Call me irresponsible

Yes I am irresponsible. First of all I  did not blog for several days and didn't tell anyone. Well, posting on my blog and saying 'I am going away and won't be blogging' is inviting the burglars in. I apologize and now I am back. My cat is overjoyed we came back even though he had a very nice cat sitter who came and fed him, brushed him, and sat with him twice a day. But he feels he was neglected and malnutreated for the duration.

I am also irresponsible because I failed to pack my medications correctly. I packed my husband's pills. I packed my vitamins. I packed one pill box with prescriptions. I did not pack my daily prescriptions in my other pill box. Saturday night I remembered to take Saturday mornings pills. Then I found I was missing my Sunday and Monday AM pills. Well I took my Monday AM pills when we got home this afternoon. And I still seem to be alive, so no harm, no foul.

I am also irresponsible in that we went on a small hike on Sunday and at the very farthest point from the car, I stepped funny and 'felt' my ankle do the similar bad thing it did about three years ago that resulted in a boot and lots of PT. Right now I am in the ice, elevation and avoidance category. I'll give it a few days before I decide if it needs additional attention.

Finally I am very irresponsible in that we came home and started to  unpack and I couldn't find my wallet. I wasn't in my bag. I wasn't mixed up in the dirty laundry. It wasn't anywhere in the car, under the seats, etc. Finally after a good deal of stress, I found it sitting on the  bed next to my purse.

But I recovered from all this now by taking my pills, fed the cat, resting my ankle, destressing, and no longer being covered in wood smoke/insect repellant perfume.

You can call me irresponsible but I may not answer.

More ups and downs

I think I have been neglecting my health here for the past few weeks. I don't know. Sometimes I don't feel like talking about things because I don't want to talk about them so I can pretend they aren't happening or because I don't want anyone asking me about it. And its my blog and I can blog about whatever I want.

Yesterday I went to my ankle doctor to find out the results of my ankle MRI. It turns out that yes my ankle has healed up nicely but it has left two pockets of fluid in my ankle which is why it is still stiff, sore and swollen. The answer for this is to try to stick a nice big needle full of cortisone in one of them to see if it helps reduce the swelling. (I hate big needles and don't like the fact that doctors always want to stick me with them.) I go back in six weeks to see how it is doing. Maybe she'll stick a needle in the other pocket of fluid. In the mean time, the outer side of my left ankle is a bit sore from the needle. Oh joy. All of this caused by a nanosecond of stupidity where I tried to look over my shoulder while walking at the end of July 2009.

Next week is my big avoidance. I am invoking my inner three year old who is screaming 'no, no, no' with her eyes closed. Next week I am having an ultrasound of my thyroid. Last year I was supposed to have a baseline ultrasound but it found a 'thingy' called recurrence, thyroid tissue, or lymph node. Nothing was supposed to be there. I had a follow up one in July to see if there was any change. It was the same size. It was called a recurrence or tissue. But since it had not changed, it was called more likely tissue and another six month follow up was called for. Which is next week. The problem is it is big enough to see but too small to biopsy. The fact that it was stable and hadn't changed is good meaning that it is probably just tissue.

Now left over thyroid tissue or regrown thyroid tissue isn't necessarily a good thing. I had radioactive iodine treatment to destroy all tissue and have been told that it is very unlikely or even unheard of to have left over tissue. Regrown tissue is bad because it is unsure if it is good (clean) or bad (malignant) tissue. And it can't be biopsied because it is too small. The only other test is a full body radioactive scan that requires dietary changes and other prep and requires isolation afterward.

Another reason I haven't talked much about this is that this would be a recurrence nearly thirty years after the fact. This is difficult because I don't like talking about recurrences and this is an example of why you can never say you are free from cancer after diagnosis. They just can't find anything. But then they did.

So we are just pretending next week isn't happening.

My tennis elbow is sort of healing. I was supposed to have more acupuncture today but its basically a blizzard outside so everything is canceled. PT seems to be helping and I have progressed to little bitty weights.

