So How Large is 7 Centimeters Anyway?

They say that "Shit Happens".  Well yeah, it does.

We got the money & we are now pretty much caught up on bills.  *yay*

Then well, see first line of blog...

I got a call from Ellen again.  They saw something on my ultrasound.  Apparently what she was thinking it was a cluster of blood vessels.  They were not sure, so they had me go in for a MRI.  Within a week I had the test.  It was a Saturday, the tech said I would probably hear from my doctor by.. oh say, Tuesday.  Monday morning I got another call from Ellen.  They don't think it's a cluster of blood vessels, it looked more like a mass.  She wanted me to see the GI specialist earlier than we had scheduled.  (my appointment was at the end of December).  Within 1 1/2 weeks we saw Dr. Tompkins, it was actually the day before Thanksgiving.  She said that she didn't get a chance to look at the MRI.  She said that when she gets a look at it she would discuss it with the radiologist & get back to me.  I asked her exactly what I could have.  She said in my right lob of my liver I have a 7cmx5.5cm mass.  Needless to say, she hasn't gotten back to me.  Oh and the other issue I have is most likely gas & she has me taking some over-the-counter stuff to take care of it.

If that wasn't enough, PA Fenstermocker didn't realize that I have had this pressure in my head ever since puberty.  He thinks that I might be creating too much spinal fluid & that the extra fluid is pressing on my head...so he wanted me to try taking a steroid for a week.  That really, really sucked!! I was nauseous almost the whole time. It reduced the pressure a little bit, but it didn't get rid of it.  So. Now they are going to schedule a Spinal Tap ... a Lumbar Puncture... to measure how much spinal fluid I am making.  He was going to have Mary call me back to make the appointment.  Yeah, haven't heard from her either.

OH.  I didn't mention the fun part!! If they can't get a good defined picture of my mass (I kinda feel like maybe I should name it), then she said they might have to remove it.  First they might have me get a Cat scan.  If they can't see more definition they might do one of the following:

1.  Remove it.  They can't do a biopsy because it usually would cause excessive bleeding.

2.  Get me off birth control pills.  Remember that news item from a few weeks back connecting birth control pills to masses found in organs... funny thing... anyway, this could really suck because I wouldn't be able to use almost all the birth control with the same medications in it.  I can't get pregnant because a few of my medications would cause major birth defects or worse to the baby.  So what are we to do?

So, is it me, or does this really, really bite the big one?  Thoughts anyone??

It's Just Getting Weirder & Weirder

Strange few days I have had.  For starters I finally got the decision. It was like 8 pages, but it was good, sort of.  It said I was disabled, so I will be able to get Social Security.  I said sort of because I'm now considered disabled to the federal government.  I'm not sure how I feel about that.  How am I suppose to feel about that?  Anyway, I talked to my lawyer's office and they said that I should be hearing by letter from SS 2-4 weeks.

I heard from Ellen's office and they said that my blood tests resulted in showing that my platelets are high.  The other thing they told me is that my x-ray showed that I have a large poop backup.  They are also concerned that my poop has become light as well.  So...  They have me on Miralax for 2 weeks, I had a 2nd blood test & an Ultrasound today on my abdomen.  The Miralax has just made me gassy, my platelets are still high, just not as much, also my Ultrasound (I am assuming) was fine.

Other than that.  I'm okay, sometimes I get bored. Okay, alot of times I get bored.  Hopefully that will change when we get the money from SS.  We want to replace Garrick's Jeep with a more reliable vehicle & one with better gas mileage.  Once we do that, I will have my car all the time.  This means I can go to the gym everyday I feel well enough to.  Also, I can go visit family (locally).  Etc. Etc. Until that, I watch alot of Netflix, Hulu, CBS.com, and listen to alot of pod casts from How Stuff Works.

Anybody out there??

Sorry for no New Blog for 15 days...

What a crazy month it's been so far.  If I haven't had a splitting headache, I was having difficulty sleeping.  In fact, the reason I am writing this at 5am is because I haven't been able to sleep yet.  Besides this, what is new?

1.  I met my new doctor last week.  Her name is Dr. Ellen Bernard.  She wants me to call her Ellen.  Not Dr. Ellen, not Dr. Bernard, but Ellen.  Which will make it easy when she moves to Epping Health, where I currently go, because Dr. Bernard is there... her husband.  I like her.  She doesn't assume anything that happens to me will be automatically under Fibromyalgia, Migraine, or Osteoarthritis.  When I met her I told her about my "bloating" and asked if water pills were safe with everything else I take, or if I actually need one.  She asked me a few standard questions, and then asked "Do you have any problems with your stomach".  I told her, as I told everyone else, yes, but instead of saying oh that's a side effect of Fibromyalgia, she said she wanted to run some tests to make sure it is that & not something wrong with my stomach that is causing my bloating.  She also said that I should not be bloating since it isn't a symptom of my Fibro or my meds (!).  So today I was at Exeter Hospital for a blood test & a X-ray of my tum-tum area.

