Sure hope so Erin. Can't hurt to try.

With love, Erika

I tried the Bioness L300 today. On my right leg that has the drop foot.

It works, and it was very comfortable. I liked it. The guy told me where to go to try the Walkaide tho, so I'm going to call there and see what I have to do to try that.

The only thing about the Bioness that bothered me, was that I now know that some of the walking issues that I've been having are coming from my OTHER LEG.

I went walking around their little track area, and while my right leg seemed to be doing fine with the Bioness on it, the left leg kept throwing me off. The guy told me my leg was scissoring and trying to cross in front of my other leg. It was really really <bad swear word> annoying.

It was also pointed out to me that both of my knees are hyperextending.

So, while I liked how the Bioness worked and felt, I was really kind of disturbed that it seems my other leg is having issues, and the problems in that leg seem to be coming from higher up the leg. (where the leg meets the hip)

Kind of depressed about that now. I just don't know what they would do to help that.

I am kind of hoping that all this stuff is coming from being somewhat low on the b12. I know I shouldn't put any hope into that. It's kind of not realistic to hope that a little b12 will help things get better. Because apparently nothing ever gets better. Stuff only gets worse.

It surely is great, Erin, to find the B12 deficiency and begin to treat it!

Because I have Polycythemia Vera, I have a high B12 score. I forget exactly what it is: 1250, or something like that. It goes with the territory and no one told me why. Do I not absorb what i consume, and it floats around in the blood? I have no idea.

When i was much younger I had to have B12 shots because I was anemic from a too heavy monthly period. I could not take iron (that was explained on later diagnosis) but B12 snapped me out of anemia.

Apparently I have INO (INTERNUCLEAR OPHTHALMOPLEGIA). When I went to the Neuro on Tuesday I thought I was having an ON relapse. He did all sorts of eye tests with his light pen and decided it was INO caused by a lesion on my brain stem.

I go for an MRI on Tuesday and, based on what he sees on that, he will decide if IVSM will help. I'm counting on being able to have it.

My insurance (Humana) has a $175 deductible that I must pay in order to have the MRI. I'll just have to bite the bullet and pay it.....something else will have to either be late or go unpaid. :rolleyes: This "fixed income" stuff can be a pain sometimes but I'm very grateful for what I do get.

My balance is shot. I cannot walk any distance without having my rollator to hold onto. It's like my eyes have permanent Nystagmus. Constantly jumping around and moving back and forth. The only relief I get is when I close my eyes.

Ah, well......it has to get better. I can think of much worse things to have. My sister started to tell me that she didn't think it was fair.....why you....blah, blah, blah. I said to stop! Why NOT me? Who would she rather have this? I believe there is a reason for everything. I know many won't agree with me but that's just my reasoning. ;)

Well, it still sucks Kell..:hug::hug:

But, Sally, if it didn't we would all fall off!! ;)

Sure hope that you get something that works for that, and soon, Kelly :hug::hug:.
With love, Erika

still having a lot of issues with the walking. It's been kind of causing me problems with doing things like taking a shower, or going to the store with my parents. Walking around the house. I'm pretty sure this is a new flare.

just called the neuro, and he called me back pretty quickly. He told me to try to get thru the weekend and to call my regular doctor and see if I can get some IV steroids. He did tell me to try to hold off on the steroids if I can. I don't like steroids at all, even if they do sometimes help. Not sure if I'm going to beg for the steroids or not.

He also told me that I should have my regular doctor check me to see if my body even metabolizes b12.

I just looked up to see how many milligrams are in the b12 I'm taking. It's 2500mcg (micrograms?) That's 2.5 milligrams. So, I've upped it. Been reading that 5 milligrams is where a lot of doctors start people on the sublinguals. So, I take one in the morning on an empty stomach, and then another one in the evening, hopefully around an hour or two after eating. Maybe a little longer after eating. (read it's better on an empty stomach). I feel a little bit better. Not feeling as physically sick and weak. Basically just weak. I wonder how long it takes for the b12 to get up to 600 in my bloodstream from the 252 it was.

I think I found a new physiatrist. I don't see him till the middle of March, but when I told the neuro about it just now, he said he knows him and that he's a really good physiatrist. Said he's really nice and is very good at what he does. I hope so. I need a doctor that's nice. My old physiatrist is nice too, but a bit abrupt at times. (old physiatrist was also my mom's physiatrist when she had West Nile. He did good stuff for my mom) Plus he is further away than this new guy will be, so maybe this new guy will work out better for the logistics of just getting in to see the guy.


