they squirted me with a bunch of saline using a syringe. So fun. This time, I got a wow and a double thumbs up. They still dumped saline on me though, I guess it just can’t be avoided. Oh well.
I need to go get some water. I am sitting here being thirsty when the kitchen is 25 feet away. Pretty lazy eh? But I suppose that’s the name of the game on Saturdays. Alright…I’m going to attempt the trek across the living room.

Casting Like a Pro

Photodork — Fri, 21 Apr 2006 03:34:23 +0000

That’s right…today was casting day, and I ruled it up. Okay, my instructor helped me with the torch a bit, but otherwise I was in control. It is quite the adrenaline rush. And, Dylan’s ring came out very nicely. The only problem is that it is a little big for him, which is baffling because the wax mold fit him snugly. I am slightly peeved, but will think of something to tweak it. Maybe Dylan could gain a few pounds…that would be the easiest way, I think.
I have yet another doctor’s appointment tomorrow, and am not looking forward to it in the least. This is my fourth appointment this month and I have one next week as well. Ugh! I am so tired of medical crap. I know that isn’t the attitude to have…but I am allowed to feel fed up every now and again. On the bright side, my wounds are making pretty good progress. I have been using an algae-based stimulant to pack them and it seems to be working. I am hoping that they will be mostly healed in a few more weeks. Alright, I really hope that they will be healed when I wake up tomorrow, but I try to set realistic goals.
Well, I am going to go offer Dylan some icecream…I’ll make it a big bowl, and then his ring will fit sooner.

Sad Sunday

Photodork — Sun, 02 Apr 2006 22:41:14 +0000

Sunday is such an odd day. I almost dislike it, because all day I dread having to get back to the grind the next day. On the other hand, it is a day off, so I can’t actually dislike it. Quite the predicament.
Well, I have not been nearly as productive as I should have been this weekend…which is no good. Yesterday I was just grumpy, a condition that is becoming more common as I get fed up with my various ailments. And today I have felt slightly under the weather, making it necessary for me to nap instead of work. Okay, maybe not necessary, but certainly more appealing. Dumb school work, making me feel guilty for being lazy.
I am about to go rule up my education project, but I don’t really want to. It is due Wednesday, so I am in a bit of a pickle time-wise. But at least after I turn it in, I’ll only have my jewelry projects to worry about. One of those is due this week as well. Looks like it’s going to be a fun one. Ugh. That’s all I have to say about it: ugh, ugh, ugh.

Sarah the Brave

Photodork — Thu, 30 Mar 2006 22:23:43 +0000

So…I was quite proud of myself this morning. I had to have blood drawn and I did. It may not seem like a big deal, but for me it was. I have, as I am sure anybody who reads this has figured out, a serious aversion to needles, followed very closely by my dislike of blood and anything having to do with my veins. I only cried a very little bit, and the phlobotomist was awesome. Three cheers for Reina. Usually it takes a full two to three minutes for the nurses to get things done, during which time I lose the feeling in my hands and chest because I am hyperventiliating, but this lady ruled it up in about 10 seconds. It was amazing. And that is why I have earned the title of Sarah the Brave for today.
It has been a crazy week, and I am very grateful that tomorrow is Friday. I am observing in the afternoon, but otherwise am free. Free to do my homework, that is. But all the same, I am ready for the weekend. Dylan is working all day at the Children’s Festival on Saturday, which is kind of sad because it will cut into our weekend time together, but I think he will have fun. I just know that he has had a long week too, and wish that he got to have a more relaxing weekend.
As for me, it’s going to be a long weekend of ruling up the school work. I have to pretty much wrap up my project for my education class, get a healthy chunk of the piece I am creating for my jewelry class completed, and work on the wax model for the next project in that class. I will be casting a new wedding ring for Dylan, since he misplaced his when I was in the hospital. Casting involves using a very large torch to melt the metal. I am very afraid….I will earn the title of Sarah the Brave the day I cast, too. Rotten metal, having to be melted with scary fire. Plus, I have a little bit of work to do for my computer course. Ick. Only 5 more weeks left though, so it is time to kick it into gear.