Much Better

I'm doing much better today. My breathing is unrestricted, my nose is no longer dry and I am not coughing constantly anymore either. The Bactrum is working wonders. I am very happy that I called when I did.

Clinic is tomorrow. When I called Wednesday, they told me if I wasn't feeling better by Friday, I would be admitted. I was doing better Friday, so I dodged that one, but now I hope the doctor doesn't admit me just because I haven't been in a while. After being as sick as I was, I won't fight him in his decision, but I don't want to be in the hospital on my birthday either. So, I'm hoping for the best tomorrow.

My father will be here at 11:00 am tomorrow morning to take me to clinic. He went with me last time, and he enjoyed it. I will not have a chance to post before I leave in the morning. I have my morning treatments to do and I will be busy getting ready as well. I will post as soon as I can after clinic.

I'm Done.

No Admittance

Nope, no hospital for me. I am doing much better now that I have an antibiotic to help me. I started feeling much better this morning and I've been getting progressivly better as the day went on.

I just wanted to update on my condition since some of you might be concerned.

Thank you

I'm Done.

Hospital Stay?

Today I found that my bloodsugar was really high. I checked it today and it was at 383. Anything above 200 and it starts doing damage to my body. So, I took some insulin. I rarely have to do this, but I did. About an hour and a half later, I bottomed out at a bloodsugar of 38. I was nausious, dizzy and not feeling well at all. I had a coke, some ensure and later had some ravioli's. I'm back to normal now. Thank you insulin.

The past three days I have been coughing up phlem that is green in color. This is a sign that I have an infection in my lungs. I've been short of breath, my appetite is lacking and I'm not moving around that much. I called the doctor to get an antibiotic. The clinic gave me a prescription for Bactrum. They said if I'm not feeling better by Friday, I need to come in to the hospital for a "Tune Up", as they call it. It's a 7-10 day stay in the hospital to get back my strength, but lately, the stay for me has lasted up to 3 weeks. I hope I feel better by Friday. I don't really want to be in the hospital again.

Wed night happened again tonight. I finally beat the friend who has stomped on my ever since I've known him. I get such a feeling of accomplishment from that, I'm not sure why, but I do. It's good to be top dog.

I'm Done.

Hopefully Getting Better

Wednesday I was doing great. I felt good and I was able to be very productive around the house as we got ready for guests that evening. I did not cancel Wednesday, and I'm glad I didn't. I had a player come over who hasn't come over in a while. He lives about 30-45 min. from me and he took the time to drive down. It was great fun to play that night.

I swear, not 5 minutes from people leaving, did I start feeling worse. I got a headache, my sinuses were inflamed, I was short of breath and I started coughing alot more. My stomach started to ache and I was getting chills too, I felt like a truck ran over me. I felt the same, if not worse, the next morning. It took forever to warm myself up.

My arthritis was everywhere and I was walking around very slowly, with my arms very still and close, my shoulders were thrown forward and I was limping. I haven't had pain in my knees for a while now. Last night was probably my worst night so far. I was coughing up streaks of blood in my phlem while I was doing my evening treatments. The pain was dealable, but there to let itself known. My nose was extremely dry, but my sinuses were full of fluid. I couldn't breath through my nose and trying to blow my nose was nearly impossible, not only because of my sinuses, but the junk inside my nose was as thick as molasses (or tar, take your pick).

This is when I bring out, THE Q-TIPS. I take one, and insert it into one nostril. I'm able to push the entire q-tip into my nose, and that is what I do, just the end sticks out. I turn and wiggle the q-tip against the sinus and try to loosen any "boogers" that are back there. Hah! Haven't heard that in a while, "boogers" hee hee. Anyway, I take it out, throw it away and repeat on the other nostril. After that, I take a syringe, without a needle, fill it with tap water and squirt water up into each nostril, while bending over the sink. I try to breath in just a bit so I can get it to pass through the sinuses. This will make you cough, or sneeze. I also try to keep the water in my sinus as long as possible, squeezing the nostrils and massaging my nose with my extra fingers to circulate the water inside as much as possible. I let the water come out and fall into the sink, grab a tissue and blow my brains out. The stuff that comes out is an insanely large quantity of mucus of different colors, shapes and textures. Brown, yellow and red, looking crystals or small grain sand that feels both rough and slimy at the same time. It's just a totally gross out scene.