I'm just so exhausted by everything happening now. Starting to wish I knew what causes MS and could go back in time to somehow stop myself from getting it. (wouldn't that be nice if we could do that?)

hey! I've got a date tomorrow, as long as we don't have a snowpocalypse tonight. yay! Hope I can make it thru the date without falling asleep.

I'm actually looking forward to my MRI on Tues. My vision is getting worse by the day and, unless I wear my glasses all the time, I can't focus. I can watch TV if I sit very still and be on the computer as long as I sit very still.

It's supposed to be a beautiful warm day and my DS and DIL are coming over to do a grocery store run for me. I wish I could go, too, but I know better. Those lights and the movement around me would not be good. I'll have a nice visit with them and maybe get a treat or two from the store! ;)

My gripe today is, the weather...AGAIN!! It's snowing and icing to beat the band,
out there and it's keeping my Family from our visit and grocery shopping..EEK &
ARGH!!:mad:

Shut up Kell...LOL!! Oh, and hope you feel better soon.:hug:

Kitty, I wore dark glasses and a hat with a broad brim to go to the grocery store during those years before diagnosis. This enabled me to go to the store. Otherwise I would be dizzy and have to leave. It's something to consider. I don't have to do this now, as my eye-dizzy problem improved remarkably after dx. Did the Swank diet help? It was the only major change I made after dx, as I already knew the MS drugs were probably not usable by my metabolism (based on previous drug reactions). I don't even think about going in the store now, even though my eyes are older and not as sharp.

Sorry Sally! If it makes you feel any better tomorrow will be rainy and cool and the rest of the week calls for high's in the 50's and a chance of rain every day. :wink:

I have had enough of this winter, and on the news last night they said the next three months are going to be much colder than normal. :eek: I just feel like screaming. My legs just seem to be getting stiffer and stiffer. They feel like they could just snap in two sometimes. I rarely need to use my cane at home, but I have needed it for the past few days.

I can feel my thumbs!

Still having problems walking. No idea if that's an MS thing or a low B12 thing. I'm leaning towards it being an MS thing that's been magnified by the low B12. I don't think the B12 is going to help that much, but it seems to be helping the tiniest bit in the altered sensations. (I read that one of the symptoms of B12 deficiency is altered/numb sensations in the hands and feet. Imagine my surprise when the sensations changed in my hands this week)

I don't feel good today. Kind of wondering if I've thrown off my other vitamin levels with the taking of the B12. But, I did start feeling better earlier this week after I started taking the B12. Before I started taking the B12, I felt so bad that I felt almost like I was dying. That feeling was what actually sent me to the doctor to get my blood checked out. The sick feeling today, kind of feels more like I ate something that didn't agree with me, than the feeling that sent me to the doctor.

Kind of feeling a little vindicated in my thoughts about the B12 from a few years ago. I'd had my B12 checked in something like 2008 or 2009. It was 345 then, but I was told it was "normal", and not to worry about it. Now that I've started to take the supplements, and I'm noticing improvement in a couple of MS symptoms, I want to go find the doctor that told me not to worry about that level of B12 and smack him with my hands that I can sort of feel with again. Because I do think that the B12 is helping the numb feelings.

So, it's still altered sensation in my hands, it just feels not as altered...

Happy that the B12 is helping you Erin.:)

If you want to take a low-dose B Complex supplement, a good one is Source Naturals B Complex. I like it because it does not have the too high B6 which some B complexes have. A doctor told me yeas ago to avoid the high dose B6 pills because they could have an adverse affect on nerves. The Source Naturals B6 is only 10 mg. I usually take Megafoods Multivitamins Without Iron, which has only 8 mg of B6. Megafoods is made from food and is mostly low dose.

Well, the improvement in my hands seems to have stopped. I can feel my thumbs and index fingers slightly better than before, but it hasn't improved much for the past few days.

And my walking has gotten a lot worse. Bad enough that I'm going back to the regular doctor in a few hours for more blood tests to check some other stuff. And to talk about steroids.

My neuro had told me last week to talk to the regular doctor about getting IV steroids. I don't like IVSM, so I kind of put it off in the hopes that upping the b12 would help. (I didn't really expect it to). So I'm going to talk to him about it today. Not sure if I'll actually do it.

