I am so tired but hopeful. Karen and I are working on getting the doctor bills paid and applying for assistance. This lifts a little of the burden off our shoulders. For some reason prescription costs are covered less by insurance one year and more the next, and we are in the year of more coverage so that is encouraging too.
I had to get up super early to be at PeaceHealth St John at 7:45 am…I am a night person so this is no small thing but I did it. Despite being careful about my food choices my stomach is regularly blowing up so sleep was nearly impossible last night. I mentioned that to my rheumatologist and she suggested I see an immunologist to help me with this. I thanked her and told her that like the suggestion of seeing an ENT that my neurologist gave me, this would have to wait until I am caught up on my bills with PeaceHealth and Legacy. She totally understood.
With that in mind, I was glad she was able to use the imaging from my abdomen to look at my spine, where my pain is the worst. We found that I am suffering with bone spurs and osteoarthritis. It isn’t PsA because Psoriatic Arthritis would create a bridge on the bones. She said this is where people tend to get arthritis first. Since I cannot take OTC meds and I am not interested in narcotics, all I can do is continue with my workouts and weight loss.
She was able to see recent labs from other doctors, instead of ordering new ones and costing me more money, to see my kidneys and liver are doing well. This is good because methotrexate can cause damage to these organs but it is obviously keeping PsA under control for me. She told me we cannot talk about changing meds right now because there is not a treatment that won’t impede my cancer treatment...so no changes…
When I got home I told Jamie about my tummy troubles and she reminded me that the cancer meds might be causing my problems. I am thinking about ways to change my eating. We had roasted vegetables and shared a grass fed steak last night. Maybe I need to eat heavier meals on Karen’s days off when we can have them for lunch instead of closer to bedtime. I made soup for tonight. We do eat a lot of soups and usually I don’t have a problem so it must be easier for me to digest.
My neurologist put me on a different pill before bed to help me sleep that isn’t addictive that works better than the one my psychiatrist has me on, which is addictive. The hard part is since my body is fighting cancer it wants two naps a day, yet when I allow that, I have trouble sleeping when Karen does… I am always a bit sleepy but my evenings are harder. I am trying to adjust. I am very thankful to find a solution for sleeping at night! This is wonderful! I have always had trouble sleeping at night.
I saw my eye doctor last week. I think Dr Tack has retired. I missed him. I honestly don’t remember my new doctor’s name but she is great. I don’t remember ever having my eyes dilated before…which only means if I had it done, my brain chose to forget it…wow! That was painful! However I learned that diabetes has not caused any damage to my eyes at all. The images of eyes are beautiful. I do need progressive lenses, which doesn’t shock me because I really struggle looking at things close up; especially reading…but otherwise my vision is really good.
The last month or so has been a time of collecting information about my health so I can fine tune my wellness plan. I have had quite a bit of suffering this winter but I am not a quitter. I may need to go slow. I may need to rest a lot but I am always trying to be better.
Feel free to leave your comments below!
My name is Summer. That is how you can call me. I hope that I am a blessing to you. I am not perfect. I will fall again. But I am forgiven.
Do you know Jesus? Do want the Holy Spirit to fill you and give you understanding and salvation? Ask Him. Want someone to pray with you? Contact me.
If you would like to know Jesus as your friend, but want to make this amazing commitment by yourself please pray something like this:
Thank you Jesus that You are the Son of God, the God that created heaven and earth. Thank you Jesus that You came to earth in the form of a man so that You would be able to empathize with my humanity. Thank You that You did this in order to fulfill the promises You made at the foundation of the world.
I realize that I am a sinner and do things that hurt myself and keep myself away from you. Thank You that You died for my sins so that You could defeat death and bring me into Your life. Please forgive me.
I ask You to be Lord of my life. I ask you to heal my hurts and show me what my new life, empowered by You looks like. Thank You for Your mercy.
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