Today, I have been doing fairly better. I'm walking around without a limp and I'm loose too. I'm not holding my arms in close, my pain in my shoulders and neck is minimal today. I've been couging, but not alot like I have been. Sinuses are still dry as heck, and I can't seem to shake the scratchy throat. I'm very happy that feeling better is just a day or two away. I hope everyone else is feeling better this weekend.

I'm Done.

I'm Still Sick

I guess I have what everyone else here has or had. I feel terrible. I was running a fever today and I had absolutely no energy. I'm dragging my feet and hobbling around like an old man. This is really kicking my butt. I feel helpless and a little guilty because I cannot help around the house. Wife is doing better, but not 100%. She says don't worry, but I feel guilty anyway.

Tomorrow is Wednesday night fun play, I am not cancelling it. I hope to feel much better tomorrow.

Two more episodes of NYPD Blue left. I'm sad to see it go. It was great episode tonight. The captain got shot in the groin area and may have some paralysis to deal with. Metavoy is leaving the 15th to be with this hot number who does real estate. He will do great I feel.

Survivor is premiering on Thursday. Another passion of mine that will again take up my Thursday nights. Ahh, reward challenges, immunity challenges, backstabbing, and the bitch, bitch, bitching that goes on. I can't wait.

I got some decsent sleep last night, I didn't get to bet 'til 3 AM though, but I slept until 11 AM. 8 hours, that's all I need. I can function on 5, 6 is better, but 8 is perfect. The sun usually wakes me up, or the noise of the kids.

Still have alot of pain in my neck and shoulders. My wrists and knuckles are doing a little better, not by much though. Headaches, sore throat and constant coughing with no production. My chest is starting to hurt too. I should feel better in the morning.

I'm Done.

Under The Weather

I do not feel so good today. Wife and kids have both been suffering from a stomach virus and now I feel that I may be coming down with it. I woke up today with a mild scratchy throat and no energy. We went to the patch today, which went very well, and I started feeling a little dizzy after we left. Wife was feeling crappy, so I dropped her off at the house and I went and made a deposit at the bank. $50 from watching a neighbor's child after school for a week. It's only 2-3 hours a day, and we can use the extra cash.

I got home and we all took a short nap. I went to the oldest child's room to watch some television, I was out of breath just going around the corner. The phone was ringing off the hook today, and walking from his room to the phone was taking every ounce of energy I had to make it there. I did about 4 neb treatments today because of my shortness of breath. I'm really tired now.

I was supposed to cook dinner, but I was spent. We ended up ordering pizza and we all had 1-2 pieces each. I usually eat 4-5 pieces, feeling bad ruins my appetite. I am the cooker of the house. Wife absolutely despises cooking and is very grateful that I know how to cook and do it well too. Just some days I am unable to do so, and we either order out or wife cooks.

I'm coughing more, I feel my lungs sticking to the walls of my chest (I breath in and it feels like a bubble in my lungs, it hurts to breath in to a certain point, then it pops after breathing in fast and hard, easing the pain), I have very little energy, my appetite is down and I am very sleepy. I'm not sure how much sleep I will get tonight, because my coughing gets worse at night when I am in a prone postition. The drainage either from swallowing or my nose irritates my throat alot. I sometimes wake up coughing. It's not comfortable at all.

I will have to see how I am doing tomorrow, I might have to cancel Wednesday night cards this week.

That's all for tonight. I'm Done.

Another day....

I don't work so I can't say 'another dollar'. Blasphemy! Anywhoo, I've been having more pain in the mornings again. I'm getting up at 9 am and not able to do anything 'til noon. So, I spent my time today watching 'Troy' and 'Underworld'. Two very good movies.

I saw the original version of 'The Grudge' about a week or two ago. It's called 'Ju-On' and it was a very scary film. These oriental horror films take a different approach to scaring its audience. It's not done through blood, gore and monsters, but more ghosts and real people. Mostly just powder makeup for effects, and it comes off really well. I'm not sure if I want to see 'The Grudge' now because I was really scared.

Tomorrow is the patch study and the begining of two weeks of patches on our backs. I had 15 people show up for the tournament, very suprising. We had alot of fun.

The kids have been ill the past couple of days, wife is getting it now. I will probably end up catching this bug. I just hope I don't end up in the hospital.

I'm Done.

Finally, Relief

I refilled my prescriptions for some other pain meds and I had them this morning. Ahh, I felt so good today and it was refreshing to feel that way most of the day.

