I hear you on that one Barb. Only my body doesn't ask "What did you do to me?" It says "Just wait until you see what I'm going to do to you!" :D

I'm about to head into a baking soda/Epsom salt bath to calm it down. Not only are the joints in my legs acting up more since this afternoon, but it feels like a bug is settling in as well.
The body is aching all over, spastic & stiff in the neck and shoulders, slight fever, a welty and sore rash on the arms/elbows and a headache to go with it. Probably picked something up in the hospital.

I'm concerned about when I'll be able to return to work too.
Hang in there Barb. :hug:
We'll get through our rough patches.

With love, Erika

Erika has anyone told you that you are one very stubborn woman??? Good luck and I do believe that 'yes you can'.

:D I was born stubborn Doydie...and my dear Mom figured that out on that first day when the nurses brought me to her for my 2:00 AM feeding. Apparently they woke me up to do it and I arrived in my mother's arms screaming in protest. No amount of soothing or encouragement could get me to eat then...or any time after that while growing up if I didn't want to. Mom just skipped the middle of the night feedings because I would sleep through the night from the get go, if just left alone.
Things just evolved from there.

As a child, "being stubborn" was the most frequently used term to describe my attitude by teachers, coaches, family and friends. Thankfully, a whole lot of patience, complimented by the hands of discipline from my parents helped to mold obstinate stubbornness into what I think is more in line with determination...admittedly with a smattering of underlying stubbornness to back it up. Yes, I got the odd well placed and equally well deserved smack on the back side as a child :winky:.

We'll never know what we're capable of if we don't try.
You have proved that is true, and your achievements in meeting your health enhancement goals, encourages me and others to keep right on trying to accomplish our own goals...what ever they may be :hug:.

With love, Erika

Erica, I had Pericarditis twice, many years ago. The first one I had only bed rest, and recovered in a few weeks. The second time they gave me Prednisone, and it was a bad idea. I felt like I was manic, crazy, pounded walls. Not a good idea. Bed rest was the best way to get over it for me.
It sounds like R-E-S-T is on the ticket for you, in spite of your need to do things and be active.
My platelets are twice normal, but that's "normal" almost, for me. That's not from reactive thrombocytosis but from Polycythemia Vera which I added to my 'charm bracelet" 8 or 9 years ago. I use aspirin powdered and rubbed into my skin (equiv. of baby aspirin a day or one whole uncoated aspirin over four days). I proved the aspirin goes through the skin when I tried someone's idea to take a whole aspirin daily in this manner--I got a nose bleed, nurse told me to stop the excess aspirin. I powder the aspirin myself in a bowl with the handle of a table knife.