Chronic Chick Talk » Lupus Rant

Midwest Heat Wave Sure is a Pain

admin — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 05:48:37 +0000

The Midwest is being hit by a heat wave this week, which is keeping a lot of people indoors. Today the feels like was 115. When I walk outdoors it’s like walking into a sauna. The heat has kept my daughter and I from taken our short walks in the evening. I’ve been desperate to reduce my pain level so I’m trying to exercise some. The heat has been affecting our air conditioner too. It seems the heat wave has increased my pain level. I don’t know if it’s the heat or a typical pain flare up. This morning my pain level was a 7 out of 10 and I thought I was going to lose my mind. Thankfully as the day went on my pain reduced some.

Do changes in weather affect your pain level? How do you decrease your pain level? Have you been hit with the heat wave this week?

Are You Childless, Sick and Poor?

admin — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 04:01:39 +0000

Just a warning, this is a rant about something someone I care about is going through.
Do you have health insurance? If you do you are one of the lucky ones. If you’re childless you can be turned down from Medicaid even if you have multiple medical conditions and qualify by your income. The only way in my state you can get Medicaid is if your blind, disabled or over 65 or have a child. It doesn’t matter if you were hospitalized or need a surgery. It’s pretty sad that people in poverty without a child can be turned down for Medicaid. The states do not have to cover a childless adult until 2014 even if you’re ill with medical issues that may kill you. Some of the states have implemented covering childless people in poverty. You don’t have to have a child to be sick.
What are your states laws about childless people in poverty and medicaid??? Share your two pennies worth with me.

The Pros and Cons of Snow Days

Chronic Chick — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 04:53:12 +0000

All it has been doing is snow for t he last couple of weeks. The snow affects me by increasing my pain level.It is hard to get around with a cane and a wheel chair in the slushy snow. I fell when I was walking in the house a week ago, but I did not get hurt. My wheelchair has a mind of its own when I wheel over ice. I am counting down the days until spring.I u have a flare with the lupus every year when the seasons change. I am praying the snow and cold does not stay very long. My boy dog, Mason, loves the snow, he plows the snow with his nose. Then he comes in the house covered with snow so and we have to dry him off with a towel. Snow days have pros and cons, but to me the cons outweigh the pros.

Anyone for the Flu Times 3?

admin — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 06:38:52 +0000

For the past week, it has been really bad dealing with the lupus. I could hardly stand all the pain that was overwhelming my body. I felt like I had the flu times 3 all at once. If you have lupus or fibromyalgia you know what I mean. I felt like all of my nerves were shorting out with the fire they were shooting. I hate dealing with all of this day after day I feel like I am going to pull my hair out, but I do not have the strength to pull it out. All I wanted to do was sleep but the pain made that near impossible.

Lupus Butterfly Rash

admin — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 04:56:02 +0000

Really, I need to go to bed as I’m pretty tired, but have a habit of pushing myself to my limits. It’s been a busy day with my daughter going to tae kwon do and her volunteering at the library. Today, I did treat myself, I purchased some cosmetics. I bought 2 new lip sticks, cover girl foundation, and new black eyeliner pencil. I don’t wear the make up all the time, but helps hide the butterfly rash that appears across my cheeks and over the bridge of my nose. It doesn’t cover it completely, but it does help me feel a little better when I look in the mirror. It’s bad enough having lupus without the constant reminder when I look in the mirror.

Friday's Frustrations #1

admin — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 22:28:27 +0000

Some of the biggest frustrations I have are with living with the limits lupus puts on me, it sucks and you have no idea how many times a day I wish it leave me alone and go back where it came from. I am so sick and tired of the pain every day, let alone the fatigue, yeah I know I’m ranting, but I’m not saying sorry for ranting.

My daughter and I got into an argument because she wants to rush through her school work to surf the internet and doesn’t want to ask me any questions. We did get it settled, but if she and I don’t get in an argument at least once a week something is wrong.

Some of them are better of not written here.

