northwest2's Journal

Ah yes - it has finally cooled down in the northwest again.  I feel human.  Nothing like sleeping on the basement floor because it's so hot and no air conditioning.  In the mean time, the grand daughter has shown up for her summer visit and I'm in pig heaven.  She is a lot like me and we spend time hanging out in the basement and sewing.  We like to take long walks and pick blackberries.  They are all over the place up here and we have the battle scars that go along with picking.

Regarding the acromegaly, I've made my peace with it and have finally managed to just accept that I have it and incorporate it into my lifestye. The first few years, I was petrified of dying and all the problems I had.  I have since discovered that I'm not in danger of dying and all these changes and effects go along with the acro territory.  Now I'm just trying to find out how to get the best quality of life while I am still around.  As I have seen from this board, almost all of us have residual tumor and we will have to deal with the effects from now on, unless a miracle happens and the radiation kicks in in 5 to 10 years. 

One of my things that I had to do was give up a job I had been striving for years for.  But the side effects of the acromegaly that the stress causes wasn't worth the money.  It took me several months to make the decision but it has really made a difference in quality of life.  I don't have to worry about trying to juggle all the demands of a killer job while I am dealing with juggling all the doctor appointments, blood work and medications that I have to deal with.  Even travel is a bit difficult with all this and that has always been a favorite hobby of mine.  I'm content now with just enjoying family visits and doing some short driving trips.  I find that I get fatigued more than I ever used too.  I plan on taking six months to a year off to try to recuperate  some and then look for contract work.  I need to bring something in but I need to try to balance that with lifes other issues.

I'm grateful to have found this group.  It makes me smile when I read topics like "looking at the acromegaliac" because I have that happen to me so much.  I feel like a circus freak some times.  The funny part is -  some of the doctors other than the endos come across like they are in such awe.  It just cracks me up some times. 

I plan on enjoying what's left of the northwest summer and enjoying my life.  As Rose said once, when the night sky is the darkest the stars shine the brightest.