In the meantime, my back is having its ups and downs. Today I woke up achy and sore and I'm not sure why. But its snowing out and I can't shovel so I'm just going to work from home with my feet up on the coffee table and get caught up on a lot of work.

Otherwise, life goes on. I actually declined some volunteer work this week because I simply don't have time and was starting to be overstressed.

Oh, and I cant shovel snow so I guess my health has one good side effect. I just get to supervise.

It can be yours as well for $20 and a mere ten minutes twice a day!

Yes, you too can have a healthy balancing ankle for the mere investment of a $20 copay and ten minutes twice a day. No stress, no strain, no surgery!

Yesterday I went to see my ankle surgeon. I thought because of the state of my ankle after twisting and falling a few weeks back (when I attempted to be a healthy person) that I had no choice but ankle surgery to heal up. The surgeon talked to me and then she tried bending my ankle around under this funky xray machine where she could move my ankle and take pictures of it. It was kind of cool, but I digress. She said the ligaments are fine and surgery would do nothing. But my balance is off. I admit to neglecting the balance exercises I had been given - I have so many damn exercises I forgot them - but apparently they are the key to my healthy ankle. So ten minutes twice a day, I need to balance on my ankle for a minute at a time and then off and then back on. Can you balance on one foot for one minute? Can you do that five times in a row? This will be a challenge. And today my ankle hurts because of the contortions the doctor put it through yesterday. But I am supposed to try this for six weeks and go back and see her. Then if its still a problem I will get more PT.

So I left the doctor's office and was driving home and was very happy I don't have to have surgery. I didn't want more surgery. But I was hoping that it would heal up my ankle and it would stop hurting and get better. It would be nice that something would actually get better. So the downside of this is six weeks, actually probably more, of work on my ankle and then PT and then finally, maybe it will be better. So not as good as initially assumed.

Yesterday was a very long day. I worked, went to the doctor, went for a walk and went to my monthly support group. I was gone for 12 hours. My back was not happy. As a result, even though I put on a pain patch and took pain meds, I was up for a few hours in the middle of the night. I am overscheduled today - work 8-215, 230 phone call at home, 4-5 manicure & pedicure, 530 hair cut - and I want to fit in a walk, but I am starting out exhausted. This won't be fun. Tonight I will go to bed early. But now I have to start balancing, doing my back exercises, my arm exercises, and eat some breakfast.

Off to see the ankle surgeon

Today I am off to work and then I see the ankle surgeon to find out about scheduling surgery. My ankle is not better. It is not getting better. In fact it is swollen again. Its not going away. The question the doctor had was 'if it was in a state where I can live with it' and the answer is no. I am sick of it.

So today I will find out about scheduling when it can take place. I know it won't be until at least another month because my next back procedure is the 19th and it will have to be at least 2 weeks after that. But it will finally be scheduled and dealt with and I can move on and deal with other ailments. It will be nice to have something get better and go away as opposed to chronic things that just seem to hang on and get worse (like my back) or just never go away (like cancer).

My appointment is at the end of the day so I am going to work first and then after I will go to a meeting. Yesterday, don't tell anyone, but I was 'working from home'. In addition to working, I also went to my therapist, Petco, Bed Bath & Beyond, Costco, the dry cleaners, 5&10, post office, Walgreens, retrieved the cat from my parent's house (his vacation home) and met a friend for a walk. I only worked for about 2 hours total... I might be working a little this weekend as a result.

After being home for two days my back is not happy still. Perhaps its because of everything I did yesterday as well. Maybe I carried a few things as well. Hmmm... Self inflicted I guess. My arm isn't too happy either. I think I need to schedule another visit at the lymphedema clinic but will wait until after I see my surgeon on Friday. But that's an appointment for another day.

What is wrong with me...

Now someone did make a point yesterday in a comment that they didnt understand what the needles in my back were for but hoped it was not for cancer related issues. So what is wrong with me? (And I am not consulting my husband on this as he will have other diagnosis not normally found in the medical profession).

