I am glad that you have your father in law
to talk to since he is a "Doll":)
My family has been doing group texting which I don't like but oh well.
It gets information out to several people. sometimes the conversation is about sports. Other times about house showings, parents are trying to sell their old farm house. Spring is the time to sell.
I hope they get an offer soon.
I really don't like going to the laundrymat but sometimes you have to do things we don't like.
My vote is to call and get the orders rewritten, it is worth a try.
bizi

I don't mind going to the laundromat. The problem is hauling anything there. That quilt alone is very heavy. If I still could, I would do all my laundry there like I used to do before I became handicapped. I could wash, dry, fluff, and fold a week's worth of laundry in about 2 hours (it would take me much longer now tho) for much less money than I spend doing it here. I wouldn't want to do it with my husband. He's SO impatient and unpleasant with such things, it's worth the hassle doing it here, and I guess I have plenty of free time.

I called registration yesterday to get the MRI scheduled and will have it done tomorrow morning.

I saw my PCP yesterday and he was fixated on my meds again, "you're on so many medications we have no idea what they're doing to you." I agreed... they can do damage beyond sedation. There have been no recent med changes tho, there has been a rather sudden increase in my fatigue and cognitive issues, and I don't know where the night sweats are coming from. I'm still dealing with the cough I've had for several months that we're blaming on asthma, so he ordered a chest X-Ray. And he ordered some miscellaneous blood work. He couldn't get the results of my thyroid level my neuro had drawn, so he will put in a request for that (if he remembers).

I am on a ton of heavy meds, and I know that they have to be contributing to my fatigue and cognitive problems, but I have a good idea of what my baseline is, and I don't know why he can't understand that. I left my PCP's office feeling like he was only looking at my med list and I wasn't being taken seriously, and that's exactly why I didn't want to do see him with fairly non-specific symptoms of something.

He said he wants me to call him before anyone puts me on anymore meds. I didn't mention it at the time, but that's an unreasonable request given the severity of my mental health problems. 7 out of the 9 meds I take a day are psych meds and I don't take them out of any sort of enjoyment. I would love to just start from scratch, so I'm taking the bare minimum, but that would be dangerous.

After I had the X-Ray done, the tech told me they would have the results (last night) and if it was something serious they would call me, otherwise my doctor will call me (today). I don't take that as a sign that there's anything wrong tho. I figure she's probably naive and unaware of how doctor's offices actually operate.

I am sure your fatigue is not something that is easily diagnosed. Since you are on a lot of meds it would be hard to know especially, since they are mostly psych meds maybe it would be better to ask the pharmacist to check for compatibility, side effects, etc. Your pdoc may also know better than your reg mdoc your psych meds.
I have had fatigue spells where I had to go to sleep. ruins your day.
bizi

Maybe I will give that PCP the benefit of the doubt.

But morons like him are one reason why the mentally ill are in poorer health
than the rest of the population.

I am happy to hear that he ordered blood work and the X-ray.




M

My pharmacist(s) have checked for drug interactions, and I have as well. Obviously a lot of them can cause sedation, especially in some combinations, but that's unavoidable. My pdoc recognizes that they contribute to my fatigue, but she is aware of my baseline and tolerance. She knows me well, and can tell when something is wrong physically. She's the one who urged me to see my neurologist in the first place.

All the testing my PCP ordered came back okay. I don't know if that includes my thyroid level because I don't know if he requested the results. My neuro ordered it, so I'm sure he will let me know.

I had my MRI yesterday. Because of waiting, my 40 minute appointment took over 3 hours. I reviewed the images when I got home. I'm out of practice, but from what I can see, I have quite a few more lesions than I had on my last MRI. Two lesions, one of which was very large, enhanced after I was given the gadolinium contrast. What that means is that there is significant inflammation present and I'm probably in the middle of a relapse.
Other things look different, but I'm not a radiologist or a neurologist. I've decided I'm not going to compare MRI's. I know where my old lesions were, and there are more, and that's what's important. My neurologist is back from vacation on Monday, and if there is something else noteworthy going on, I'm sure I'll hear about it soon enough. I'm looking forward to talking to him about my MRI in general.
I have only viewed the images once, and I'll probably look at them at least once more to try to count them and see if I'm missing anything that I'm capable of interpreting. I wish I had images of my spinal cord, but I don't. Oh well.

