osodecanela: (Default)
It’s been a rough couple of months. I got the Covid vaccine as quickly as I could without cutting into any lines.  I’m still licensed, but not practicing so I didn’t think it ethical, to try and get vaccinated along with the remainder of the local medical community.

February 17th, it was my turn. Got an email from my provider’s medical group with a website to go get registered & 2 days later I showed up at the county fairgrounds. In and out in under an hour and that included 30 minutes of observation post shot and to and from the parking area.

I woke up the morning of the 18th in a full arthritic flare; not the aches and pains many people get, but I had come out of remission during the night.   About 10 days later, psoriatic plaques on my scalp behind my ears were back.   This was not the handful of joints that was typical when it was active. It was wide spread- ankles, wrists, shoulders, a thumb, an elbow and all at once.   I wasn’t shocked.   I certainly wasn’t pleased, but so be it.   I have anti-inflammatories & I can wait this out.   It’s not Covid.   I can survive this. Diabetic, albeit well controlled, and sleep apnea? Mixed with Covid and MediCare? Thank you, no!   I’d take a vaccine (any of them) any day of the week. 

After 2 weeks, it was slowly improving and by March 15, I was almost back to normal.  Just in time for my second dose of Pfizer.   Well the ides of March, were auspicious all right. March 16 was as bad as February 18, only this time in addition to the arthritis returning with a vengeance, I now had all the muscle aches most people seem to have, with fatigue and nausea. The nausea at least was short lived.   Tomorrow I’ll be five weeks out, while I’m now getting better, it’s still going on. My suspicion is I’m not going to be back to normal until the beginning of May. It’s getting old.

Like I said, I was not surprised.   I hadn’t expected it to be as long or as severe as it has been, but rev up the immune system with a novel vaccine against a novel virus, in someone with an underlying autoimmune disorder, even one in remission, you’re not shocked if it reactivated.   At least now, I see a light at the end of the tunnel.

Hmm, a post I never finished, a week and a half ago.

Well, I was right. I thought it would be the beginning of May before this flare was over. It’s 4-29, and I’m almost back to normal.  Still need the anti inflammatory med, but not nearly as dependent on them as I was.   My skin is calming down.   Its bloody well about time.


osodecanela: (Default)
I'm finally not miserable after 4 days. I wanted to kick myself for forgetting limitations, but then my ankles, particularly the left one, was too sore to do so.

Twenty-five years of an inflammatory arthritis left me with some resulting joint damage that even though the inflammation is gone, I still need to remember there are limits to what I can do. Tuesday I was faced with painting some paneling with polyurethane & the only pair of shoes I had that I didn't care if they got ruined was a pair of water shoes. Basically rubberized this soles attached to synthetic socks. No padding to speak of.

At the time I felt fine. I hadn't intended to keep wearing them, but I got distracted with the work on the remodel that was needed. Two crew people expected hadn't shown that morning and there's much to get done with the garage remodel before the rains come. What I thought would be 30-45 minutes with them on stretched to 6 or so hours over half of which was in the garage itself, on a cement slab.

What the hell was I thinking?

Point is I wasn't thinking. I wasn't in pain to start & by the time I began to notice my left ankle was bothering me, the insult had been done. Tuesday night it hurt to walk or stand.

I awoke at 6 Wednesday morning, bladder insisting i needed to trot down the hall. I stood up and down immediately had to sit my butt back down. Both ankles hurt laterally, but I was having trouble trying to bear weight on the left, it hurt so bad. My ankles weren't warm or swollen, they were sore. It was minimal until I tried to stand up and then I almost went down. My bladder then reminded me if I didn't attend to it's needs, i would shortly be peeing on the carpet.

Celebrex, Tylenol and a Norco left over from dental work 6 years ago was the only way I made it thru the day. I was improved by 50% this morning, finally tonight, I'm aware of my ankles, but able to get around with just the Celebrex.

The right shoes make a tremendous difference. Brooks makes running shoes specifically for people who pronate their feet. These are the only running shoes I use. The moment I put the on, if I'm hurting, the pain is immediately reduced. Between adequate cushioning (aka shock absorbtion) and the support changing the position of my foot for the better, off loading much of the stress on the lateral ankles in particular. They are game changers.

I'm surprised I'm feeling as good as I do right now given what I did to my myself Tuesday. Need the remember to engage the brain, before I put the feet in gear again.

Fingers

Apr. 16th, 2013 06:50 am
osodecanela: (cam capture)
I've been dealing with psoriatic arthritis for the past 20 years. For those of you who're non-medical folk, this type behaves like a milder form of rheumatoid. I was in fact initially diagnosed as a sero-negative rheumatoid, as my skin disease is so mild. This type of arthrithritis can strike any joint, but has a tendency to go for small ones, which is my case; wrists, ankles and especially, fingers.

It's been a relatively mild course of flares interspersed with periods of remission. I have been unwilling to consider the poisons medications the rheumatologists have been mentioning as I don't want my immune system blunted, at least not while I'm seeing sick kids every day. A week doesn't go by that a snotty 2 year old doesn't cough or sneeze right into my face.

There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason for my current flare, which started right after my birthday 2 weeks back. The weather is clearly now in spring, and with the warmer weather, I should be doing better. Apparently my fingers are not in unity with the weather. The 2nd and 3rd on either hand are acting up, particularly the left 3rd and the right 2nd. Neither one wants to bend at the moment. I'm lying in bed, waiting for my Celebrex to kick in, so I can get up & face my day.

I'm not angry or even looking for sympathy. I'm just frustrated. I have too much to do & I'm no where near being able to retire and move to a warmer climate, not that I'm particularly inclined to.

And right this moment, it's making me feel old.
osodecanela: (Default)
I've been dealing with psoriatic arthritis since my mid 30's. It hasn't left me hideously disabled or disfigured & frankly I have seen cases much, much worse than my own. However, it frustrates the crap out of me. Week to week and sometimes even day to day, I don't know what I'm going to be able to do.

Case in point, my left wrist. Within the past 24 hours it's started bothering me in a new location and has become swollen and inflamed on the dorsal radial side, leaving me with a brand new ganglion. Right this second it hurts to grasp or twist anything so door knobs just became a challenge again. Pity me not; my right hand is fine, at least for the moment. I'm currently in no danger of getting 'locked' into a room, unable to open the door.

This disease has come and gone, quieting and then springing back into activity. It's had a predilection for small joints in my case, affecting my hands and to a lesser aspect, my feet much more than any where else. My right hand has been much worse in the past. This moment it's mobile and pain free, fingers previously limited, now ready to take over the tasks my left hand currently cannot.

So this morning I've gone from frustrated and ticked, to resigned and impatient, to grateful in the knowledge that this could be much worse, much more inconvenient than it is. If this keeps to it's usual course, a few months from now I'll get my left hand back. While annoying, this disability should be temporary.

It feels in some ways like I'm being taught some sort of lesson. The pattern of my arthritis has at time hobbled me, but never left me immobile. Both my hands have given me grief, but never at the same time. A few fingers on one hand may flare, while others have remained calm and able to step into take over. It's often awkward for a bit, but then I figure out how to work with them.

Time to quit whining. The day is a foot & I need to get to work.

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