Ass, Grass, or Cash....Nobody Sneezes For Free...
Good
morning! I’ve decided to use my blog not
only to writing, music, and other facets of entertainment, but, also to share
my journey. I’ve had significant health problems for almost two years.
Initially, my rheumatologist diagnosed me with systemic lupus (SLE) on June 19,
2013. However, the medication wasn’t working and I kept getting worse and
developing new symptoms. So, after second, third, and fourth opinions, my
neurologist believes instead I have fibromyalgia.
In April
2014 I visited yet another rheumatologist who I hoped would be familiar with
autoimmune disorders. Following an extensive intake during my initial
appointment, I found a place where the doctor also listened to me. Based upon
my blood work, the doctor believes I have Sjogren’s Syndrome. She also made the
diagnosis of Fibromyalgia and pre-lupus. I’ve never heard of pre-lupus, but,
hopefully it stays in the “pre” category.
Thank you
for listening, each week I will have a new installment chronicling my journey-
Which is now more frustrating than ever. I test positive for ANAs in my blood,
but, the lupus tests are negative. There are several varieties of autoimmune
disorders, with different caveats and health variations. Learning to live with
the unknown has become my routine.
“GRASS”
AIN’T ALWAYS A GOOD TIME
Ahoy all! In
this day and age, lovers of grass are at an all-time legal high, especially in
Colorado and Washington. Heck, I even heard there were groups organizing in
Dallas, TX in the push for legalization of wacky weed. But, today, what I’m
talking about is grass that doesn’t cause such a good time. For example –
Johnson, Bermuda, Meadow Fescue, and Rye…I have my reasons for my dislike.
Well this
has been a tough week for me, I can’t seem to get enough rest no matter what I
do. Today I went to yoga in hopes to rejuvenate my sluggishness, but, felt like
a defeated down dog. It started last Friday when I started fighting a headache
that I kept fighting all weekend. Fearing another migraine like I had on vacay
just a couple weeks back, I jumped up on the offensive.
However, I
finally checked pollen counts for my area and BINGO, like a shot in the ass, I
see that grass pollens are very high right now.
HRMPH!
I’m still
trying to determine how I seem to flare so badly when pollens are elevated, I
know from skin prick tests…oh, you say, “What’s a skin prick test?” It’s not as
good of a time as you’d think, believe me. But, I’ll indulge your curiosity.
A few years
ago I visited my asthma and allergy doctor, an awesome guy named Dr. Moore at
North Texas Asthma and Allergy. He opted to run a skin prick test on me to
determine if I had obvious allergies to trees, grass, weeds, mold, dander, and
some foods. I had to lie on my stomach, then the doctor systematically injected
(actually scratched is more like it, it wasn’t that invasive) local known
allergens/pollens into the skin over my back. I was then instructed to wait 20
minutes for him to come back in and “read” the results. During this 20 minutes,
I would have to lie still on my stomach, not scratch my back or anything.
Within two
minutes, yes, TWO minutes, I was fit to be tied. Dear Lord, the heat began just
as a wave of a thousand angry nerve endings demanded attention. I dreamed of
having the mega back scratcher…you know the kind they sell at amusement parks
and cheap variety stores? Except I needed one with roughed up brillo pads to really
get the job done right. I cringed and shifted and tried desperately to take my
mind off the hives and welts bubbling up on my back like a wet Gizmo after
midnight. When he came in, he immediately asked the nurse to give me some
Benadryl and we seriously talked meds.
What I’m still
trying to figure out is how my allergies, the pollens, autoimmune disease, and
fibromyalgia are related. It makes sense, but, I still don’t have anything to
clearly connect the dots. So, what I’d like to know…anyone else out there share
this or a similar experience? When my allergy doctor spoke with me about my allergies, I hadn't yet started exhibiting the health problems of my autoimmune disease. Now, it's a co-mingled mixture of ick, of which I have no 100% relief.
Well, it’s almost
9pm and time for bed. It’s not dark yet, but, that doesn’t stop the chickens…or
me. Rest is the best medicine...
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