I have an appointment with the urologist today at 4. I don't know what to expect and I'm anxious about it.

Yesterday morning I ended up with a cold shower, and when I tried to rinse all the soap off, the lever to change the spray broke off and was left at a setting where water was barely dribbling out... and boy was I thrilled! So, after my MRI I had to go to Lowe's to buy a new one. I'm very indecisive, but I ended up picking one that was husband-approved, so I guess my trip was a success.

When I made the bed this morning, I found cat puke on the back-up comforter just below the pillows. My husband must have missed it because he went to bed so drunk, and I didn't see it because it was dark when I went to bed. It came off fairly easily, but still... Now both the quilt and comforter need to go to the laundromat.
Maybe my husband will come with me this weekend to get everything washed? lol. That's never gonna happen. lol.
Maybe next week will work and I'll feel better. You never know. Stranger things have happened.

kay, do these lesions go away? or are they permanent?
When will you talk with your neurologist?
good luck with your urology appointment.
You are so brave with every thing that you are going thru right now.
I don't know how you handle all of the stress.
yes hubby to go with you to do laundry, you guys could play cards there:D
sorry about the cat throe up.
no fun.
(((((HUGS and love))))
bizi

I saw the urologist yesterday. I was able to do what I needed to do, so I consider the appointment a success. I'm very relieved :):):)
I have to work a couple of issues out, but I think I will be fine.


Some MS lesions go away, but sometimes the white matter and nerves are permanently destroyed leading to "black holes" which can decrease brain volume and can lead to disease progression. Having a lot of those babies is NOT a good thing. I don't know how many I have. I can't ID those on MRI and have never asked how many I have. I imagine I have more now than I did 2 years ago tho.

I've looked at the MRI images a few times. I have a mac and need to use special software, but it's from 2010, so I don't get great images. I can't update it, and I would have to pay A LOT for the new version, so I make do. I'm only good at spotting the fairly obvious and am out of practice, too.

On the radiologist's report from my last MRI, I read that I had a tiny pituitary tumor, but I couldn't see it. I could see it clearly on this one because it's much bigger. It's probably no big deal though because it's isolated to the pituitary gland. 20% of the population has one, they usually don't cause problems, and they're usually benign. I'll ask about it tho.

My neurologist is back in the office Monday. I have an appointment with him May 11th, but the secretary said she'd contact me for an earlier appointment if something turns up that needs to be addressed before then. I don't know if I'll get that call because I don't get treatment (IV steroids) for relapses, and I think the only real discussion would be whether or not I want to start taking medication again. I think he will regard the pituitary tumor as an incidental finding and won't be concerned about it enough to call, if he's concerned at all.

I am sorry that your pituitary tumor has grown, does that cause any symptoms?
Could that be a contributing factor in this?
You are smart to be able to read your MRI.
(((((HUGS)))))
bizi

Most pituitary tumors don't cause symptoms, but some can effect the level of hormones the pituitary gland releases and cause symptoms based on the hormone in question. I don't think any of that applies to me tho.

If you already know someone has MS, spotting the bigger lesions is really, really easy… they show up as usually round or oval white spots on most MRI images (there are different types of images). They are harder to detect around some brain structures and can be mistaken for blood vessels, etc. I have difficulty now. I don't know if better software would even help. I guess that's why we have neurologists and radiologists tho :)

I guess I am a little nervous about whether I will get a call from my neurologist's office or not. I guess I don't think there's a lot of "there" there, nothing that can't wait, and don't want to find out otherwise.

Yesterday we lost hot water (AGAIN) around 11:30am and when I checked it around 1pm it was still cold and had turned **** brown. Trying to flush the pipes didn't help. I took a nap shortly after, and when I woke up at 6pm I was able to clear the pipes, but the water was still ice cold. I called the leasing office and was told that the problem wouldn't be fixed until sometime this afternoon. I was not pleasant. I ****ing hate this place!!!


Our lease is up August 1st, and we have to give these ***holes notice we are moving by July 1st, so I will be seriously apartment hunting soon… I already have an eye out, but I think the best time to start contacting places would be the middle of next month?

I will be so glad when you are out of that place!!!!!!
Have a good day kay.
love you
bizi

Kay

I would check into state law, but I'm pretty sure that they have broke there
own lease. By not providing hot water and other things. So I would
think about getting a place sooner than later.