Basically I am okay breast cancer wise. I have my annual mammogram/surgeon/bloodwork/bone density coming up in a few weeks which will stress me out but should give me some reassurances. I will probably also switch from Tamoxifen to an aromatase inhibitor. The bone density check is to get another update on my bones because thyroid medicine is hard on one's bones as is Tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors. They will continue to watch my bones for the duration that I am on an AI because I already have osteopenia.

Thyroid cancer wise I am doing okay. I do have to go back for more tests in July but nothing more to know until then. I have a new endocrinologist and there are new follow up standards where I should now see an endocrinologist annually at least.

My ankle is the result of a sprain from last summer. I have a chip of cartilage and a torn ligament. It hasn't healed on its own (or arrived at a state I can live with) so I will have ankle surgery to fix this.

My back is an adventure in itself. I have degenerating disks. Back pain started November 2008 and I ended up a doctor in January 09. I have been through MRI's and x-rays to arrive at the diagnosis. It happened naturally. It only hurts when I stand, walk, sit or lie down. It is not treatable by surgery. I tried PT, I was told not to try massage, yoga, pilates, or anything else that might put pressure on parts of my back. It is 'manageable' through medication, exercises, and cortisone injections and other invasive procedures. The latest one was a diagnostic facet block as a test to see if a radiofrequency procedure that will kill off some nerves permanently and relieve the pain in that area. I use the term 'manageable' loosely as I am on a permanent 20 lb weight lifting restriction and can no longer do lots of things that I used to enjoy like: skiing, sailing, walking on loose surface (snow, sand, etc), bicycling, etc.

My left arm has lymphedema. It is a mild case but lymphedema is not something that ever goes away. It gives me additional restrictions where I can't do anything that stresses the arm. This includes things like: carrying, lifting, pulling, pushing, sun burn, cuts or scrapes (no matter how small), etc.

Otherwise, I am healthy. (Aside from that Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?) My body is slowly falling apart I think. But I'm still here.

But I was just trying to act like a healthy person

Yesterday, I was doing my normal things - laundry, cooking, went for a walk, a little gardening, etc. I try not to let my health interfere with my daily activities. I usually just ignore the aches and pains and keep on going. If I did let them interfere I would be sitting in the corner, doing nothing with my life. But often by the end of the day, my back is killing me and my ankle is telling me I did too much again.

I was doing laundry and cooking - my parents were coming for dinner and I like to create - so I was on my feet a good portion of the day. But I did sit down and take some breaks to help my back rest. I was almost done with laundry and had three full laundry hampers lined up, waiting for my husband to bring them upstairs. I could have moved them but I attempted to step over them. Attempt is the key word here.

A normal healthy person with a healthy body could have done this quite easily. I didn't step over them. I sort of stepped over them, and turned my ankle and sat down on the clean laundry - a nice soft landing. The result is a jolted, painful back and an achy, strained, sore ankle. But I have pain meds.

Today I am going to do what I did yesterday - ignore the pains and keep going. I'll go for my walk in a little bit and then some more cooking and keep moving. What else can I do?

I'm dilemmaing

If its not a word, that's okay. But I have a dilemma. What to do about my ankle. At the last doctor appointment, I was told that it is at a chronic state basically but there is a chance it will heal on its own as the weather gets warmer. My next appointment is early May and if my ankle is better, I should just cancel it. By definition of better means 'to a state where I can live with it'.

Then I met with the lymphedema nurse who recommended just having the surgery to prevent falls and further injury to my arm.

My ankle has two injuries - a cartilage chip and a partially torn ligament. One is on the outside and one on the inside. I know this because they take turns hurting, when they don't both hurt at the same time.

The surgery itself isn't bad but it means six weeks in a cast and six weeks in a boot, followed by rehab. That adds up to three months of impeded walking. There is a chance I only need the cartilage clean up and that would mean two weeks in a boot. Its my left foot so I can drive so that's not an issue. I'm not really concerned with three months of impaired mobility. I am more concerned about my arm, long term issues, and generally just getting better.