I'm not feeling all that great again. Exhausted and lots and lots of fatigue. The fatigue has been worse than it was. It's making me feel pretty bad too. It's the feeling sick that's really bothering me. I don't know why I feel sick. I actually slept 8hrs the past couple of nights, but it hasn't seemed to help the feeling sick, and the seriously bad fatigue.

Whatever is going on with the fatigue and feeling sick is affecting my appetite. I will feel hungry, but at the same time, I might not want to eat because I feel sick. (Kind of a nauseous feeling).

Erin, I am sorry that you do not seem to be improving. I hope your primary MD will have some good suggestions.

I want you to be able to drive your car.
ANN

Yes, rooting for you, Erin, to be able to drive your car!

I went to the doctor today.

He didn't draw blood this time. Said he wanted to wait til next week for some reason. Think he wants to see if I can get the b12 up in my system a little more. I told him that the neuro wanted to check some stuff. Couldn't exactly remember what he said tho. (brain foggy)

I told him that the neuro had wanted me to talk to him about getting some IVSM. He didn't really want to do that. (he's got a lot of experience with MS, his dad AND his maternal grandmother both have/had MS) He gave me a Rx of oral steroids. It's just for the week. Doesn't look like it's a long Rx. There's only 30 pills in the bottle. (it's 4 pills x 3days, then 3 x 3days, then 2 x 3 days, then 1 x 3 days) He wanted me to start it this afternoon, but we didn't get the Rx from the pharmacy till almost 7pm. So, I'm waiting till morning to start them.

Kind of glad that it's just a $5 bottle of prednisone. I really don't have the money to go to an infusion center and get hooked up. Plus getting a full blast dose of IVSM does not sound like the thing to do when we're doing a remodel in my house. Especially since my bedroom will be one of the rooms getting remodeled.

What's irritating me right now is my right leg keeps doing a twitch. That's driving me nuts! Seems to be only doing it when I'm sitting. But, I sit a lot. Argh!

I still don't feel good. Also, there's been a potty issue that's had me wondering what is going on. (going on as in not going) but I think I figured out that potty issue. I haven't been eating all that much. Since not much is going in, not much will be coming out. So I kind of feel better about that now that I've made that connection. My dad told me, that I usually only eat half of what I'm served. If that. I didn't think I was eating that little. But, I think he's right. I also really only eat once a day lately. So this might explain a few things. (the weight loss, the not feeling good, the feeling weak, the potty issue)

At least I'm drinking water/fluids.

I'm just so tired. I don't want to do anything. My boyfriend might be coming over tomorrow. (said he was going to last week) I don't think we're going to the movies. Probably just go get something to eat with my parents, and then come back here to watch movies. I just want to talk to someone that isn't my parents. I'm bored.

Erin do you think there could be some depression working in there also? I wouldn't blame you if it is.

I don't know. I just know I'm really really really really really tired.

I've still been able to crochet, and read. So I'm still able to do some stuff I enjoy. I'm holding off on any knitting because I fall asleep sometimes, and I really don't want to end up impaling myself on a steel needle, and it's also kind of hard to learn how to knit socks when you can't stay awake. At least with crochet, if I fall asleep and pull a stitch out. It's easy for me to fix. I still haven't learned how to fix dropped knitting stitches.

I kind of feel like I did when I had mononucleosis in '96. (except without the massive sore throat, raging ear infections, and the enlarged spleen and liver I had back then) This is just me being super tired and not really able to do a whole lot. Altho, back when I had mono I didn't have MS. (I think the mono is what triggered the MS actually) All I wanted to do then was sleep too. I was anemic back then.

That was one of the reasons I had the doctor check me for anemia. I hadn't been this wiped out in years. This feels almost exactly like it did when I had actual anemia. I looked at the results of the blood test I had several weeks ago. I'm not anemic according to it.

really just wonder what other horrible thing (other than MS) that my body could be doing that's causing this. Maybe I'm just having another big flare. Getting really tired of that. Feels like I've been in a constant MS flare since about...June. Getting really annoyed with that.

Am a little bit stressed by all of this. Since my insurance changed, and it won't be covering everything that it did before. I'm going to end up bankrupted if I get really bad. I have some money, and my parents help me out. But if I end up in a hospital. I'll be finished financially. That might be the biggest thing that I'm stressed about.

Feeling unwell for as long as you have can be so frustrating and tiring in itself Erin. I can certainly relate. Its hard to know what to do...do we push or do we rest at these times? Trial and error seems to be the way to go, but when we seem to have chosen incorrectly, there is the aftermath to deal with.

