Sorry to hear about your family issues. They really take a toll. I think my MCTD came out of remission due to stress over family issues. Kids!..... enough said.
Today my back is killing me. I can hardly move. Wednesday had to call an ambulance for a patient and help get him on the stretcher. Thursday, cleaned house. Friday, after work, spent 4 hours in the ER with a friend. Saturday, helped clean the shingles in his yard that were left when he fell off the roof. Sunday, picked the garden after church then walked in the American Heart Assoc. Heart Walk. After that, went to see my friend in the hospital. My back really started hurting while I was loading the dishwasher, but we all know that plate was not the culprit! Worked yesterday, then loaded the dishwasher again last night and washed a mound of pots and pans. Could not roll over to get out of bed this morning. So, I have time for the computer! LOL!
Hope all of you are in better shape!
Mary Ann

Still alive here. The last Rituxan treatment does not seem to have worked at all. I have been seriously overdoing it as well, and the old body is telling me "slow the hell down girl". My hubby has not been well, they are kind of looking towards Parkinsons. I don't know how much more one can take. Me with all my stupid illnesses, the kid with cancer and now this. Whew! I hope everyone else is still hanging in there. Gonna go pick the garden this afternoon and have mounds of stupid tomatoes to can......anyone out there want some LOL! Take care all and have a great week!

Leanne

Im doing well struggling with spiking temps for 2 days after the methotrexate so we are adjusting the dose hope it works cant afford to miss work. The cold weather came and I have felt it everywhere:) Just thankful for all the positive things . Just spent the weekend with the girls and had a great time hard to find good friends!!!!!! Take care all-Michelle

I've really had a stressful time at work for a few weeks, but "fall break" is next week. Yay! My daughter is going to the beach for the week with her grandparents, so I will have some time to rest and recover. I am really looking forward to this time to let my body heal itself.

When i read about what all of you are dealing with... i realize my small complaints are hardly worth even mentioning. You all have real issues, and I am so sorry to hear about them. This disease by itself would be more than enough, without the stress of friends and family being so seriously ill and injured. Thinking of you all.
I have an appointment tomorrow at the rheumatolgy/immunology clinic in Galway. They'll bloods, do scans, x-rays... and i'll try to convince them that the pain in my left hand and wrist has to be dealt with. I'm going to ask for steroid shots into the thumb and wrist joints. I know it's a small area of pain, but the two things that sustain me right now are lifting weights and playing the piano, and it's interfering greatly with both of those things.
What else... I saw the dentist today, came out better than I expected, and much cheaper!
A friend of mine says she has "only small complaints that no one dies of" and I'm about the same.
I wish all of you were that good or better.
Sharon

Been busy here with my daughter starting kindergarten. She loves it and my little boy loves having time with just his momma! Had a fifth birthday party for her the other weekend. Very small, I didn't want to over do it. My parents and in laws came down to visit. It was nice. I have been a little sore here and there. I can feel a cold coming on...I have been congested for a couple weeks, but I thought it was going away. I was kind of impressed that I didn't get it full blown and the kids did, but now I think this one is gonna be bad! The cold weather is coming, I love the look of fall, but man do I hate the cold. I can already feel it in my feet and hands! Why can't the seasons change and the temps remain the same!
Beth, so sorry to hear about your sister and daughter. I hope some good news comes your way soon.
Mary Ann, you better slow down and take it easy!
Leanne, hope you and your hubby get some answers soon. Hang in there!
Everyone else I hope you all are feeling better soon!
-Kate

I am living I know because they checked. Were still trying different things so at least there trying.

@Sharon Please never consider what your fighting to be insignificant. We are all here for one reason and that's support. At times when things are bad bad I don't want to post because I don't want those who don't have the severity to think this will eventually start for them. But I do post because of the support. Sharon, no matter how severe the problem it is still a problem. And we are all about sharing experiences and learning from each other. So no problems bigger or smaller when it hurts any of us.

I am mostly working and sleeping.
I am enjoying working again. I wish I could not have the health issues, they really interfere with my life. I need surgery on my hands and elbows for the tendonitits, hoping to hold off a year.
Enjoying my husband, had a good reminder that I really do love that guy.
Leanne - girl you're due some down time and some good news, wow.
Beth, so sorry about your SIL diagnosis, and your daughter, is that something that just starts up like that? How scary.
Big Ditto to Livin Right.
Here's to loving life and fighting the pain and suffering!

Living Right hit the nail on the head. We must all remember that we all have good days and bad days. I almost didn't post cuz I have such good news. It felt out of place.

yesterday was a fab day. I discovered I've lost 20lbs since January and then I won the 9 ball tourney with the ladies. Just 5 of us, but I still kicked butt.

Anyone on my friends list can get the details of the weight loss from my most recent journal. If you aren't on my friends list, then send me a request. :-)

Love you all, and hope that this little ray of sunshine helps to cheer you.

Just added some photos for any DS member to view. Enjoy.

Doing okay here... I work in retail (e-commerce for a major brand) and Fall and Christmas-time are super stressful. I'm just trying to keep my head down and stay calm. Started acupuncture about 3 months ago and it seems to help with the stress management and pain. DH and I are still TTC - now at the 6 mo. mark and we're getting a little discouraged. Hoping this month is the one!

Good luck kitten!

+1 on the advice to Kitten.

Beth, what is SIL? Sorry, I am confused by the abbreviations.

I hate replying on the second page because I can't see everyone's posts and reply to everyone's specific issues, and my memory is so bad! MT, you seem to be really active, which is great! Havana, I hear you on the piano and tendonitis, I am having terrible wrist problems now, so I have to keep my posts short. It's all computer related, there's plenty of other stuff I can do. And it's Lela who is having bad luck with Rituxan, I hope you bail from that and try something else if it continues to not work.

I have had a crazy two months since my blood clot. (I also was a victim of a hit and run accident and credit card fraud, full insurance coverage for both, just took up 8 hours I didn't have to spare.) I flew to the east coast and went camping for four days (near a compound with showers and a swimming pool, though we slept and cooked outside every day). My wrist was in a brace the whole time, and I brought a collapsible walking stick so I could walk up the hill... it really helped! I am also having really weird pulsate tinnitus in one year, and my blood pressure is having some nasty spikes... systolic not diastolic, fortunately.

I also played a show back East. A very big show for me, probably well over 200 people, live FM broadcast throughout Connecticut, streaming live on the web. Very fast, though mostly power chords. This was really scary, and I'm not sure I would be able to do this again, but we had a great time.

Fortunately, my wrist held up! It's the mouse-flexing that's a problem, the strumming was okay, though I see the doc in two weeks and will get everything checked out.

I am the guy on the far left hand side of the screen.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EPJ8HTAb54







I'm going to go out on a limb here, and actually provide a link to the video.

Cat.......that was a great video! I'm so used to seeing your avatar, that it was a shock to see the 'real' you.

SIL = sister in law

Cat! Great to see and hear you playing! As I was reading, I was going to ask you for a link... so glad you posted it yourself. Well, sure, you knew we'd all be asking for it, right?
I've had a cortisone shot in the wrist and it's helping... not as much as i'd hoped though, so going to see my GP Friday and get him to give me a second one. I know, too many, not good, but at this point I need the full use of my hand back no matter what.
LR, thank you for you comment. It's true, what seems small to someone who'd dealing with life threatening things can still be a big thing in my life. It's just that I know how lucky I am to be doing as well as I am right now. And I so wish all of you were as well.