Take My Quiz

http://www02.quizyourfriends.com/quizpage.php?quizname=070212170106-296157&

Monday Morning

Good Morning My Friends.    

I am feeling happy this morning even though I am in pain.  I have a sharp pain in my lower left groin area.  I'm thinking it's my diverticulitis acting up.  Who knows?

Gary was home from work this weekend.  It's not all that often that he has two full days off.  We hung around the house and relaxed.  We were going to go to Applebee's for dinner on Saturday evening, but I ended up sleeping most of the day.  I woke up at around 4 and thought that I would just get into the shower and off we would go.  Nope.  I could not get myself together.  I was just too drained to go out.  So, Gary made us some hot dogs, fries and beans.  And, we ate that.  It was just delicious.  I love hot dogs.

Have I mentioned lately about how wonderful my husband is?  I am a very lucky woman.  Gary takes such good care of me.  Actually he takes good care of all of us.  He always picks up the slack around here. I am very proud of him and love him so much. And, for the last four years there has been a lot of slack due to my illnesses.  Sometimes we get caught up in the drama of our illness that we fail to see the wonder around us.  I am trying not to forget the great things in my life.  My husband and two great children. 

I am so proud of my children too.  They are almost grown ups.  Well, my son is 21 and my daughter is 19.  Is that considered a grown up these days?  They are very responsible young adults.  I rag on them, but if the truth be told, I love to brag about them.  I should tell them more often.  It's not often that children these days are so in tune with the important things in life.  My children are.  They are respectful and loving.  We all have our days, but I couldn't ask for a better family.

You know the phrase, "She is my right arm!"  Well, my daughter is so much more than that.  She is my body.  There is no way in the world that I could get along without her.  I really think that I put too much burden on her.  I ask her to do virtually everything for me.  And, she does it.  Sometimes grudgingly, most of the time lovingly.  I don't give her nearly enough credit for all that she does. 

 Plus she works and is going to college.  She is my salvation when I am unable to do things.  Which is most of the time.  Thank you my dear daughter. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!  I don't say that nearly enough.

My son gave me my Valentine's Day gift early this year.  It is a gift certificate to a spa.  I can choose from a list of services.    http://www.relaxoncloud9.com/  Of course the first thing I am going to get is a full body massage.  Maybe a foot scrub or hand and feet paraffin treatments.  Or even a scalp massage/treatment.  I could use some facial waxing (the prednisione makes a face pretty stubby).  I'm so looking forward to this.  I'll be calling later on today to schedule an appointment.  As soon as I decide exactly what I want, that is.

Hubby took his test on the 3rd.  He said it was easier than he thought it would be.  Less technical.  He is pretty confident that he did well.  I had no doubt.  If anyone knows electrical, it's my Gary.  After the test, they allowed them to write down their answers and gave them a web site to check the answer key for this test.  They said to give it about 5 weeks.  You know I check daily.  LOL

Yesterday morning I put a turkey in the oven.  If you remember, this past Thanksgiving I ordered the entire dinner from Stop and Shop and it was delicious.  But, as many of the supermarkets do, for every so much you spend you get a choice of a turkey, turkey breast, ham or veggie lasagna.  So, I had a free turkey in the freezer downstairs.  I put it in one of those oven bags and cooked it yesterday.  I didn't make all the trimmings we just picked at it all day.  After I took all the meat off the bones, I put them in a pot and simmered them for a few hours.  Wednesday I am going to make soup.  We are expecting a big winter storm.  It will be a good day for some soup.  I make mine similar to the Italian Wedding Soup.  Aside from the usual soup veggies I put in tiny little meatballs.  I mean tiny, like the size of a marble.  I'm not sure if I am going to put rice, orzo or just some elbows in it.  I am looking forward to it.