I was doing better with the joints and started to get back on my X-country ski machine a couple of weeks ago, then added walking outside when the weather started to warm up last week. All seemed to be going well, and then I had another mini-stroke last weekend that left me with a bizarre form of dizziness. It hits when I lay down, turn over in bed or get up from a laying position; feels like I'm spinning in the air and am about to faint.

The doc ordered an echocardiogram and Doppler scan on the carotid arteries. Apparently the echocardiogram revealed an Atrial Septal Defect (ASD), that is allowing de-oxygenated blood to back flow into he heart and lungs. ASD is a genetic defect, also known as a hole in the heart; which can remain silent until one gets older. That is what has apparently happened in my case. It chose now to reveal itself, so I'm now waiting to have a trans-esophageal echocardiogram done to see how extensive the defect is.

I have to say that this is the first time that I've actually felt scared and not just concerned, because it may require a surgical repair if the defect is large. The cardiologist said that it could mean needing open heart surgery, complete with cutting the sternum, stopping the heart and being put on a heart lung machine while the repair is being done. The risk of having the surgery is really low, but the stress of having to go through the surgery and what that might do to the MS and the ongoing Parvo infection/joints is a concern that the cardiologist and I both share.

While there is the possibility that nothing needs to be done other than to take aspirin to prevent blood clots from forming, and there is also the possibility that a repair can be done via the femoral artery approach, my mind seems determined to wander over to the worst case scenario...despite my best efforts to redirect it. The cardiologist said that repairing the defect is recommended in most cases as the symptoms tend to get worse and can lead to heart failure as time progresses. Ugh!

Will see the cardiologist again after the next echo and some other cardio-pulmonary tests. This new development has sure put the MS symptoms & joint stuff into a new perspective.
Earlier this week, a friend asked me if I was giving anything up for lent. I chuckled and said "Yes, I'm just giving up."
I''m not really, but I sure have felt like it at times this past week.

Passing the cheese..

With love, Erika

Well, I thought I was having a bad year.

Do you sleep with your head inclined? I don't think I could handle dizziness like that. Are you still able to do some exercise? Because the endorphins from the exercise can probably help with moods. I know I'd like to do some exercise. It would help a little with the feeling sad from everything else that the health issues do.

Hope your dizziness can get better and go away. I get vertigo from the MS sometimes. That's one symptom that I would really like to show the door to.

I know I have potential heart issues too. We went for years in my family, thinking that we all had strong hearts. Only to find out that there's something genetic in our family. My dad's brother died almost 20yrs ago while waiting for a heart transplant. His sister died a year ago in her sleep after a cardiac event. Their great uncle also died of a heart attack in 2001. One of his cousins has problems too. My dad has had problems with his heart for a few years that he knew about. He got a pacemaker last summer.

I had to get an echocardiogram a few years ago. I also have what is probably/hopefully a minor issue right now. (mitral valve prolapse). But with the MS and all the steroids and other drugs that gets thrown at my body. I wonder what damage all that medication could be doing to my heart. (sometimes I feel my heart flutter).

So far, I'm more scared of the MS than I am of my heart. I think there's more research into surgeries to help heart problems. There's nothing much they can do for neurological issues. At least a lot of heart problems can be helped with surgery. Hope I don't ever have to do that tho. I have a bit of a surgery phobia. (that comes from having a dad and uncle that were both nurse anesthetists. All those holiday dinners when they were talking "shop".)

Erika, I feel for you. I went through some of what you are speaking of. I had a TEE to prep for my heart surgery two years ago. Mine was a mitral valve repair for a prolapse.

They did a minimally invasive procedure for a repair but I had to sign that it might become open heart and a valve replacement, but it require the heart/lung machine.

If you have any questions or just want to chat about it, I am happy to provide any support that I can. Please pm me if you'd like!

Praying for you gals who are having such a rotten time! What's on my plate looks OK compared to what's on your plate!
Such sadness that people must suffer so much.

Oh my Erika, just when you think thing are getting better...Bang...Wow.:(
I feel so bad for you. I do hope and pray that it will all just go away,
by the grace of God. I hope that you won't need the surgery, but if so,
may it be completely successful.:hug:

Please keep us up to date and we are all there with you, hoping and
praying.:grouphug:

Erin,
I sleep on my side with a small pillow scrunched up in the curvature of my neck and under my head to keep it line with the rest of the body, which remains pretty much parallel to the bed. I've slept that way for as long as I can remember and don't sleep well with anything elevated or while laying on anything but an extra firm foam mattress; although the floor also works fine if I happen to be traveling.