Donna :hug::grouphug:

My neurologist called me this morning to tell me I have new lesions and am having a relapse (no surprises there). We discussed going back on a medication called Tysabri, which I've taken in the past, to try to reduce future relapses. While I don't have much faith in the med, and there's no evidence it will prevent the progression of symptoms like fatigue and/or cognitive problems (which aren't always related to new lesions/relapses), I agreed to go back on it because I think it will make my husband happy.

Taking TYSABRI(R) (natalizumab)

My neuro's secretary is going to start the paperwork today. I'll probably have to go to the office sometime soon to sign ****. I don't know how long the program and insurance company approval process will be, so I don't know when I'll have my first infusion. The last time I was on Tysabri, it was relatively new, so I had to drive into Boston. Now I'll be getting my treatments 10 minutes up the road.

As this episode resolves, I HOPE I can regain SOME KIND OF CONTROL back and can stop sleeping my life away, even though I know from experience I won't be able to get back to exactly where I was before.


We got hot water back around noon yesterday, but when I showered I quickly washed all the important things very quickly just in case we lost it again lol. Unfortunately I have to do that every time I take a a shower because I lose hot water so often.

The MA law regarding tenants' rights to hot water is pretty tough, but the catch is it gives the landlord 24 hours to make repairs after the tenant gives written notice. It also requires the landlord maintain the hot water delivery system in good working order. They would say they are constantly doing repairs to keep the system working no matter how it effects their residents.

What really ****es me off is they never provide us with any kind of notice when there is a maintenance issue and the water has to be, or will be shut off, or we won't have hot water.

The purpose of the paragraph in the lease regarding utilities is really for the protection of the landlord, but vaguely mentions they will provide us with heat and hot water. There's no out there. None.

I am glad that you are willing to try the medication again.
(((((HUGS)))))
sorry about your stinking apartment complex....grrr!!!:mad:
bizi

I did laundry this morning because 1) we had water and 2) I wasn't concerned it would turn **** brown and ruin all our clothes. Just taking 4 trips up and down the hallway and folding 2 loads of laundry is tiring.

I just don't think I'm up to grocery shopping today, but no matter what, I will still have to go out because I need coffee and will have to go to the office because according to tracking, FedEx has delivered 2 packages I need there without buzzing me (I was home) or leaving me a notice.

I hope you were able to get some coffee today, a gal has to prioritize!
bizi

I went out yesterday with the sole purpose of buying coffee, but forgot to buy it when I was at the store, and didn't realize it until my husband mentioned it hours later when it was too late for me to go back out :(
Fortunately, I still had the sample pack that came with my Keurig brewer. Unfortunately, only a couple of them were actually drinkable. So, I'm down several cups and am feeling it.

These memory lapses are EXTREMELY frustrating. I make A LOT of lists, but who makes a list when they are going out to buy ONE ****ING THING? Maybe I should have tied a ribbon on my finger?

I absolutely have to go grocery shopping today. I have a list, but I'll probably forget something anyway. That's my MO lately.

how frustrating!
bizi:hug:

I dragged my ***, but did get the grocery shopping done yesterday. If I forgot something, I'm not missing it yet.

My husband said I left a burner on the stove on last night. At least there was nothing on the stove top and we have an electric. I forget to shut the oven off a lot, but it makes noise, so I eventually catch it sometime later. My husband was very upset with me. I need to be more careful.

We bought an air purifier several months ago to help with the cigarette smoke. It's not taking in air anymore. It's not an issue with the filters because they've been replaced. I have a warranty on it, but God only knows what I'll have to go through to get any satisfaction from that. We paid a couple hundred dollars for it, so I'm not willing to just let it go tho.

I am sorry about the burner. I always check all of the burners after cooking before we sit down to dinner because we sometimes leave the burner on, both of us do this sometimes so I have just made a habit of checking all of the burners before we eat. always.
It just takes getting into the habit.
I hope you are able to relax this weekend.
any ball games on?
bizi

Yikes about the burner but I can see how that would happen. :hug:

I hope you have decent luck with the air purifier. :hug:



M

baseball
 

Do any of you ladies watch baseball?

I like it but we have new cable t.v. so I do not know which channels to find
baseball.