My dilemma is three fold:
1. I can just live with my ankle and skip the surgery - I can always have the surgery eventually. I would need to continue my ankle exercises until some time when I just give up on them (or it magically stops hurting).
2. I can wait until I see the doctor in May on the faint hopes that it will heal itself but will probably end up having the surgery.
3. I can go ahead and call my doctor now and schedule the surgery sooner.

I think option one is not really an option unfortunately but the idea of surgery is not a happy thought. It would be number nine if you are keeping count.

I don't know. I am very tired today - couldn't fall asleep, woke up a couple times and am up too early because my husband has an early start today. Maybe I should just let my dilemma slide until another day when I am awake.

How's my stress level?

Well, honestly, its not very good. I had a discussion on this with my therapist yesterday. She suggests that I talk about my stress as it helps relieve it.

I am stressed a little still about my husband and the cat. However they both seem to be improving - the cat is developing a little gut from all the canned food he has eaten in the past few days. Trader Joe's tuna for cats, two cans a day. Oink.

I'm stressed about:

- lymphedema. It needs to be gotten under control and determined whether it can be controlled and what treatment I will need. Regardless, it never really goes away and I will have to be more careful for life.

- ankle. My ankle is not getting better. I am still working on it and will for a few more weeks but it seems clearer and clearer that surgery (or a life with a painful ankle) are my only options. But if I have surgery and am on crutches how does that impact my lymphedema arm? Just start there. Never mind probably six weeks in a cast and six weeks in a boot - which equals three months of impaired movement.

- back. Its always painful. The pain moves around. Pain is not fun. It causes all sorts of things like lack of sleep, crabbiness, depression, stress, etc. I am going for another injection next week but then the doctor isn't sure he has much more for me.

- ultrasound. I had a neck ultrasound a few weeks ago and the results were not that good. There is an area that is suspect and needs another follow up ultrasound in June. This was supposed to be a baseline test and would be clear. Well it wasn't. Now I am in that lovely wait and see mode. I am going to talk to my doctors in the meantime about this to see if the follow up should be moved up or not.

So my stress level? Rather high.

The leg bone is connected to the hip bone

I can't remember the rest of this but you know how it goes the back bone is connected to the hip bone, blah, blah, blah. Last week the lymphedema nurse told me I should consider getting ankle surgery to prevent falling. I started thinking about this. My ankle isn't really getting better. I might wait another month before calling instead of waiting until my appointment in May. No I don't want more surgery but it hurts generally all the time. I just ignore it and go about my life but pain sucks. And is draining. And is stressful.

However, I have to talk to the doctor again. If I have the surgery, I think it was six weeks in a cast and six weeks in a boot. If I am in a cast, I don't know if my back and lymphedema arm can deal with crutches so I need to find out if a walking cast is an option. Gee, that will be fun and be sure to make my back hurt.

In addition, I talked to my back doctor's office yesterday and will have another injection into my right SI joint next week. I was debating this and do think its needed. When I go for a walk, it hurts and generally aches for hours after. Then I get referred pain across my back as a result. But the pain I get now is a lot better than before where it felt like an ice pick in my SI joint when it was acting up.

Otherwise, I hope to get a lymphedema compression sleeve this week. A lovely fashion accessory in medical beige that will coordinate with my wardrobe.

Yesterday I took the cat to the vet and we will get his results today. Either he has this very obscure syndrome or he is a medical mystery. I just wish he wouldn't be such a picky eater and eat the food we give him so he stops losing weight. He lost another 1/2 lb in the past week.

I also got the joy of taking the car to the garage to see if I can get it to pass emissions inspection. Does it count as a 90K maintenance if you do it at 135K? I was thinking about it. According to the dealers records, I hadn't spent anything other than oil changes on the car for the past two years. The year before that I was busy in treatment so I know I didn't do anything to take care of my car either. So this week I get to pay for the equivalent of three years of maintenance in one week. Is this life returning to normal? I hope not.