Despite my pain last night, wife and I had a roll in the hay. It was quite a night I have to say.

Received a call and we have been scheduled to participate in a different patch study that starts Feb. 14th that pays $120. It's a Monday, Wednesday & Friday patch study around the noon hour so it works out well.

I have a card game tournament this weekend, I hope to get 10 people to show up. If more than 15 show up, then the store will give away a T-Shirt.

Started on my anti-depressant too today. I'm really glad to have that now, I was feeling extremly down the past couple of days. I was irritable, short and pissed off Tuesday, and Wednesday I fell into a major depression. Nothing interested me and I wasn't motivated to do anything. I'm feeling a little better tonight, but I know it will take a few days to kick in. Only bad thing is it effects my sexual performance, bummer.

I'm going to surf some blogs tonight on blogexplosion, get some more credits, then I will play some Rollercoaster Tycoon. Might be time for a hot bath tonight as well, who knows.

I'm Done.

Ahhhh...

I'm feeling better today. Still waking up with a stiff neck and shoulders, but they are feeling better faster.

Another do-nothing day. Wife had to run some errands today and was gone most of the day. Kids played games or joined me in watching endless television.

We got signed up for another patch study that starts on the 14th. It's an everyday patch, like the other one we did, and also pays $90.

Wife got some good news from a friend. She will be a main part of a business that her friend is starting. I'm going to start designing a business card, letterhead and logo for the business. According to everyone that we have talked with, clients, employees, friends and family, there is nothing like this business today. It will be completely new and will be a huge national success. This may be the break that we need to get out of the apartment and into our dream house.

Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. We have been helping people as much as possible, even to the extent of doing without ourselves. Hopefully this will be the reaction to all we've done. Oprah Winfrey, here we come.

I'm Done.

I'm Hurting

I woke up today and I couldn't move my shoulders, neck, wrists or my left knee. My knuckles have swollen up to the size of grapes and it took me forever to take my neb treatments this morning.

I walked with a limp today because of my knee. My arthritis is really starting to bother me and I need to see the doctor soon. I barely moved most of the day today. I took extra pain medicine, tylenol and later had some advil. After about 4-5 hours, I was feeling a little better.

No coughing fits today, and I'm happy about that too. It hurts to cough.

Not much to say, since I didn't do anything due to my pain. These short posts make me think that I'm really boring. Hopefully you will still come back and check up on me.

I'm Done.

Interesting

Woke up this morning coughing. I haven't done that for a while. I'm usually just wheezing. I tried sleeping without my oxygen last night. I figure that my oxygen dries me out so much that I am not able to cough anything up in the mornings. I wasn't dry this morning and I paid for it too...lol.

Going to go to my neurologist for a checkup. Need to see her to get updated prescriptions and see why I am in so much pain every morning in my neck and shoulders.

Yesterday was my father's 62nd birthday. My grandmother invited wife and I to go to dinner for this occasion. She took us to Saltgrass Steakhouse, a wonderful texas style steak resteraunt. I had a great time. My dad received 'Minority Report', a 'World of Tolkein' daily calendar and weekly planner that has crossword puzzles for each week.

Well, I hope today is a good day for me. So far, I think it's been a good week.

I'm Done.

Waiting...

My wife had to go to her parent's house this morning to help move some things and get rid of an ant invasion they are having. She was only supposed to be there for a little while, but it ended up being an all day excursion. She got home at midnight.

I'm not angry, but we were supposed to do some things today that will have to wait now. We need to refill my prescriptions, go to the homeschooling store for supplies and go to the postoffice.

I receive a new portable nebulizer today. I ordered it about two weeks ago online. It was a banner advertising a free nebulizer. Well, it's not free, but just about. My copay is only $15.00 for this $200 product. It's cool as heck too. It has a rechargable battery, an adapter for the car and a hose so I don't have to hold the whole pump up to my mouth. I can also use all my meds with this one as well. This will help on road trips and vacations that I go on.

Woke up with the same shoulder and neck pain. It's the arthritis that is bothering me and my medication wears off from the night before when I wake up. First thing I usually do is take my pain meds, that is if I want to put the effort into getting up in the first place. Hee hee.

No real problems today. Just the usual morning coughing fit. I haven't been having the ones that almost get me to the point of vomiting, so that is a good thing. I'm always glad to not be in pain.