M

We don't have cable sorry. .....we get about 10 channels, major net works and pbs.
bizi

When my tv is showing baseball yes. But right now watching golf.
Got tired of SVU

Special Victims unit. Forgot its main name.

Donna :grouphug::hug:

I read the manual for the air purifier and there was no trouble shooting info on the issue we're supposedly having. But I thought about it… the thing is blowing a lot of air out… how could it be blowing air out if it's not taking air in? I told my husband I'd be willing to go through all the bull**** of trying to get it fixed under the warranty IF he could answer that question for me. I had it off all day Friday and he said it was really smoky when he came home. I don't think it's really broken, and it's not the filters because I've replaced those. I think he's just fixated on it and looking for a problem.

Since switching to the Blue Buffalo sensitive stomach food, I'm cleaning up WAY less cat puke, with the exception of when Rocky eats too fast or Buddy coughs up the occasional hairball (on the bed). I can't stop Rocky from pigging out, even though I've tried a few things in the past, but I bought some "hairball gel" to help Buddy out. It's a chicken flavored paste that you put on their paws (so they have to lick it off) that's supposed to help with hair digestion. I'm giving it to all three cats. I guess it tastes really good because Rocky will lick it off my finger lol. I just started using it, so it's too early to tell if it's working or not.
I was looking at some of my pictures yesterday when I realized the dates of some of Rocky's kitten pictures are from 2005. I got him when he was already about 9 months old so that means he's probably about 13, and that means Buddy is 12, and Dottie is 11. I already knew that they were senior citizens, but that made me sad because I know I probably don't have a lot of time left with them :(

I used to watch baseball RELIGIOUSLY for many years. I was an absolute FANATIC and never missed a game. My husband wouldn't watch, so I would DVR games and watch them after he went to bed… that was when I didn't sleep at night. Long story short: Because of meds and other things, I had to get on a regular sleep schedule, and had to give up baseball. That stuck and I'm in bed early every night. My husband still won't watch games, so I only caught 2 games last year… I miss it, but I guess I gave it up for a good cause.

Mari, We get Red Sox and Bruins games here on a local sports channel called NESN. I think most markets have channels like that for local teams. But major sports networks like ESPN carry random games most nights. You can try searching for the channel line up for your cable provider online. They usually break up the channels by type, or sometimes they are color coded, so you should be able to get a listing of the sports channels to narrow things down a bit.
When I'm looking, I search for "Comcast channel line up," and when I click on a link I get directed to a page where I enter my zip code to get a list. You should be able to print it out.

I am glad that your kitties are tolerating the food better.
Yes it is sad thinking that you may not have a lot of time left to love your kitties but who knows with the good care that you are giving them they could live to be 20!
bizi

Our lease ends at the end of July. We're supposed to leave the apartment in "move in condition," and I don't want to get stuck with a huge housekeeping fee. But I've neglected a lot of things around here because I mainly just do the basics because that's all I have the energy to do, but two smokers and 3 cats have been living here for over 7 years, and there is absolutely NO ****ING WAY I'd be able to pack everything and clean this mess up to those standards in a short period of time… So I'm going to have to find a way to keep up with my regular cleaning (much better than I have been) and chip away at and maintain some of the things I've been neglecting so that when we do move, the cleaning will be much easier for me.

The list is long, and I'm not exactly in fighting form, so I'm glad I'm making this realization NOW because it probably WILL take me 3 months to get things up to snuff. I'm going to have to change how I do things. I'm at my best in the early morning, so I should be spending some of that time getting things done around here vs. getting lost online. I have to find some way of holding myself accountable without overdoing it or allowing some of those cleaning projects to become activating. I have no idea how I'll do that tho.

I'm going to need my husband's help with some things like pulling out the furniture and appliances so I can clean behind and around them. I don't anticipate much resistance there, but getting him to do anything else will be much harder/has been much harder… there is an entire room, the one that needs the most work, I can't do anything with until he throws out the furniture and other things that have been festering in there. At home he is ****ING LAZY.

I'm going to do my best to get my apartment up to par this week (minus the minutia). It will be interesting to see what my baseline for physical activity is early in the morning.

This sounds daunting to me.
good luck and don't worry about spending too much time on line here. we understand.
(((((HUGS and love)))))
bizi

Good luck with the tasks, Kay.


