Journal Entry for August 24, 2007
August 24, 2007 11:04am
Dear Journal,
I've been traveling and before that exhausted. I'm so befuddled by all of this - CFS, AS. I don't know what to do or which …
VickiB 
12:57pm, November 14, 2009
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About Me
VickiB
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About Me
I am a semi-retired mother and grandmother. I'm on disability for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, I love dogs, I have two of my own, Bugsy, an 11 yr.old Westie and Emma, a 7 yr. old Golden retriever. I like to read and watch TV and movies. I've had a mastectomy with reconstruction for breast cancer. That was 2/12/08 and I'm still recovering. Surgery makes CFS worse. I've had knee surgery twice, back surgery twice, and most recently nipple reconstruction. Something is wrong in my head. I don't know what it is but it's making my life miserable.
I am a semi-retired mother and grandmother. I'm on disability for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, I love dogs, I have two of my own, Bugsy, an 11 yr.old Westie and Emma, a 7 yr. old Golden retriever. I like to read and watch TV and movies. I've had a mastectomy with reconstruction for breast cancer. That was 2/12/08 and I'm still recovering. Surgery makes CFS worse. I've had knee surgery twice, back surgery twice, and most recently nipple reconstruction. Something is wrong in my head. I don't know what
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Interests
books, TV, movies, dogs, my family
books, TV, movies, dogs, my family
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Journal
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Journal Entry for August 4, 2007
August 4, 2007 1:28pm
Dear Journal,
I haven't written anything for awhile. I've just felt too ill. From CFS and from Dana's apparent dis-interest in doing …
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Journal Entry for July 23, 2007
July 23, 2007 1:50pm
Dear Journal,
My cognitive impairment is getting worse. Probably because I am so exhausted. I need sleep. So, that's it for today.
See you …
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Journal Entry for July 21, 2007
July 21, 2007 2:17pm
Dear Journal,
Well it fell apart. I spent too much time on the computer and by the time I went to bed for a nap it was five o'clock. Then the …
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Journal Entry for July 20, 2007
July 20, 2007 1:39pm
Dear Journal,
So far my day has been good. Dana didn't get in until late last night and ever the "good" wife, I went down to say hi and …
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Hugbook
Superhero Status
Keep the great strength you have.
Best wishes
Hug
Thanks! Means a lot.
Flower
Prayer
God bless you Vicki
Hug
Hi again, I just read that you have a 11 year old Westie. So do I. Her name is LadyBelle. I use to have a Golden Retriever years ago. Her name was LadyGinger.
Along with LadyBelle I have 2 male Yorkies, BuddyBoy and his son TobyBoy. I don't know what I would do without my dogs.
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Photos
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Support Groups
Close Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
I've had CFS for ten very long years. Tried everything that anyone recommended. I now take several medications for symptoms and try not to overdo. I've been to two doctor's who primarily do research, one at Harvard and one at NJ Medical school. They both said the same thing. You can treat the symptoms but only rest will help the fatigue. Laura Hillenbrand, who wrote Seabiscuit and has CFS, said that CFS is to fatigue what a nuclear bomb is to a match. I have two dogs who make life bareable.
Treatments
- Klonopin Working / Worked
- I've been taking this for years. It helps me get to sleep.
- Zoloft Working / Worked
- I started taking this for panic attacks but it also helps with pain.
- Elavil Working / Worked
- I'm not sure about the spelling but it works. I take it for pain and also to lessen the frequency and severity of headaches.
- Cyclobenzaprine Working / Worked
- I take this for muscle spasms. I take one after dinner and one at bedtime. It works most of the time.
Close Breast Cancer
Stage: 0 (Tis)I was diagnosed with DCIS stage 0 several weeks ago. I have to decide between a lumpectomy followed by radiation and a mastectomy and reconstruction. Along with the usual concerns, I have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Either choice will exacerbate that but which will do so less? What does your breast look like after radiation? What kinds of reconstruction has anyone had and what do you recommend? I am 58 and have many health problems but only the CFIDS affects this.
Open Physical & Emotional Abuse
My husband has been abusing me emotionally for 39 years. I didn't know what was happening for a long time. I went to a talk about physical abuse and at the end the speaker described emotional abuse. As she spoke tears trickled down my cheeks and I thought that's me. But, i did nothing about it. I still thought he could change or I could change or we could change or something would happen to bring us together. None of those things happened and here I am 59 years old with many health issues.
Treatments
- Psychotherapy Too Soon to Tell
- My therapist and I have just begun exploring this issue.
Open Loneliness
I have CFS and am going through treatment for breast cancer. I have no friends and my family is 500 miles away. My husband is emotionally distant. He has his own life. I feel like I'm all alone and everyone else has a life. I barely have an existence.
Open Agoraphobia & Social Anxiety
I have always been a busy outgoing person. I was a stay-at-home mom of three very active kids. I worked on an inpatient oncology unit. I started having panic attacks and a high level of anxiety. Meds helped. Now I'm a prisoner in my bedroom. Even going down stairs makes me anxious. I'm scared.
Open Arthritis
I have had osteoarthritis for twenty years. It started in my right knee and went on to my left knee, both hips, both hands, and my lower back. I belong to several support groups here and they have been a source of information and comfort. I have other medical issues and they impact my arthritis. I'm hoping to find some answers to my questions as well as give support and answers to others.
Treatments
- Ibuprofen Working / Worked
- It worked but my stomach won't tolerate it.
- Naproxen Working / Worked
- They work but they don't agree with my stomach. I get a searing pain in my gut after more than one pill.
- Synvisc Working / Worked
- I had a series of three injections in my right knee in 2005. It was like a miracle. In the summer of 2007, I began to experience more pain. I thought I would get more injections. Instead I got breast cancer. I'm hoping to get injections in both knees soon. There were no side effects.
- Tylenol Somewhat Helpful
- I have to take a lot of Tylenol to feel any relief. That's not good for my liver and I can stand the pain. I don't want a liver transplant because I took Tylenol.
- Bedrest Working / Worked
- I have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome so when I crash and spend most of the day in bed for days and even weeks everything else feels much better.But any activity brings the pain and swelling back.
- Physical Therapy Somewhat Helpful
- I had knee surgery in December of 2008 to repair a torn meniscus. The surgeon said he scraped off as much arthritis as he could. When I started PT the therapist said because of my CFS I would be better off working in a pool. I love going to PT in the water but its easy to over do. Not only do I feel it in my knees and hips and back but I am exhausted. My therapist and I worked out a program of once a week cutting back on the number of reps and do more core strengthening.
Open Shopping Addiction
To get support from others who suffer from this addiction.