Today I am going to work, for a walk, and then to my therapist to discuss my stress levels. Maybe I should skip going to her and ask her to read my blog and send me comments? Nah, I need the face to fact interaction.

An attempt to be less whiney

I was thinking (sorry I know I shouldn't) and reread my recent posts and decided that I have been rather whiney recently, possibly even more than normal, if that is possible. Today my goal (and my husband will cheer when he hears this) is to be less whiney.

Admittedly my life has had its ups and downs recently and I am attempting to deal in a sane manner. I am glad to say that my husband is clearly on the road to improvement, which is important because one of us needs to be healthy. But my health is still struggling. Again. My ankle is not happier. The physical therapist nurse I saw on Monday about my arm suggested I step up my exercises of my ankle to see about rehabbing it or just have the surgery and not wait because I really should be concerned about falling. Feel the cheery rays of sunshine bouncing off me at the idea of more surgery. And all these exercises are taking up too much of my time each day. (And I rebelled and didn't do any of my exercises last night - hah! Because I didn't feel like it! Hah!)

I spoke to the back doctor's office Thursday and yesterday. They refilled my meds for break through pain and then said they would be back in touch about scheduling another injection in my right SI joint. This will probably take a couple of weeks to schedule but that's okay. However the nurse told me that the doctor is running out of things he can do for me. Great. Thanks.

I am still waiting to hear from the physical therapist nurse about a lymphedema sleeve which means I'll have to go back on Thursday to get fitted. A fashion accessory I can live without.

Wait, I'm sorry I'm supposed to be less whiney. Here's an attempt. The cat got more good medical news yesterday. The vet called and said she spoke to some other vets and nutritionists about him. Basically they don't know what is wrong with him. There is one last thing to be ruled out (Addison's disease which is very rare in cats but possible) so we go for a last fasting blood test on Monday morning. In the meantime he can have regular dry food again, including higher fat kitten food, and treats, in an attempt to reverse his weight loss (but I'll be happy to give him a few pounds if that would help).

Okay, so I'm not too cheery today. But this morning we (yes Walter has agreed to go with me) are going for a walk. Then I am getting a manicure and pedicure. I think screaming bright pink would be good. That's cheery. Then I get to do laundry. That's not. I give up. I'll go drink more coffee.

On keeping doctors in business

I believe it is my personal goal to keep the local medical profession in business. I spend entirely too much time seeing different medical professionals. Then I got hold of the pathology report from my ankle MRI. I think its written in secret doctor language that requires a doctor to decipher it. To be fair, most pathology reports require some level of decoder ring but this one really takes the whole case.

I will not bore you with the entire thing but here is the finally impression at the bottom:

1. Chronic full-thickness tear of the anterior talofibular ligament.
2. Evidence of avulsive changes of the tip of the lateral malleolus, better characterized on the radiographs.
3. Osteochondral lesion in the posterior lateral aspect the talar dome, with overlying chondromalacia and at least partial-thickness chondral defect. Associated small focal vertically oriented osteochondral fracture.
4. 0.7 x 1.3 x 1.8 cm ganglion or synovial cyst arising from teh posterior aspect the tibiotalar joint and intimately associated with the flexor allucis longus muscle.

My thoughts (because the doctor already told me what's wrong):
1. I have a ligament tear
2. I have a bone chip
3. I have a cartilage chip
4. I have an old cyst

I tried to struggle through the first parts of the description of the report and it was like reading a text book in a foreign language. So I clearly think that its a plot by doctors to keep them in business. If you haven't gone to medical school you can't translate this to real English. What if you could go for a medical test and get a report that told you what was wrong and magically knew how to fix it? Nah, not going to work.

Anyway, this week Walter went to the doctor twice and I only went once, but might have to go back today. (Next week I will hit my weekly average of two appointments.) Walter's procedure went fine yesterday. He seems less whiney (big sign of improved health) and ate his favorite foods without regretting it later. I am off to work today and have made a very healthy salad for lunch with hummus on top to be healthier. And I talked to the vet and the cat has nothing discernible wrong with him but to reverse some of the weight loss issues he is now allowed to have kitty treats again. So his life is now complete.