2.  We still haven't received the decision from Social Security... tick tick tick.  We are at the point of taking from Peter to pay Paul, we really need that lump sum!

3.  The Variety Show came & went.  Garrick & I were the RCTV producers for it.  It went better than expected.  I was afraid that Garrick would be the one doing all the hard labor for it, since I am not allowed to pull or push too much weight.  (Nor lift it).  But we had a full crew setting up, running & tearing down.  That might have been a first for me!  But like I said, it went well.  I haven't watched it streaming yet, but I haven't received any complaints either.  And sometimes with RCTV viewers, no news is good news.  Jon did a great job with the show (he's the shows Producer) & it amazes me how he does it every year.  This was the fifth year.

4.  Went through my iTunes and compiled my "Halloween" play list.  To make it easy for me, I might just leave it for next year.  It took awhile to find all the songs (although what else was I going to do all night?  Sleep?? HA!)

I think that's about it.  I find it odd haven't sleep issues because I haven'thad insomia since college (graduated 1997).  It's weird, not sleeping at night much, I find myself contemplating lots of odd things.  Such as:  If a meteor was to hit the US, would taking the car up to the top of Mt Washington save us from drowning?  If it's true that my generation could be the first generation to have someone living up to 150 years old, how would those last few decades of life be like?  Is it too late to have a really interesting, public orientated party run for President, since both parties don't seem to be listening to each other, only talking?  Would it really be possible to buy only American products for Christmas this year?  How do you know if a CD or DVD is an American product since there are rights to consider besides materials? etc, etc.  Anyone have answers for the questions above??  Christy

What Was I Thinking? & Yay?

So last Saturday I went to the Deerfield Fair with Garrick, Jolene, Steve & Karen.  I used the walking stick like planned.  I did last longer than the year before.  I ended up seriously in pain at home that night as well.  Oh well, what's a girl to do?  I ended up icing my back both Saturday & Sunday nights, not to mention a pain pill as well.

Monday! Okay the morning started with a horrible thunderstorm!! There was minor flooding all the way to Lawrence for my hearing.  I was so nervous!!  We got there early, and my lawyer got there just 15 minutes before the hearing.  They asked me a ton of questions.  My lawyer talked to the judge about many of the things I rather others didn't know.  But it seemed to work! After the judge talked to me & Garrick, he looked at the vocational specialist and told him, he didn't need to say anything.  The judge said he already knew what his decision was going to be & we were dismissed.  I asked my lawyer after what that meant and she said that 99,999% of the time means I won!  It could take up to a month though to get the official decision.  Garrick & I are talking about actually having Christmas presents this year!

Tuesday I woke up with another headache & I was stuck in bed all day.  I got nothing accomplished except for catching up on "How Stuff Works" podcasts.  (If you don't know what it is, you should look it up!)  Funny thing, the stress of not getting stuff done, was lessened.  Could that be that because it looks like I will be contributing to the household finally?

Dr Stanton Says "You must stretch & exercise!"

So Monday I had an appointment with Dr. Stanton.  He's kinda like Dr. Kuntz, just that he works with bones, not nerves or muscles.  Anyway, he said my leg pain was because of my back.  I have a slight bulge between 4 or 5?  What does that mean?  I know the pain is around the bootie, so it's there.  Anyway again, he said that I have to do my PT stretches & exercise on the recumbent bike.  I have to keep it up because if my leg gets worse, he said that he can give me a steroid at the point they give epidurals (it's called the same thing). The trick is that if I keep up with all the exercise, when I get the shot, it could work for good! No more pain! If I don't keep up the exercise, it will only work temporarily.  So, far this week I have done gym once & stretches once.  Tomorrow it's the gym.  But first...

At 10am my lawyer is calling to make last minute catch up before I my hearing on Tuesday.  1st thing: I haven't even met her yet. I have been working with her paralegals up to now. 2nd thing: The hearing is Tuesday! I thought it was Thursday.  My nervousness is now heightened.  **yay**

At noon, I am meeting Joanne at Taco Bell in Londonderry to return her scanner she so graciously let Garrick & I borrow for the race.  I promised all the details I could give her, that she didn't see on TV.