Those of you who know Loretta from  http://journals.aol.com/lrttklly/LupusLeftovers need to go check out http://www.cafepress.com/wingasworld . Loretta has designed some stuff like tee shirts, hats, mouse pads.  I have my order already in the shopping cart ready for me to pay for.  Our Loretta is a very talented artist.  We already know how gifted she is at writing, now we see another side of Loretta.  Loretta has been my online friend for just about four years now. This wonderful woman has, many times, been a rock and sounding board for me.  She always hasvery insightful advice.  And, she is very adept at just listening.  Loretta is the epitome of the meaning of a friend.  She knows just the right thing to say.  She is sympathetic and understanding.  Loretta doesn't only coddle.  She has, lovingly pointed out if I am wrong.  It's a rare individual who can combine all these things.  Loretta is a very special woman.  And, if you haven't read her blogs you are missing out on a lot.  I enjoy our chats.  I only wish we were closer in location so that once in a while we could chat over a cup of coffee. Loretta and I pretty much got sick at the same time.  I met her on AOL's Lupus General Discussion Board.  We grew into our Lupus and it's complications together.  Both of us are basically homebound.  I don't know how she manages.  Her Little Bear is young.  It's so hard being ill and having to care for a young child.  Loretta and her family are always in my prayers.  I am thankful for a friend like her.

Boy has this been a long entry.  I have more to write but will save it for another time.  For those of you who made it all the way to the end of this entry.  Thank you.  I just needed to write this morning.

Have a wonderful day gentle readers.

Oh one more very important thing.  Please keep Krissy and John in your prayers.  John has an appointment with the spleen surgeon on Wednesday.  Check out Krissy's entry today, it's been quite a week for them.  http://journals.aol.com/fisherkristina/SometimesIThink/

Hugs,

 

 

Proverbs 3:11-12

My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, Nor detest His correction; 

For whom the LORD loves He corrects, Just as a father the son in whom he delights.

Proverbs 3:11-12 (New King James Version)

Just felt like adding this verse this morning.  Each morning I receive an email from mail a verse.com.  Today's verse.  You can add verses to your site.  I haven't done it yet.

Add the verse to your web site:
http://www.verse-a-day.com/js/index.php

Lauren is sick.  She woke up with a very bad sore throat and headache.  No fever. I made her some tea.  It soothed her throat some I think.  My poor baby, as old as they get, they are still little kids when they are sick.  I think she is coming with me to the doctor this afternoon.  Pray she feels better soon.

That's it for now.  Hugs, Lu

Still Feeling Like Crap

            

First off, I have to give Dawn a great big cyber hug.  http://journals.aol.com/princesssaurora/CarpeDiem/

                        

Since I have know her, Dawn has always been a big inspiration in my life.  There are times when I wake up in the morning and actually think I wish I could have an attitude like Dawn does.  She always puts things into perspective.  I'm trying Dawn.

      

Now, I am still feeling like crap.  Can't seem to shake this URT infection.  It's getting worse I think.  I get very short of breath.  I should call my doctor, I know, but I just don't feel like it.  I have a follow up appt. on Thursday.  Maybe I will be better by then.  I'm still on antibiotics.  Which has given me the start of a yeast infection.  Yikes.

I am hurting.  Mostly my right leg.  From hip to toe.  The duragesic patch doesn't even touch that pain.  Or, maybe it might be that much worse without the patch.  Who knows?  I'm forced to take the breakthrough pain meds my rheumi prescribed.  I have an appointment with my pain management doc on Thursday.  Maybe he can suggest something.

                                       

Hubby will be taking a test on Saturday afternoon.  For those of you who remember, he started a new job a little over a year ago.  Working for the City.  He has to take a test to go from provisional to permanent.  I believe that he will ace this test.  He is not so confident.  Please say a prayer for him.  I don't know why hedoesn't feel confident.  The man is an electrical genius.