So its not just me

I was beginning to think it was a big conspiracy and it was only me but it turns out Walter has the same problem - doctors with bad script writers. I went back to my ankle doctor yesterday expecting a recommendation along the lines of more PT/less pain, etc. No instead, it turns out she said 'my ankle is bordering on chronic' in its current state - meaning it may not get any better. In side my ankle is a harmless cyst (something common with gymnasts and ballet dancers and figure skaters), a chip of floating cartilage, and a partially torn ligament.

She recommends waiting for another three months and then seeing how it is. She also said to skip the exercises that have been causing any pain and focus on the balance exercises. (I was honest and told her I fell twice recently and she said she wasn't surprised because of balance issues caused by my ankle.) I may see some more improvement over that time and the warming weather may help as well. My options at that time will be: 1. live with it in whatever state it is in; 2. reattach ligament surgery which means six weeks in a cast, six weeks in a boot, and then rehab; 3. clean out cartilage which means two weeks in a boot, and then rehab; or 4. both options two and three together. I need a new script writer here. This is not what I wanted to hear. My ankle still hurts all the time. So what was my response: the very mature pouting phase that simply makes me feel better.

From there, I went and got Walter for his surgical follow up. He has been having some problems and wasn't feeling that great. The doctor took another look and said he needs to go back in and deal with some scar tissue issues. But he wants to wait another two to three weeks to allow for more healing before that. In the meantime, Walter has to live on a low fiber diet which means (and I quote) 'you can eat pizza and ice cream but no fruits and vegetables'. Well at least that was a nice thing to hear. But the additional procedure - which doesn't involve surgery or cutting but does involve sedation - is scheduled for three weeks from now. The part about waiting another three weeks and having to have anything else done were not part of the script we wanted to hear.

I ended my day by going to a wake. Which is worse - the wake or the funeral? I am going to the funeral today as well before work. Its going to be awful. She was too young.

End of an (air cast) era

Yes its the end of the air cast era. However I am kind of sort of paying the price for not wearing it at all yesterday. My ankle is a tiny bit sore this morning. And I am sure that is enhanced by the 16 lb furball who walked on my ankle while 'patiently' waiting for breakfast this morning (it was 5 am - go away). So I am wearing my air cast while I wait for it to finish getting light out and go for my morning walk. Yesterday I had a VERY long day - worked 8-5 and was gone basically from 715am - 615pm. Which is a very long day for me. Today I will go for a walk, do some work from home and work about 930-345... And then go to a meeting. And pack. I have to do that sometime. I am not ready for vacation.

Now the biggest transition from the air cast era is to find all my left shoes. I have been wearing my right shoes only for over a month. So normally, you wear a pair of shoes and put them away together neatly in the closet (or, if you are a normal person, under your desk, next to the bed, in the living room, etc) but the point is they are together because you wore them together. Well I have two closets I can put shoes in (because I have two 10' clothes closets - yes really and they are mine and I am not sharing) and so some of the shoes are in one closet and some in the other - the rights and lefts are all separated now. So I have to find the matching shoes. Its hard enough to get out of the house in the morning with shoes that match the outfit much less find two matching shoes that match the outfit. It would probably be helpful if I matched up my shoes BEFORE vacation.)

But since I was out of my air cast for a whole day (and I wore matching shoes), my back is somewhat better. Well partially better. I have about two months until I go back to the back doctor so perhaps the new pain meds will now kick in now that I am walking evenly and my back will continue to improve. It is better since I started my new meds but since I started them the same day I got my air cast and have been walking funny, my back has been stressed and painful. So I will go back to being the patient patient (something I excel at these days) and wait and see how my back does.

