May 3, 2006

I AM NOT DOING TOO GOOD, STILL ON ALL THESE MEDS PLUS THE COUMADIN, AND PREDNIZONE. REALLY PUT ON THE WEIGHT FROM THE STEROIDS, BUT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE HELPING ME ALL THAT WELL. I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO ENERGY, SOMETIMES TOO WEAK EVEN TO LIFT MY HANDS IN ORDER TO TYPE, NOT KIDDING. MY RED BLOOD COUNTS SEEMS TO GO UP SOME THEN THE NEXT WEEK IT DROPS DOWN. BEEN GOING TO THE DRS, EVERY WEEK FOR SHOTS OF PROCRIT TRYING TO GET IT UP TO NORMAL, DR. SAYS THAT IS WHY I DON'T HAVE ANY ENERGY, SEVERELY ANEMIC. SOMETIMES I HURT SO BAD FROM THE REUMATOID ARTHRITIS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO, HAVE PAIN MEDS BUT TAKE SO MANY PILLS, HATE TO TAKE THEM.

SOMETIMES I JUST WANT TO OPEN THE WINDOW AND THROW THEM ALL OUT AND START OVER. OH WELL, GUESS THIS GETTING OLD ISN'T WHAT IT IS CRACKED UP TO BE. HAHA. VEL IS HAVING LOTS OF PROBLEMS WITH HER SHOULDER TOO, RIGHT NOW SHE IS IN A REHAB CENTER FOR ANTIBIOTIC IV'S. FOR 8 WEEKS, SEEMS SHE HAD A HAIRLINE FX. IN HER SHOULDER WHEN THEY DID THE SHOULDER REPLACEMENT THEY DIDN'T SEE IT, OR MAYBE THE DR. DID IT, ANYWAY, SHE HAS BEEN IN AND OUT OF THE HOSPITAL AND THEY REMOVED THE PROSTHESIS BECAUSE SHE HAS AN INFECTION AND THAT IS THE REASON FOR THE ANTIBIOTICS, AFTER THE 8 PLUS WEEKS WHEN THERE IS NO SIGN OF INFECTION SHE WILL BE GOING TO A HOSPITAL IN PHILADELPHIA AND THEY WILL REPLACE THE PROSTHESIS.

I FEEL SO BAD FOR HER BUT SHE IS DOING SOMEWHAT BETTER, SHE ALSO DEVELOPED THE GOUT IN HER LEG AND COULD NOT WALK BUT NOW IS USING A CANE. BETWEEN THE BOTH OF US, WE ARE WORTH NOTHING RIGHT NOW, HAHA. ONLY THING IS, NEITHER OF US HAVE LOST ANY WEIGHT OVER OUR PROBLEMS. WE THOUGHT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET OUT BY JULY BUT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT, MAYBE BY SEPT. FOR HER AND I SURE HOPE I AM IN BETTER SHAPE BY THEN TOO. I MIGHT HAVE TO GET MORE BLOOD, JUST ONE OF THOSE WAIT AND SEE SITUATIONS. ALSO NEED TO GET A BIOPSY ON A SORE ON MY LOWER LEFT LEG. I HIT IT ON THE STORM DOOR LAST YEAR AND HAD A PUNCTURE WOUND. IT NEVER HEALED COMPLETELY,DOES HAVE A SCAB ON IT, BUT IT IS SLIGHTLY REDDENED AROUND IT. DR. WANTS THE BIOPSY JUST TO MAKE SURE IT ISN'T CANCER. I NEVER BOTHERED WITH IT CAUSE I THOUGHT WITH ALL THE COUMADIN I AM ON, THAT IT JUST WASN'T HEALING FAST ENOUGH

Update by Darlene.

Vel is doing ok, Still gettting her antibiotics via the IV. will be 2 more weeks of it, then she will probably go home for 6 weeks until she is operated on sometime in the beginning of July. We figure the leaves will be changing color and it will be fall before we can get out in the car. She does have a long road ahead of her with the therapy etc.

I sure hope I have some energy by then. Got another shot of procrit today, then will see the Dr. next Wed. I go to my primary dr, this Friday. Hope he can give me something for this tiredness and low energy. Terrible to want to do things and just can't, especially with the nice weather we are having. I want to wash down my deck furniture and get the cushions on, put up the umbrella and get ready for the warm weather.

She wanted me to tell you all that she and Vel prays and thinks of us here in "Grannies" often. She hopes to check in when she can. She sends her love to all.