                          

I have a oven stuffer cooking.  I didn't stuff it.  Just seasoned it and threw it into a Reynolds Oven Bag.  We are going to have that for dinner with some yummy mashed potatoes and corn.  And, some broccoli au grattin (sp? can't for the life of me remember how to spell this) for me and Lauren.  It's a cold day and I love cooking in the oven.  It just reminds me of love and family.  I have been using my slow cooker a lot lately.  It's really great.  Mom picked up some slow cooker cookbooks for me.  I bought some too.  It's really easy because I can prepare everything and just set it and forget it.  Eight hours later we have an entire meal.  I got those crock pot liners so clean up is a snap.  Also, my mother in law gave me a counter top convection oven.  This works great because I can cook an entire roast beef in half the time it takes in the regular oven.  I've made dozens of meals with this too.  Cooking when you have a chronic debilitating illness is a challenge.  When I am feeling crappie these things come in handy.  I'd appreciate any recipes from you guys.  I'm always up to try new things.

               

Well, I'm going back to lay down on the couch.  I have to get up every so often because of my leg pain.  It's time to go rest again.

Hugs,

LuAnne

 

Dawn's Meme

Good evening.  It's 1:24 AM.  I should be in bed, but for some reason I am awake.  I've been feeling sick for a few days.  I have (if I wrote about this before,forgive me.  It's just my Lupie Fog) an upper respiratory tract infection plus a urinary tract infection.  My doc put me on antibiotics and a cough med.  Hopefully the antibiotic will do the trick.  I always end up with pneumonia when I get a Respiratory tract infection and a UTI usually turns into a kidney infection.  These meds are going to screw up my coumadin levels.  In the four years since I have started taking anti coagulants I have never gone more than three weeks at a therapeutic level.  The meds I am on play havoc with my levels.  Some raise the level.  Others lower it.  For the past week or so I've been on increased prednisione.  That alone will screw up my levels.  Now add the antiobiotic and you have a recipe for disaster.  I suspect my level is high as I am developing purple blotches on my chest, legs and belly.  I also have petechiae on my feet and calves.  I have an appointment on Monday morning to have my INR levels checked.

This meme is from Dawn (http://journals.aol.com/princesssaurora/CarpeDiem/)

A     Apple or PC?

We have two PCs, one Apple and three laptops

B     Banking... online or in person, and if in person, drive thru or inside the bank?

Just like Dawn, I check my balances online (or via telephone), most banking is done via the drive through or sometimes at the bank (it's in Pathmark).

C     Coffee and Chocolate!  The two most important 'C's  Favorites please.

I'm a coffee addict.  Love Eight O'clock French Roast.  If I am near a Starbucks I'll stop in and get a white chocolate something.  And.... talking about chocolate.  Has anyone ever had Godiva White Chocolate?  I am dying to try Duncan Donuts White Hot Chocolate.

D     Dogs.  Do you have one?  If yes, what kind and it's name and why you named it that.  If no, then if you had one what kind would you choose?

We have Wilson.  He's a black lab mix (I think Dalmatian).  Willie is still a puppy at 10 months old.  Talk about rambunctious.  He is a "Dog Burglar".  He'll steal anything that he can chew up.  I lost count as to how many times I have chased him around the dining room table.  He is a cutie pie.

E     Elvis.  There was only one.  Favorite song, and if you ever or your parents ever, saw him live.

It's Now or Never.  Mom loves him.  I don't know if my parents ever saw him.  It's possible though because they spent a lot of time vacationing in LasVegas in the 70s.

F     Flowers.  Do you have a favorite to receive and/or a favorite to give?

My favoriteare Lilies.  I love to grow Sunflowers.  I always send mixed arrangements.

G     Grandparents, do you have any left and if you are one, to how many?

They are no longer with us.  My maternal grandparents owned the house we lived in.  It was a two family home and they lived upstairs.  I called them Grandma and Grandpa Upstairs.  My paternal grandparents lived a 25 minute car ride away.  Hence, they were Grandma and Grandpa FarAway.