Blogging and opinions

My blog is my opinion. Its that way because I write it. And yesterday I wrote about the rude jerk (who we saw again in the local diner where my husband and I went for breakfast yesterday). He sort of tried to get my attention again but I ignored him. Anyway, I am allowed to have my own opinion. Someone left a comment yesterday about how these things happen for a reason and maybe I should keep an open mind. What? Me, an open mind? I think I do have a relatively open mind. I don't have time for rude people who butt into conversations but in general I am pretty flexible and open to new ideas. But if they could cure cancer through energy healing and brass gongs, cancer would have gone away a long time ago. So buddy, get back to me when you have a real cure and not just snake oil. Me I'm leaving the solution to the research scientists who know what they are doing.

In the meantime, this week is a three day work week for us. Yesterday was Labor Day (well, doh, you knew that) and Friday we go off on vacation. This means I need to fit five days worth of work into three. And it means I need to leave for work in the next twenty minutes and not get home until around 6... A long day. Sigh. Maybe Walter will cook dinner. But tomorrow I work from home for a few hours and then go to work from 10-4. Thursday I'll work 8-3 or 4 and then do all kinds of fun things like take my computer off to rehab (a/k/a a computer tune up while we are out of town) and the cat off to his vacation (at my parents). Some how I am also supposed to pack and get organized.

I could have been more productive this weekend. Saturday was sailing. Sunday was I can't remember (chemo brain). Monday was gardening, work from home, run a bunch of errands. Now I remember Sunday - we ran errands and bought a living room sofa which will be delivered in October.

I was an air head yesterday and messed up my pills. I have two that I take the second I wake up because one of them needs to be taken on an empty stomach - 1 hour before or 2-3 hours after eating and not in combination with my calcium or prilosec. Then an hour later I take my back pills with food. Then a couple of hours later or sometime before dinner I take my vitamins. With dinner I take more back pills. Well, somehow, yesterday I took the wrong pills in the morning and skipped the empty stomach one. Well I figured this out about 6 pm as I was cooking dinner. So I took it not on an empty stomach and figure it might be a little less effective since it wasn't in optimal conditions but at least I took it. Today I paid more attention and got it right.

Yesterday I barely wore my stupid air cast. I am quite sick of it. Today I am not going to wear it but I will take it with me in case my ankle starts to act up. I went on a big walk yesterday which felt good but made my back hurt and made me tired. Wait, my back hurt from gardening with my stupid air cast on. Work involves lots of sitting with very short walks to the printer and the bathroom (both about 10' - in opposite directions of course).

But now I need to get moving so I can get out the door in the next 15 minutes - after I eat breakfast and get dressed.

On Air Casts and Ankles

Its nice that after only a couple of days, my ankle actually feels better in the air cast. Yesterday I did all kinds of things and it didn't hurt until late in the day and then only minorly. I weeded the patio - which was a jungle of grass growing up between the bricks - sitting in a chair which I moved around. I primed and painted the downstairs bathroom - now it is a nice bright white instead of light blue and silver foil swirled wall paper. I vacuumed. I did laundry and folded it. I did not carry things. I did keep my ankle elevated. And my back still hurt.

But maybe this Lyrica is helping my back. It hurt but not as badly as before. And the really nasty places only spoke up a couple of time. It is still early to tell I think. I took it Thursday night, Friday night, and twice yesterday. I am supposed to take it twice a day but I was concerned about dizziness as a side effect and didn't want to take it on a weekday where I had to drive until I found out how it would effect me.

Last night we had a friend over for dinner. Because we are such great planners, Walter said to me at 5 pm, 'we should have grilled outside'. Well dinner was already planned and started inside. So we compromised and ate outside last night. We are planning dinner tonight that could be in either place. But we are supposed to get rain later so it may not happen.

Today I am meeting a new friend for coffee. I found out online that there is a woman who lives literally around the corner - probably within 100 yards (unless she is at the far end of the block from me) who also has breast cancer (what is there a neighborhood cluster? No, I don't think so) and we are meeting for coffee this morning. Also today I have to do work - because I procrastinated last week and have two deadlines tomorrow. I need to do work on a lovely summer day. The one downside to working from home are the distractions. But I can work in my PJs if I want.