After I need to go to the gym.  Then later we are off to Doug's for Exalted.

Saturday is the Deerfield Fair.  I am going to be bad & bring a walking stick.  I know I am not supposed to rely of them, but last year I didn't last a long time at the fair.  I want to enjoy myself more than pain & fair food.

Oh, and this week... average time of falling asleep? er... around 3 or 4am.  I will make sure I am in bed by midnight.  Can't let this keep up!  Anyone else having problems sleeping?  er, wait... I asked that before didn't I. Oops.  Christy

And then there's NASCAR

Ok - Last Thursday I saw the Nurse Practitioner about my peeling fingers & the pain in my right leg.  Yeah, not that productive.  Fingers - yet another form of Eczema.  *yay*.  My leg, well...hmmm.. she said she knew it wasn't a clot, which I didn't even thing of!!, but she doesn't know for sure since....you guessed it... it could be because of my Fibromyalgia or Osteoarthritis!! Wow.  You know just because I have these things doesn't mean everything that is painful for me is because of these things!!  Does anyone out there have that same problem???

Saturday morning I woke up with a shearing pain above my right eye & temple.  I get these periodically.  The hurt like hell (the most painful thing I have ever felt) & none of the doctors I see seem to worry about them at all.  I took some Migraine pain meds & slept for hours.  I felt better after I got up.

Well Saturday afternoon & on was nice! We went up to Middleton, we being Garrick, myself & Jolene, and worked the garden.  I want the first frost!! Sounds weird, but we have Kale & Parsnips that can't be harvested until the first frost.  Also at that point, my Dad wants us to harvest all the tomatoes to ripen inside.  For those who are not in the know.. my fathers tomatoes have taken over the garden and YET only the cherry tomatoes & the yellow pear tomatoes are ripening.  After the garden we went to Keith & Brooke's cookout.  Their house is amazing! I wish Garrick & I can get one.  Unfortunately, I first have to get Social Security,  we need to clean up more of our bills & then save up the down payment before we can even start to look at land or houses.  We have decided we want to go green, you know solar energy & such.  That's the closest we are to a house....thinking about it.  Anyway, at the party was Steve & Karen, Jolene, & Cari & Jon.  And the reason I am boring all of you with this information is because I felt great during the party.  I never feel good at parties for some reason, but this time... I seemed... healthy!  THEN CAME SATURDAY OVERNIGHT/SUNDAY MORNING...

Sunday.... Have I mentioned that one of the side effects you can have with Fibromyalgia is IBS?  Do you know what that is?? If not, it is Irritable Bowel Syndrome.  i.e.  YUCK!  That was @ 11:30-2am.  We needed to get up at 6am for the race (Louden - New Hampshire Motor Speedway - NASCAR).  I had like only 3 hours of sleep with a waking up Migraine. So I took the meds on top of not much sleep.  The race was great.  No blowout, exciting until the end.  (Thanks Joanne for letting us use your scanner!!)  Funny thing though, I felt myself starting to nod off numerous times..IN THE MIDDLE OF A NASCAR RACE.. a very loud race.  What is up with that??  So with that... Tony Stewart won by the way... I am exhausted... need sleep NOW! Night all.  Christy 

Yeah.... it's that time again?

Have you ever noticed that today, in this age, we can talk about anything.  We can talk about sex, drugs, etc... but there is one topic no one likes to talk about.  Do you know what it is?  If you are female you know all right!  Luckily, thanks to modern medicine, I only have to deal with that 4 times a year.  Unluckily for me it affects or effects, whatever, my Migraines, my Fibromyalgia, and my Osteoarthritis... all at once!  Yay! **scream**  Only a couple more days until I am back on.... CAN'T WAIT!

Other news, I saw my friend Joanne today!  It was great to see her!!  Because I'm stuck home most of the time, I don't get to see many people.  Not that I don't enjoy who I do see, it's just that I can count them on my fingers...and maybe a couple of toes.  It's just like adding another one of the toes! :)  Anyway, she looked great!  She's letting Garrick & I borrow her scanner for the race on Sunday.  Without one, after a while it just looks like cars going around in circles (no jokes guys).

Tomorrow I have an appointment to check out some problems that I don't think are linked to my aliments.  I have fingers that are peeling (eww) & my right leg gets pains from hip to ankle.  I thought it might be my knee with radiating pain, but when I take the pain pill for the arthritis, the knee feels better but the rest of the leg still hurts.  We will see what she says.