Messing Around
Well, I went to the Dermatologist Monday, and other than a small flareup of my Acne Rosacea, he didn't find anything worrisome. He did say I had some sun damage on my forearms ... But I've had almost 65 years to accumulate that damage, so it's not really surprising. I did the sunbathing stuff in high school and college, but that's just about it. I did have some pretty bad sunburns during that time period. Of course, there were no sunscreens then.
I'm finding the cervical collar to be very helpful, but it hurts to wear it. I've made about all the adjustments that I can to make it work better on my short neck, but it is still uncomfortable. Let's face it -- I have a small face and CPAP and Collars were just not meant for someone my size. It's a shame my hips and tummy haven't figured out they are supposed to be petite, too! LOL
I'm not getting as much use from the TEN's as I thought I would, because it's trouble to hook it all up. That old apathy thing going on again. I need to get in the habit of putting it on before I eat lunch or ride in the car. Those seem to be my worst triggers for pain. It's the leaning forward with no support posture that makes mealtimes hurt. For breakfast and supper, I'm usually on the computer on the sofa, with the laptop in my lap, eating in between typing. Yes, my keyboard needs cleaning out something terrible, but I don't know how.
I'll try to do better by the TEN's today. It's rented for one month, and then, if I think it helped, insurance will pay for it. Seems fair enough to me.
I got just plain disgusted the other day, and told hubby I'm going to go off of all my PD meds for awhile, just to see how I do. I made a short experiment with that right around Christmas, but the holidays weren't really a good time to be experimenting, so it was a very, very short time that I was without the meds. I intend to stick this out for at least a week, maybe longer. I just want to see once and for all if the meds are doing me any good at all.
I worked hard all day yesterday getting more of our plush animals and dolls into our own Plush Animal & Soft Doll Shoppe, so I can more easily sell directly. I'll still be on eBay, but I need to wean away from depending on that source completely for sales. EBay messes with things too much, and changes things at a whim. At least with my own site, I know exactly what's going on. Course, right now, not much IS going on!
I started working on tax forms I have to fill out for the paid caregiver we had with Daddy. Once I do all his taxes, and the Estate's taxes, and pay what is owed to the IRS, we can close out the Estate bank account, and invest the money. It will be good to see the end of that chapter of my life.
Hubby continues to be supportive and helpful, I feel better, I don't have any signs of skin cancers, and I'm accomplishing something with our sales. I'd say that's a pretty good sign that the apathy is lifting. I sure hope so.
I'm finding the cervical collar to be very helpful, but it hurts to wear it. I've made about all the adjustments that I can to make it work better on my short neck, but it is still uncomfortable. Let's face it -- I have a small face and CPAP and Collars were just not meant for someone my size. It's a shame my hips and tummy haven't figured out they are supposed to be petite, too! LOL
I'm not getting as much use from the TEN's as I thought I would, because it's trouble to hook it all up. That old apathy thing going on again. I need to get in the habit of putting it on before I eat lunch or ride in the car. Those seem to be my worst triggers for pain. It's the leaning forward with no support posture that makes mealtimes hurt. For breakfast and supper, I'm usually on the computer on the sofa, with the laptop in my lap, eating in between typing. Yes, my keyboard needs cleaning out something terrible, but I don't know how.
I'll try to do better by the TEN's today. It's rented for one month, and then, if I think it helped, insurance will pay for it. Seems fair enough to me.
I got just plain disgusted the other day, and told hubby I'm going to go off of all my PD meds for awhile, just to see how I do. I made a short experiment with that right around Christmas, but the holidays weren't really a good time to be experimenting, so it was a very, very short time that I was without the meds. I intend to stick this out for at least a week, maybe longer. I just want to see once and for all if the meds are doing me any good at all.
I worked hard all day yesterday getting more of our plush animals and dolls into our own Plush Animal & Soft Doll Shoppe, so I can more easily sell directly. I'll still be on eBay, but I need to wean away from depending on that source completely for sales. EBay messes with things too much, and changes things at a whim. At least with my own site, I know exactly what's going on. Course, right now, not much IS going on!
I started working on tax forms I have to fill out for the paid caregiver we had with Daddy. Once I do all his taxes, and the Estate's taxes, and pay what is owed to the IRS, we can close out the Estate bank account, and invest the money. It will be good to see the end of that chapter of my life.
Hubby continues to be supportive and helpful, I feel better, I don't have any signs of skin cancers, and I'm accomplishing something with our sales. I'd say that's a pretty good sign that the apathy is lifting. I sure hope so.
Labels: Acne Rosacea, apathy, cervical collar, Dermatologist, Income tax, settling an estate, skin cancer, TENS
posted by Dirty Butter @ 5:32 AM
4 Comments:
At 1/30/2008 9:29 AM ,
Marshamlow said...
I can only imagine how frustrating it is to have to take all that medication. I am glad you got so much accomplished and that you don't have skin cancer.
At 1/30/2008 2:11 PM ,
Dirty Butter said...
Thanks, Marsha. I get very tired of being tied to that medicine schedule, that's for sure. Right now, with the PD meds out of the way, I'm only on the stomach and allergy meds, plus the vitamins and herbs I take to keep my general health and antioxidant levels high
At 2/16/2008 1:01 PM ,
Anonymous said...
Hi DB,
This morning, as my dear husband started yet another "golightly" routine, I googled "Parkinson's & constipation" just to see what comes up. Your blog is just great. I should be vacuuming right now, but I'm too engrosed with your story. You have so much valuable information and experiences, and it's reassuring, somehow, to learn of others with similar problems.
Bob has been sleeping fitfully and fell last night on his way to the bathroom. Fortunately he was able to get up on his own. There have been other times when he could not and 911 guys came and lifted him into bed.
You have so many other peripheral problems as well as PD. Bob does too. He was diagnosed with PD one week last summer and a week later with an aggressive form of prostate cancer. His radiation therapy was completed on Jan 31st and now he's almost through with hormones, etc. I wonder, sometimes, if the PD (which, of course, he's had for a long, long time) has made him for vulnerable for other diseases. Humm.
I might mention that we live at the "end of the road" in the snowy (right now) North Cascade mountains, making access to specaialists sometimes a challenge, but our local country doc is well equiped to deal with lots of Bob's symptoms and we are grateful to him. Our neurologist is a two hour drive away but he gives a lot of assistance by phone. I suspect you may have a similar challenge.
Thanks for the blog and good luck, Suzanne
At 2/16/2008 2:20 PM ,
Dirty Butter said...
Suzanne, I'm so glad you took the time to tell me about your hubby! Please use the Contact form on my About Me to email me, OK? I don't know if the PD made the cancer worse, but I would imagine it made the surgery and recuperation harder, and that's a shame. I hope he's doing better, and sorry to hear that he is falling. Sounds like he needs to use a cane at least during the night. But I know what it is to resist using one, so that may be a battle you wouldn't win.
If you don't want to email me, please consider joining Patients Like Me, as a caregiver, or better if you can get Bob to join, too, as a Parkie. There's a link on the bottom right side of this blog that will take you there and let you see my information on file there.
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