H     Handy or call for help?

I can do stuff.

I     IOU's any out there to a person, a friend or family?

Nope.

J     Jello.  Love it?  Hate it?  Favorite flavor?  With whipped cream or cool whip or neither?

There is always room for Jello.  I love it.  Lime Jello  with Whipped Cream.  Or Cherry with Bananas inside.  None of that cool whip stuff for me. 

K     Kiss.  Do you remember your first real kiss?  Where, who?

Yes.  I had just turned 15.  It was with SM.  In front of my house.  I had never kissed (made out, LOL) and I faked it.  Little did I know, he had never kissed  either.

L     Language.  Do you speak any others?  Fluently or a little?

I used to speak proper Italian.  My paternal grandfather was from Genoa.  Now if you would ask me to speak it, I couldn't.

M     Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck?

Mickey

N     Neighbors.  Do you know their names?  Occupations?  Phone numbers?  Or not?

Yes.  To the right, I know their names, occupations and phone numbers.  To the left their names and occupations.  I know most of my across the street neighbors.  We are friends.

O     Olympics.  Do you watch?  Which is your favorite winter or summer?

I love the Winter Olympics.  Love to watch figure skating.

P     Pluto.  What is your take on the planet being downgraded? 

Sorry, but I could care less.

Q     Quiche.  Have you ever had it?  Do you like it and what is your favorite?

Love it.  Broccoli with mushrooms

R     Refrigerator.  Name three things in your refrigerator that you think are unusual.

Suppositories, Coumadin testing materials, can't think of anything else.

S     Safari.  Have you ever been to Africa on one?  A theme park version?

I've never been to either.

T     Telescope.  Have you ever looked thru a telescope? 

I can't recall

U     Umbrella.  Do you have one and what is its design?

I have an obsession with having enough umbrellas and gloves.  Three are tiny; black ones.  There is one giant rain umbrella that says LuLu's on it.  And, an assortment of others in various colors.

V     Vintage.  Do you have a favorite wine to share?  Or drink?

nope.

W     Willies.  What gives you the willies?  You know, that shudder you can't stop?

Watching medial operations on TV

X     X-ray.  Last one?  What body part and why?

ARE YOU KIDDING? 

I am always going for some kind of X-Ray.  Especially during those frequent Hospital Stays.  They always do a chest film.

Y     Yolk.  How do you like your eggs?

I like them over easy. I also love soft boiled eggs.

Z     Zodiac.  What's your sign and does it fit your personality, in your opinion?

I am a Taurus. But don't believe in it at all.  I never read my horoscope.

Now you try.  I am tagging you all.

Well, the great feeling has gone.  I am sick again.  I am unhappy about this.  Urrrggg!!!

No other words to write about this.

I want to thank Paul over at http://journals.aol.ca/plittle/AuroraWalkingVacation/ for doing an entry about how a "normal" person views others with chronic illnesses.  It was very refreshing to read his entry.  Not many people get it.  Paul seems to though.  Something he wrote was quite sensitive.  He wrote about how Dawn http://journals.aol.com/princesssaurora/CarpeDiem/ looked in her mirror and saw that she needed to put her hair in a pony tail but couldn't because her hands hurt. (Dawn has Lupus and RA).  It's not a simple task for those like Dawn and myself (and the countless others who blog about their illnesses.  I have written about the effort it would take most days for me just to get into a shower.  On worse days even the act of washing my face was the chore from hell.

I hope everyone reads Paul's entry.  And, just take the time  to reflect about the things that you don't think about when you are doing them.  I read a story somewhere, or saw a show I don't remember about someone trying to see what it was like to be blind.  They put a blindfold on their eyes and walked around for a little while.  It gave them a taste of what it was like.  Think about these things.