Tin Man for Sale

admin — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 04:39:58 +0000

I cannot believe its fall already. I love the leaves changing, but I don’t like the aches and pains that go with the cold weather. I’d soon fast forward to spring then deal with winter. I do have to admit I do like to look at the first snow fall, but I don’t like feeling the cold chill in my body from the damp cold weather. I think the hardest part of the day is digging me out of bed in the morning. I’d soon throw the covers back over my head, but my body won’t allow me to do it. I feel like the Tin Man on the Wizard of OZ in the morning. I know I have to get up so I can take my medication so I can get ready for the day and give the Tin Man a reprieve until the next morning. I’d soon retire him then deal with him, but he refuses to leave. If anyone would like to take the Tin Man off my hands I’d be willing to give him away, but the only catch is I’ve got a no return policy.

The Heat is On

admin — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 21:39:00 +0000

Lately, my feet have been giving me a real fit. I’ve tried heat and it just doesn’t work to numb the pain. I have tried ice packs and well it numbs them for a while, but it chills me to the bone. Chilling to the bone makes me ache all over. I just cannot win. I wish there was a lotion or something else to put on them. They get so bad I cannot walk on them because they feel like hot pokers. Luckily, I have my wheelchair as I cannot take even a few steps without horrible pain in my feet and legs. I do use a wheelchair when I cannot walk, but the pain in my legs just makes things so unbearable. When they are flared up I keep them elevated. The problem is I have nerve damage in both legs and well when it rains leg pain it pours. I do take a medication called Lyrica and it does help, but it’s not a cure all. I hate how the lupus limits things in my life. I hate LUPUS with a passion.

Nothing Like a Flopping Fish

admin — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 02:39:38 +0000

Well I write to you all beat up. I decided to be brave at the wrong time. I tried to walk when I can to keep the strength up in my legs. Well bad choice in the ice and snow. I was walking behind my wheelchair and I slipped one time and was able to catch myself. The next time I was not able to catch myself I landed in the snow like a fish flopping in the water right on my left wrist much like doing a belly flop in the pool. There was ice under the snow on my wheelchair ramp. If I don’t have a big fall at least every few months there’s something wrong. Last time, I fell was right out of my chair because I lost my grip on my chair. Geez, nothing like feeling like a flopping fish. Now I am going to try and take it easy and try to stay on my feet.

This One Cakes them ALL

admin — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 23:32:58 +0000

I don’t know exactly where to start really. I had the doctors’ appointment from hell. Recently, I lost the doctor that validated my symptoms, in this post. that gave me a diagnosis of peripheral neuropathy after 4 years of horrible pain in my legs that was to the point of me screaming in pain. I went to the new doctor and I will never go back to that doctor’s office. He was a total jerk. He told me that my symptoms are psychology; mind you it can be caused by lupus and 30 % of it has no reason that’s found. Ask me if I had psychiatric disorder. Needless to say I am very pissed. He said that peripheral neuropathy does not vary from day to day, which is not true. Got pretty livid that I could not explain what caused the neuropathy, mind you LUPUS can cause it. On top of that he informed me that my old doctor did not know what he was talking about, but EMG’s don’t lie. He informed me that neuropathy does not come and go which is crap. You know and they wonder why people stay away from doctors. Then started on me about the lupus. Mind you I have 5 Doctors that confirmed my diagnoses. I have the old “it’s in your head crap before, but this Doctor beats them all. Then tries to give me a medication that you can not mixed with my other medication, but mind you he said the nerve pain is my head, talk about double talking. I take lyrica and you can not take Neurotin with it because they call Lyrica the super neurotin. I was told this by both my old neurologist and my rheumatologist whom made it very clear. You know it’s a crying day in heck when some quack-in-the-box, as my daughter calls him, which knows you for 5 minutes tell you that your freaking symptoms are psychological. I have not lived with lupus for over 7 years with blood tests to prove for some jerk to say this garbage. I am very upset. Some doctors just have no compassion. Why would I bring on my pain…? Then he informs me he wants to run another EMG because he does not agree with the operator, which was my old neurologist. Makes me wonder if there is a reason behind it as I know my neurologist left because of the politics at the office, which I heard with my own two ears. I got very upset about him wanting me to endure this test again; the EMG was the most painful test in my LIFE, I was almost in tears when he wanted me to have this test AGAIN. This was the worse test I ever endured and for him to say he wants to prove my symptoms are psychological is ridiculous, mind you LUPUS CAN CAUSE IT. Mind you I come home and my blood results are abnormal. So I guess he would say blood work is psychological too. I think NOT

Sorry for yelling, but This angers me so much, and I don’t get angry easy !!!!