Settling In

I'm a very organized person. It has served me well in the past. I'm also a big "list maker." I never go to a doctors appointment without my list of symptoms and a basic timeline. When you have a complex medical history (and occasional brain fog) I find it very helpful to do these things.

At home I also have a "master health binder." It has printouts of referrals, important labs, evaluations and even a back section for relevant scientific studies and suggestions. It has been incredibly helpful on my journey down the rabbit hole these last few years. It's also bright pink, which makes me happy.

I've spent the weekend resting, enjoying my little family and settling into the RA diagnosis that I received on Friday. I also researched Plaqunil (DMARD I'm now taking) and learning what I need to do and watch for now that I'm taking an immunosupressant drug. 

What I've read is that I have to super watch out for germs and I'm at high risk for developing pneumonia if I get sick. I bought some things to help me stay healthy at work and am changing some habits at home. I'll share those changes in another post when I have more to report on.

GOD of all GF crackers!

I have to take the pills with food and have found that these crackers are a life saver. Before going gluten free I was a big fan of Saltines. Like the Dad in "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" (his obsession for Windex) I was convinced that any tummy remedy could be cured with ginger ale and Saltines. Well, these are my new Saltines. 

I've also been getting pampered by my honey.

I'm not a big alcohol imbiber... Actually that's not true. I very rarely drink, but when I do, I tend to "indulge" a lot. No more of that on this medication. My rheumatologist told me 1 drink a week or so is fine, but no more than that. Since I don't really enjoy "1 drink" I'd rather skip it completely. Enter the "mocktail." 

This was as good as it looks

I couldn't drink when I was on the medication for Latent TB too, so I'm no stranger to the mocktail. I learned that when socializing without booze it's nice to have something that looks like what everyone else is drinking. It's also what I blame my rootbeer addiction on. For the record, Henry Weinhards is the best (even if they use high fructose corn syrup.) 

Yesterday was a bit of a weepy day, but I can say in all honesty that I feel worlds better today. It's amazing what a lot of love and a good night's sleep can do for your spirit. I've also been slowly sharing the news with some people close to me. So far they've been very supportive and understanding. 

I'll happily report back on the Plaqunil when I've been on it longer. I tend to be very sensitive to medications (and chemicals) and drugs tend to work very fast for me. Now if anyone has any tips for the fatigue, I'm all ears!