I also want to thank Paul for his suggestion to offer help.  I want to make one more suggestion.  Offer company.  Offer to sit and have a cup of coffee (bring the coffee because it might be a day where making a pot of coffee is too much).  Visit.  I sit alone most days.  Living in a changed life.  Losing friends.  I would cherish a visit from someone.  Anyone.  Someone to sit and talk with.  Someone to make me feel like a person. 

PREDNISIONE AND MY eBAY STORE

I am so happy today!  I feel great! 

I wasn't so great at the beginning of the week.  I was really hurting horribly and was fatigued and drained beyond belief. 

Hubby suggested  that I give my rheumi a call, but at first I said, "Why? What is he going to do except tell me to go to the ER?" and I didn't want to do that.

But, the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I might be feeling that way because of the reduction of prednisione.  So, I gave the rheumi a call.  We spoke through my tears and came to the conclusion to increase the prednisione to 15 mgs a day.  The doc keeps trying to bring me down to 5 mgs a day and every time I get below 10 I start to flare.  It's amazing how the prednisione works.  There are a lot of side effects.  But right now, for me, the benefits outweight the risks. And, until Rituximab is approved here in New York for Lupus, this and methotrexate is what I have to use.

Here are some:

What side effects may occur:
Deltasone may cause euphoria, insomnia, mood changes, personality changes, psychotic behavior, or severe depression.  It may worsen any existing emotional instability.

At a high dose, Deltasone may cause fluid retention and high blood pressure.  If this happens, you may need a low-salt diet and a potassium supplement.

With prolonged Deltasone treatment, eye problems may develop (e.g. a viral or fungal eye infection, cataracts, or glaucoma).

If you take Deltasone over the long term, the buildup of adrenal hormones in your body may cause a condition called Cushing's syndrome, marked by weight gain, a "moon-faced" appearance, thin, fragile skin, muscle weakness, brittle bones, and purplish stripe marks on the skin.  Women are more vulnerable to this problem than men.  Alternate-day therapy may help prevent its development.

Other potential prednisione side effects from include:
Bone fractures, bruising, bulging eyes, congestive heart failure, convulsions, distended abdomen, face redness, glaucoma, headache, hives and other allergic-type reactions, increased pressure inside eyes or skull, inflamed esophagus or pancreas, irregular menstrual periods, muscle weakness or disease, osteoporosis, peptic ulcer, poor healing of wounds, stunted growth (in children), sweating, thin, fragile skin, vertigo

(the above is from: http://www.bodynhealth.com/inflammation_prednisone.html)

Anyway, I feel pretty good.  I even went out to Target yesterday and did some shopping.

MY eBAY STORE~~  http://stores.ebay.com/OCCUPY-MY-TIME

Please check it out.  And, if you would, please give my store a little plug in your journal.  I would really appreciate it.

I started selling on eBay to have something to do.  Hence, the name OCCUPY MY TIME.  I just went around the house and collected stuff that we no longer used or needed and listed them.  So far I have been selling at a low level, but that is okay with me.  And, when my Lupus flares, I just put the store on vacation.  Or, if I happen to have a few bad days and need to ship stuff out it's pretty easy.  I have a postage scale here.  I can order boxes from the Post Office and they deliver them. Bubble wrap, padded envelopes, packing peanuts and packing tape are easily ordered on eBay for a fraction of the price they sell for at one of those mega office supply stores. Most of the stuff I have for sale is already partly packaged.  So all I have to do is print the postage label out and slap it on the package.  The USPS even comes to the house and picks up the packages.  It's pretty easy.  And, if I sell stuff and make a profit it gives me money in my Pay Pal account to buy stuff we need.  I even have a Pay Pal Debit Master card to use to purchase stuff locally.  I love it.  Most of all it helps keep me sane.  I miss working outside the home so much.  This helps with our finances too!    Check out the store.  http://stores.ebay.com/OCCUPY-MY-TIME

Have a great day Gentle Readers.  I love you guys for all the support and comfort you have given me through the rough times.