The dizziness only happens after I've changed the position of my head from upright (sitting or standing up) to horizontal (laying down), or if I roll over in bed from one side to the other. It only lasts for a minute or so and then goes away. The doc checked it and noted that my eyes do the sideways jerky thing during the dizzy spells. He called it positional vertigo and said that it will probably improve over time, so I'm sure hoping for that to happen sooner, rather than later.

As for exercise, the doc said to only engage in mild activity at this point. Walking is OK, but nothing strenuous...as if I could do strenuous activity with this body the way it is :rolleyes:.
I take LDN to help with the endorphins and will also continue with short times on the x-country ski machine, along with walking. I agree that some activity is essential. Besides, the temperature & weather are just too inviting not to be outside for my walks, now that winter's grasp seems to be slipping.

Thanks missj,
I'm not too worried about having the TEE and will tell them to send the probe down the right side of my throat if possible, as it is numb and I don't have a gag reflex on that side. I'm hopeful that they can do it without drugs, as I react poorly to most of them.

The thing that has had my mind racing is the potential of needing surgery. I'm with Erin on having a bit of a phobia about them. This body just doesn't like them and I've had a few rather major ones in my life. Sigh...not much I can do about it if I do need it though.

Thanks Mariel and Sally,
It does seem to be one thing after another, but I've been told that this latest thing is due to aging and a genetic defect that was silent until now. Apparently it would have showed up even without the other stuff that has been going on.

On a brighter side, I don't have any risk factors for heart disease or stroke, so getting this heart thing treated should take care of the TIA/mini-strokes. According to the doc, the defect is likely what has been causing clots to form, and may also be why I get the narcoleptic fatigue if I don't take Modafinal. The Modafinal stimulates the central nervous system, so it makes the heart beat stronger and a bit faster. Time will tell, I guess.

I'm still holding out hope that just taking aspirin to keep clots from forming will do the trick; especially if we can get the chronic Parvo infection under control. That should get the platelets back down to a normal level, as the infection has had them elevated. For now, I've been told to take 150mg of aspirin daily as the Ibuprofen that I've been taking for pain isn't as effective on preventing blood clots.

Sheesh...I sound like a royal disease bag.
One day at a time...one day at a time...

Thanks for the support everyone :grouphug:.

With love, Erika

I took the first dose of the oral steroid at 445 this morning. So I slept thru the fun part of the steroid feeling like it was helping some. I did wake up feeling some of the weird numbness lessening a couple of times.

Tonight my left hip and leg feels really weird. Plus, my legs both keep dragging. I'm really wondering if I needed a bigger dose. (I could actually up the dose myself. I have enough leftovers from previous tapers to do it)

This really does feel like a flare, and it feels like the flare I've been terrified of since that first day that the ophthalmologist suggested MS to me.

oh, and I do think the B12 being kind of low is part of the problem. I don't think the steroids are helping the numb hands. The steroids were helping the numb hip/legs/feet. I think the B12 was helping my hands earlier this week. I think there's two things going on here.

I know it doesn't make any of you feel any better but one thing this particular thread does for me is to help me realize how lucky I am. I don't know if I have the emotional strength some of you have to go through all that you do.

I don't have the emotional strength to go thru all this. I'm freaking out. I'm actually a bit scared that this is going to kill me.

Erin,
I know that it is a hard time for you, but projecting into the future with what might be, can make it all the more difficult. Try to put your focus on one day at a time and in each day hang on to at least one positive...and there are many; so much of which we often take for granted.
You have a roof over your head, family near by, the support of others, including those here; and most of all a mind that is intact. If you have faith in a greater power (not necessarily a religion), so much the better; because that can lift us beyond the downward spiral of excess self concern.

Celebrating the positives in your life while tending to the body's needs will get you through, and you may be pleasantly surprised to find how strong you really are. Never forget that the world needs you in it or you wouldn't be here.

Today is a new day.
Paint a picture of it in your mind and then move right into it. When the body is struggling, rest your mind there and the body is sure to follow. The sort of picture that you paint is of your choosing, so maybe a sanctuary of sorts would be something to try.