Moving the furniture and other things as you say will help.


M

Things haven't started out well this week. Yesterday I wasn't up to cleaning after running errands, and I'm not holding out much hope for today. I'm not feeling very well and see a very early nap in my future, but may be able to get something done when I wake up?

I haven't been treating my constipation like I should be and it's a big problem. I took 2 bottles of mag. citrate last night and it made me very nauseous, which is a major reason why I don't like to take it. I've been going to the BR, but I will have to go through this at least once more after a day of rest before I can get back on a weekly maintenance routine with it :(

I am sorry you are not feeling well.
(((((HUGS)))))
bizi

I made myself clean the bathroom before I laid down for my nap yesterday. I didn't have enough left in the tank to clean the floor, but at least I did something. Then I slept for about 7 hours :o

I'm in the middle of doing laundry now. That's doing something, but I should so a little something more today. I probably should do more laundry tomorrow morning, but I'm not committed to it.

I know I have to go out today to get something, but I can't remember what it is. I never wrote it down on my list of non-urgent items or put it anywhere in my random notes. I've looked in the fridge and cabinets, but so far nothing is ringing any bells. The laundry is still in the dryer, and then I'll have to fold the clothes and take a shower, so I still have time to remember what it is. Things like that usually come to me eventually.

My right leg is feeling weak and is a little lamer than usual this morning. I'm hoping it's just tired from cleaning the tub and shower yesterday. I will have to be careful when I shower and go out.

I think you are amazing kay.
(((((HUGS and LOVE)))))
bizi

I think the lameness in my right leg is from cleaning the bathroom the other day. It didn't give me much of a problem when I was out. I'm not really concerned about it anymore.

I remembered I wanted to buy yesterday were more at-home UTI test strips, but I forgot to buy light bulbs (which WERE on my list).

I have my usual lottery/coffee ritual today and am going to have my nails done afterwards. I will NOT be returning to the same nail salon. I get gel manicures and the last two times I have gone the polish has started to peel back from my cuticles significantly within a week and it's way too much to be from nail growth. When I used to get them they would stay on for a month. I hope I have better luck with a new place.

I decided doing 2 loads of laundry and going to the store was enough yesterday, and I'm not doing anymore laundry this morning. It can wait until tomorrow. I hope I'm up to cleaning the kitchen and bathroom floors when I get home.

When i get my nails done I have them wipe the nail with finger nail polish remover just to be sure that all of the cuticle cream stuff is gone.
Good luck with all that you want to do today!
bizi

I really enjoyed my time at the nail salon yesterday. Everyone was very sociable- staff and customers alike. My nails turned out great. I hope they hold up for longer this time, but even if they don't, I'll probably go back again for the experience :)

I had a particularly trying day yesterday and today is no better. I'm more fatigued and I'm not really all there. The difference is I'm not okay to drive today, which is okay because I don't have anywhere to be.

:grouphug:Kay
Make sure if it doesn't last longer or more to when you think it should.
You say something to the new place. That way they might have some changes
they can do.

Please be careful today.

Donna :hug::grouphug:

I like what donna said.
((((HUGS)))))
bizi

I hope you have a good weekend kay.
((((HUGS and LOVE))))
bizi

The owner at the new place did my nails, and her process was a little different than the girl's at the old place, so I hope that makes a difference, and my manicure holds up longer this time. My last 2 at the old place started failing after a week.

I didn't take ANY Klonopin yesterday because I was so out of it, and didn't need any, which is rare. I made myself stay up until almost 2 tho because I was waiting for a coffee delivery, and woke up around 6:30pm, which is about par for the course now. There was no way I was up to cooking dinner, so we ordered out.

I feel much more with it this morning. I didn't wake up until 8, but it was because I was up much later than usual. I went to bed at 11pm because my husband was being really annoying, but stayed up watching TV in bed until after midnight. I have no idea how late he was up… but it's after 11am and he's still asleep.

I try to be quiet and not disturb him so he can sleep in on weekends, but I have to go out to buy cigarettes and do the grocery shopping (if I get that far). It's getting late in the day for me and I'll tire more quickly today because it's going to be in the 80's and I don't do well in the heat. I'm going to have to take a shower soon whether I'll disturb him or not.

I am glad that you are feeling more with it today.
Good luck getting that shower in!
bizi