Hurty Gertie

So I did this stupid thing and it hurt my foot and wah.

Because of the stupid thing I was in a soft kind of nylon shoe not cast but cast-like thing. And it hurt, because, well, my foot frikkin hurt. And I wasn’t wearing my corrective shoes, just a shoe and this … thing.

And I did some research, and I did some more, and realized it’s been 25 years since I started wearing them. And we know more than we did back then (No offense, Dr Heya!) and heck, the Internet says I can go without.

So I’ve been wearing … REGULAR SHOES for a few weeks now. And aside from the usual psoriatic arthritis pain, I’ve been hurting adjusting to them. But there are such a variety of shoes I can soon start wearing!

But I Need some non-lace good support shoes to wear for a while longer, first. Took me 25 years to get into this position, going to take a while where it doesn’t hurt as much …

1. Ask about screwed up shots
2. Note that I’m on a reduced allergy dose because of themassive psychotic dreams
3. Note that I’m off the antidepressant that reduced the massive psychotic dreams
4. Note that I’m on a reduced Allegra dose because of the massive muscle cramps
5. Note that I’m off the antidepressant that reduced the massive muscle cramps
6. Note that I’m on a reduced Allegra dose because of the massive crazy ass mood swings
7. Note that I’m off the antidepressant that for a while reduced the massive crazy ass mood swings
8. Tell her I injured my foot so I’ve sat on my ass for most of a month
9. Note that yes there is a ten pound gain but I’ve started working out every morning

I think that about covers it.

Based on how my joints feel I think I need to spend some money on decent supportive shoes. If I can’t find any without laces (damn psoriatic arthritis), then I may have to buy some ugly support shoes. So much for breaking free of corrective footwear*.

Another one in 200 – and she’s started updating again!!!!

http://understanding-psa.blogspot.com/

No wonder I’m all swelly and achy (I HATE THE SWELLING). I missed my shot – two shots in a row that I did at a month apart instead of three weeks apart. Well, I have a checkup soon. Will talk about it then.

Just tired and swelly lately. Spring is quickly turning into Summer weather here. Trying to up what I can do while taking it easy enough. Have a plan for working out this summer in the morning before work – must see if I can get the rest of the family more autonomous in the morning so I can do so ….

Took my shot and bananas did it hurt. I hope it helps for how much it hurts. I’m so glad it’s a pretty Gertie-Proof auto shoot plungy thing. I don’t think I could give myself a real shot.

Then again, I didn’t think I could do this, either. And so far … well … I’m still blogging and trucking along with doing my job as a patient. A lousy job sometimes, but keeping on keeping on.

So I was in a building yesterday (think happy thoughts think happy thoughts) where the elevator was pretty picky about where it wanted to take you. Or, well, me, since you weren’t there.

I was on the almost top floor, and wanted to go to the top floor, so I hit the up button. It dutifully lit, and I waited. And waited. Got out my phone, checked my email, checked the time, fearing lateness. And waited. And waited.

I gave up and hit the down button. It dutifully lit, the elevator woke up, and slid down to my floor.

Entered, hit the top floor button. Doors slid closed. And I waited. Nothing.

I hit the ground floor button. Gears shifted, I went down.

Got there, took on passengers, went all the way back up.

Note to self: if I’m going to spend any amount of time in that building, bake in stairwell time. I don’t like elevators that don’t do what they are supposed to be doing …

I often have a few good days and don’t even notice.

Until they’re bookended by really shitty ones. Now it’s bug bites, infected and hot and red. I ould have sworn I showered right after yard work. I guess not. Ugh.

Longer pants to yardwork, super shower afterwards. Dammit.

Of course since I don’t have a sane insurance plan or work schedule right now, I ended up at urgent care – especially since this had happened before.

It was quite a talk to talk them into prescribing me a topical antibiotic (like the rheumy did last time) but he did, on the condition that if it didn’t help I’d take the horsey pills of antibiotic. And follow up with my rheumy.

Day two and it’s helping, but not because I’m following directions – I’m putting it on twice a day like my rheumy prescribed me to last time.

I need to change my situation. Get out of these spirals of funk and reclaim my mobility.

There is nothing that inspires my confidence in mechanical equipment like a big orange sticker on elevator doors that read DO NOT USE DO NOT REMOVE THIS NOTICE … okay I take it back. One that has been partially and unsuccessfully removed … that inspires even less.

So I push the up button and the kidlet and I place our bets on which of the two elevators will come first. I bet on the broken one that the kidlet hasn’t noticed. Kidlet’s comes first.

We go up, we get done, we go down. But you really have to push the buttons and they don’t always light up …

I think it’s a good thing our regular appointments are only on the second floor – we might need to start taking the stairs. I seriously dislike the idea of getting stuck in an elevator that doesn’t work very well alone, never mind with a kidlet.

It’s amazing how dependent I am on elevators now … stoopid PsA.

Lost? Click here for day one, part one in my Pieces of Flare series.

Maybe I could have arrested this flare, maybe not.

There were several factors involved that combined to knock me flat:

- heat – I need to make more sure I work in the shade. If the AC doesn’t kick on, check on it.

- swelling – more ice bags and rest, sooner. NSAIDs, too.

- stress – not much I can do for that except improve my job and insurance situation.

- rest – get more, sooner.

- allergies – according to my email, pollen counts around here have been over 10 (on a scale of 12) for nearly a month. I missed a couple of pills, bad move.

- shot – by two days before shot day I should have been more attentive to my body and taken it that night, early.

- ice – be less shy about using it, and wearing slightly more casual, but much less stifling clothes.

Everything else is general preventative. Keep eating well. Consider a nap at lunch. Lose more weight. Work closer to hOme or fewer hours. Get better insurance. Don’t slack on the vitamins and allergy or depression meds.

Keep my spirits up. :-)

Took me a few more days to rest almost all the way back to my clinical-remission normal. Started going to bed at the same time as the kids instead of before. Spent the time cruising RAWarrior and other rheumy sites. Scares me to read them, thinking I’ll be there someday, wishing more could be done for all forms of auto-immune arthritis.

Lost? Click here for day one, part one in my Pieces of Flare series.

Day nine.

Got up on time instead of at the last possible minute. Feed the kids a real breakfast instead of cereal.

Working and almost better, maybe I should write this shit down for next time.

I can wish all I want, but there will be a next time. Maybe I’ll be better equipped to handle it and thwart it then.

Almost no pain except my right hand and fingers. Weird random hip socket pain, minor.

No soda, no pain killers, awake and not yawning exhausted.

I’d call this one over.

Happy happies. May you all have a better this year than the last.