So Much to Catch Up On, So Little Time

These days, it seems like I'm always playing catch-up.  Fortunately, I finally got to the point where I can update the blog.  I have a lovely schedule this week.

Today - Dr. Dracula at 9:00 AM
Tuesday - Dr. LoveMyPrettySmile (dentist) at 9:00 AM
Wednesday - Dr. SnoozeAndDoze at 1:45 PM
Thursday - Labs at Dr. OhMyAchyBody's office sometime between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM

Forget the calendar.  I can tell you the date according to which doctor I'm seeing.  Dr. Dracula reported this morning that my SED rate and CRP level had risen in the last set of labs he did.  He took more blood this morning.  29 tubes and counting.  Dr. OhMyAchyBody put me on prednisone for 15 days starting 12 days ago.  10mg twice a day for 5 days, then 10mg once a day for 5 days, and then 5mg once a day for 5 days.  I'll have more blood drawn at her office on Thursday to see if the prednisone made the SED rate and CRP level go lower.  If it does, that will be a big clue that something inflammatory is going on.  Also, we'll see if there's any effect on the anemia,which, in the excitement of the SED/CRP and sleep apnea, I had totally forgotten all about (pretty pathetic since that's what we were working on to begin with).

Prednisone sucks.  O-M-G.  I didn't have the sweats this badly when I was going through Menopause-with-a-capital-M.  Even shoving my head into the freezer doesn't help.  If it were winter, I could heat this entire house through the Thanksgiving/Christmas season.  I could melt snow with just one look.  Speaking of melting....I mentally blasted a woman with my inner flamethrower this afternoon at Kroger.  The way the store is set up, you can get two carts past each other in the aisle, no more.  A gentleman and I were wheeling our carts toward each other in the aisle.  A woman came barreling out of an aisle perpendicular to ours.  She didn't bother checking the traffic first.  Then, when she saw us, she kept right on coming into our path.  He hit a display on his right side.  I hit a display on my right side.  She barged her cart and her fat ass (sorry, but it's true!) through the middle of us and didn't say a word.  Of course, being the delicate and shy little flower that I am, I yelled "WELL, EXC-U-U-U-UUUUSE YOU!" in my very best projectve Broadway voice.  That was the most people I've ever startled at one time.  She didn't bat an eyelash.  Didn't have a clue.  MORON.  As usual, I mean that sincerely.  I just don't have the patience for rude people anymore.

So where were we?  Oh yeah, the sweats.  Again, OMG!  Sweat pours down my face so thick and fast that my BIPAP mask ends up on my big left boob instead of my nose.  I've never sweat like this in my life, not even at marching band practice at summer band camp in high school with it 100 degrees on the practice field.  I can water the plants outside just by standing over them and letting the sweat drip.  And don't even get me started on the diarrhea.  It got so bad that I took a vacation day from work last week just to stay home and sit on the toilet.  Yes.  It's been that bad.  You don't want me to describe it.  Just don't even tempt me.  As I said, prednisone sucks.  I only have 3 more days of it and then I'm home free.  YAY!  And I mean that sincerely, too.

What else has been going on?  Well, the missus and I (just kidding, sweetie!)....Ginger and I had the pleasure of her 3-year-old granddaughter's company this past weekend.   Sophia is 3 going on 30.  She's so grown up that it startles you when she acts like a 3-year-old.  This kid had me laughing so hard Friday night that I almost wet my pants and drooled, too.  She's just so much fun.  We hit up the Children's Museum on Friday and had lunch at El Pueblo.  The kid loves chips and dips.  She was sucking down the salsa and the cheese dip like they were chocolate and sugar cookies.  She loves good food, especially cherry tomatos fresh from her grandpa's garden.  On Saturday, Sophia, mom, and grandma spent the day at Parky's Farm and Parky's Ark while I visited with my dad.  That evening, all of us girls dined in elegance at Germano's in downtown Montgomery.  We all got dressed up, including me!  Then we walked around for a bit, and Sophia and I played the "Play Me, I'm Yours" piano installed on Montgomery Road a few doors down from the restaurant.  Sophia went back home to Tennessee on Sunday.  I already missed her before she even hit the end of our street.  This is a picture of Sophia ringing up her groceries at the Children's Museum.

We'll be having a fabulous weekend again starting on Thursday.  I'll donate more blood at Dr. OhMyAchyBody's office first thing in the morning and then we head to Nashville for a long weekend.  We have tickets to the Grand Ole Opry on Friday night to see Ricky Skaggs and Marty Stuart.  Such divine bluegrass.  The real stuff, not that crap that some people try to pass off as bluegrass.  We'll also be enjoying the Chihuly in Nashville exhibit at the Frist Center (indoor) and Cheekwood (outdoor).  Dale Chihuly is an amazing glass blower/artist who creates astounding glass art and sculptures.  If I can come up with a spare $10,000.00, I'll bring some home. :-)  Ginger and I decided that I could use a break from all this medical stuff, and wouldn't it be fun if we went to Nashville to hear some good music and see the exhibit by one of our favorite artists.  I'm really looking forward to this.  Nothing like a road trip to lighten one's load, so to speak, especially when it's something this fun and with my favorite person in the whole world.