Watched a program about a man who was injected with fake botox and was paralized for two weeks. He described how he at first couldn't swallow when he arrived at the ER. Then his jaw locked up like he had lockjaw, he then couldn't open his eyes. Finally he was completely paralyzed, but he could hear everything that was going on. People coming up and asking how he was doing and not being able to respond to them. I was symathizing with him just thinking about how panic sets in when you can't swallow or speak or breath on your own. I can just imagine how scared he was during that whole ordeal. I scared myself even.

I'm happy that I can still breath on my own.

I'm Done.

Slow

I woke up today not wanting to do anything. Wife and I had to take the kids to the orthodontist today and we had some other errands to run as well.

Wife wanted to leave today at 11:30 this morning, but I tried to extend it as much as I could. My shoulders were stiff as well as my neck, as they always do in the morning, and I was still sleepy from the short night's sleep I had. I had taken a sleeping pill the night before and I believe that it was still in my system when I woke up. I didn't get to bed until 2AM last night. That was because my pain meds were wearing off and I had a persistent cough that worsened when I laid down.

I had two couging fits today, but they didn't interfere with my schedule that much. I was able to set aside some time to calm down and take a neb treatment to open up my airways. Once was when we walked to the car after having lunch at Denny's. We walked out to the car and got in, I usually drive, and when I closed the door, I went into this loud, violent and lengthy coughing fit. I say a coughing fit when I cough and cough until I'm red in the face, I can't catch my breath and sometimes have difficulty breathing in. They usually end with one or two very loud coughs that bring up an unusual amount of phlem followed by some less intense coughs. They last until I am able to fully catch my breath, at which time I take a deep breath in and feel I can go on. It's often difficult to watch, because I have to recover from it myself, nothing really helps besides handing me the portable neb so I can help my airways. Otherwise you are just stuck watching me cough without a way to help me out. I end up telling my wife not to help me when she tries. She will just hand me a tissue or the portable neb, since she knows that I will need both.

The other time was when I was vacuuming the floor before people showed up for Wednesday night fun play. $0.25 hot dogs again and a few games of LOTR. Another friend came over and brought over some Star Wars Miniatures that he had purchased. This is another game that is simular to Dungeons and Dragons when you play it with miniatures as well.

Today was a slow day, but it turned out rather well in the end. Tomorrow we hope to finally start the homeschooling. Ha! Ha! I feel like we are more busy than when we were working full time.

I'm Done.

Nothing

That is what I did all day long today. Nothing. I watched a few movies today, "Johnny Mnemonic" and "School of Roch", both very good movies. I was informed by my sister in law that Comcast is offering On-Demand movies. They have a large library of movies that you can 'rent' for a 24 hour period for $3.99 each. When you watch your movie, you can use your remote to play, fast-forward, rewind and pause the movie. You can even stop the movie and come back later to finish it from the place you stopped at.

I saw that they have "Ju-On", which is the original japanese title of the american version "The Grudge". I saw the original version of "The Ring" and it was just as scary, just no blood and guts. The japanese have an excellent way of filming a movie without stage blood or using elaborate special effects, and it still having a horrific effect on the audience.

Today was a good day for me in general. I still am waking up with headaches and stiffness. It goes away in an hour or so after taking my Tramadol and Naproxen. I cannot have narcotic medications because I have 'Portal Hypertension', which is high pressure of the bile ducts in the liver. It's common in CF patients, its also progressive and will eventually require a liver transplant. I'm hoping that my judgement is correct this time and I will not have to have a liver transplant for a long, long time. When I heard about my needing a lung transplant, my wife and I were under the impression that I had 15 years or more before we would have to start thinking on that subject.

Wife received a call today from a friend about her thermostat being blown and being replaced today. The friend needed my wife to come down to her house and wait for the repairman to arrive. Then she found out that the repairman had to go get a part from the warehouse and it was 35 miles away. It would take him an hour to return. After the thermostat was repaired, she received a call that her mother needed some help today as well. She was gone most of the day today. So I occupied myself with some movies.

I got paid today and we were planning on taking tomorrow to shop for homeschooling materials, but it happens to be snowing at this current hour and we may have ice and snow in the morning. That would ruin those plans. We may have to wait until next week before we are able to start the schooling.

Again, tomorrow is wednesday night card playing. Yes, Lord of the Rings. I wonder if this will show up here.

This is Eomer





He would be used as a companion in the game fighting your opponents minions. It's quite an interesting game, if you are into that sort of thing. Lots of interaction with your opponent in this game, which is what I like.

That's all from me...I'm Done