Time Marches On

I've been back at work 3 weeks now.  And I've been tapering off predisone.  These two things don't go well together.  I've been having a lot of pain.  I mean A LOT.  So much so that I've even been dreaming I have bowel obstructions and pain.  It sucks that I can't escape the pain in my sleep.

On top of it all, I've been having so much diarrhea that I'm in the bathroom at least 8 times a day.  Most of the time, it is mostly liquid, but sometimes it is not.  I'm also having trouble sleeping.  I guess it due to pain.  Earlier in the predisone course I thought it was the predisone, but now that I'm on 10mg/day it really couldn't be that.  So I don't know what it is.

In other things, my son has started medication for his ADHD.  It is helping him tremendously, but it is also sad that we were unable to help him without medication.  And it isn't that we didn't try.  He went to OT, we tried diet and behavior technique.  But if the medication helps him, then we will have him take medication.

Back to Work

I've been working part time from home for just over a week.  It hasn't been that great.  At least I'm at home when I feel so awful.  However, the predisone is really doing a number on me.  I haven't slept without help from Benadryl in over a week.  And even when I do sleep, it isn't for long.  I also have killer heartburn.  I hurt all the time, but am also hungry all the time.

Going Back to Work

Starting Monday, I am going back to work.  I'll be working 4 hours a day, Monday through Friday from home.  I am already feeling stressed about it.  I hope the stress of going back to work doesn't make things worse.

The predisone is helping, but I am also having some side effects.  I am having difficulty sleeping, and I've probably gained 3 pounds since last week.  Just a week ago, I barely had an appetite.  Now I am constantly hungry.  At least I am having less diarrhea.  That is a big plus!

A Visit to the Doctor (also called an unproductive morning)

I saw my GI doctor today.  I doubt it will come as a surprise that he's incapable of helping me.  Not because he doesn't want to, but because he can't.  It annoys me that he thinks now that my CT shows inflammation I'm sick, when I had all the exact same symptoms when my colonoscopy didn't show inflammation.  He ordered a test for c-diff.  Even though the problems started before I started antibiotics last week.  And he's sending me to another doctor who coordinates the drug tests for MNGI.  Unfortunately, this doctor is in Plymouth.  So that is going to be 2 hours driving in addition to the appointment.  Blah.  The doctor put me on predisone now, and will consider dropping the Humira.

We also had a doctor's appointment for my son today, to address his ADHD.  I absolutely love his doctor. She is in the exact same place we're at.  She prescribed Concerta.  I read the insert that came with the drug and now I'm scared to let him take it.  It was expensive- $60 after insurance (it would normally be $120).  Target pharmacy was a nightmare.  They only filled one of my prescriptions that my doctor filled out, so I spent 20 minutes waiting around to get my son's prescription filled, then had to wait another 20 to get the second of mine filled.  It seemed like I spent all day there.

When I got home, I made the hamantaschen for the mishloach manot.  My son couldn't wait to eat them.  They did come out pretty good if I say so myself.  We're going to the Megilla reading at temple tomorrow, and we're going to go out to Chinese before for our festive meal.  I hope it is a nice evening.

Back Again

I haven't posted for a while, but that is mostly because I was feeling more or less ok.  We went on vacation, and while I had to take pain killers and take it easier than normal, we had fun.  Swimming with the dolphin was an incredible experience, and something I'll remember forever.

But as is normal (for me) with vacations, I came home sick.  And I don't just get sick, I tend to get extra sick.  In addition to a cold which has led to a sinus infection, I seemed to have also picked up a stomach bug.  In combination with my diarrhea (which never really goes away) the non-stop vomiting (I was unable to keep down a few sips of water) ended up with me in the ER for dehydration.  I begged the doctor not to send me there, but in the end, it was the proper course of action.

While in the ER, they ordered ANOTHER CT of my abdomen (I won't be surprised if I get some sort of cancer in that area in the next 5 years).  And like many other CTs, this one had disappointing results.  The inflammation is spreading in my colon.  I really want to go back to work, but this is not helpful for me on that front.