Personally, I often begin a day by "resting the mind" beneath a tree in a green & shady forest, while bathing in the warm dappled sun light...and some times I become that whole experience. Somehow, the influence of that experience carries through during the day, making what ever comes, easier to deal with.

Delusional? Maybe, but it sure beats the harshness of projecting the alternative and resting in that, doesn't it? Especially when some of our projections can be seen as equally delusional; because they haven't happened yet and maybe never will.
Either option requires the same amount of energy, so why add to, hang out in and become something more unpleasant than actual (without the addition of story lines) reality?
I think that being able to choose is something to celebrate in and of itself, and Erin, you have a mind that is clearly capable of making that choice.

I wish you a day of "resting the mind" in celebration and light heartedness :hug: :hug:.

With love, Erika

e
 

Wonderfully supportive, helpful post Erika.:grouphug:

Thanks missj,
I'm not too worried about having the TEE and will tell them to send the probe down the right side of my throat if possible, as it is numb and I don't have a gag reflex on that side. I'm hopeful that they can do it without drugs, as I react poorly to most of them.

The thing that has had my mind racing is the potential of needing surgery. I'm with Erin on having a bit of a phobia about them. This body just doesn't like them and I've had a few rather major ones in my life. Sigh...not much I can do about it if I do need it though.

I was 'lucky' in that I had 10 years to 'prepare' for the surgery. At first the MVP was mild, and back then the doc said that if it progresses then surgery will be in order. Over time it did and there we were.

I am sending calming wishes as you process the thoughts about surgery.

missj,

When you had it, did they use a general, local down the throat, or did you go without any anesthetic for the TEE? I'm hoping to go without.

With love, Erika

The only procedure I could not deal with (i.e.finish) was a tube down the throat. My gag reflex was just paramount. The doctor was disgusted. I then went to Dr. Wright, the well-known "alternative" MD in my area at the time. His associate Dr. Gaby used the Heidelberg test on me, which is to swallow a tiny radio, the size of a capsule, and inject something that stimulates stomach acid. One can see how much stomach acid is produced, and the capsule is then excreted.
This test showed I had no stomach acid. The test was for stomach pain, which I had lots of in those days, and took Mylanta for excess acid for many years. I stopped the Mylanta, of course, but the pain persisted because it was probably from the effects of Porphyria, i.e. an inflamed nerve causing spasticity in the area, etc.
I know your test is not limited to looking for stomach acid, so perhaps you have to have the tube down the throat. The only way I could possibly do this test is with general anesthetic.

Yeah, they need to put the tube down there to get a better look at the heart.
The radiologist said that because I'm so thin, there isn't any fat around the heart or lungs, so every time I breathe, the heart moves out of the picture on the ultrasound screen. Exhaling and holding my breath let them get some good pics but they still need to get a better look, so they'll do that through the esophagus.

With love, Erika

just having a very bad day. I can barely walk. I want to sit outside, but I can't get out into the front yard from the front door. To get there from the garage is further than I want to walk.

If my dad had listened to me about putting in a ramp last summer like I wanted to, maybe I could go outside. When I'd asked about it, my sister and and aunt were there. I pretty much got mocked for asking to put in a ramp.

almost have a feeling that I'm going to need more steroids than what the doctor gave me. (taper starts out at 40mg x 3 days, drops by 10mg every 3 days) I only started it yesterday, but I feel worse than I did tho.

all I want to do this weekend is sleep, but I don't stay asleep. I was having a really hard time just trying to walk around the upstairs earlier.

went out for breakfast with my parents and my aunt today. Place was crowded, and the servers kept wanting to "put the walker away". I have a real problem with them wanting to move the walker away from me. As if I could get up and go get it when I need it. I folded it up and leaned it against the table. They still kept wanting to move it. We weren't out in the way either. Drives me nuts. Want to tell them to not touch my <swear word> walker.

This is definitely a new flare that's going on. I'm just so tired of feeling like I'm in a constant flare. It's exhausting.

Sorry Erin, feel better soon.:(

Thinking back, I remember now that they did give me something to relax me but not knock me out. And they also gave me a mouthwash to swirl around to numb up my mouth and throat.
I do not recall it to be too terrible at all.

My hubby is a doc too so he was there watching the procedure.

It was the heart cath procedure that required me to lay flat for 4-6 hours afterwards since they go into the femoral. That was weird since I could feel the cath tickle my heart.

I too am slight and thin and that really helps when it comes to heart things in general.

Breathing with and for you