BLOOD RESULTS - Month 37

Ta-da
No suprises,
Neutrophils high (broken foot)
Monocytes high (but lower than last month so thats good)
WBC high (broken foot)
Lymphocytes a little lower (suicides after broken foot)

TSH hasn't come back yet - check again tomorrow
FSH (menopause) also not back yet - boooooooo - give me my teenage again patches LOL

3 years and 5 weeks - The anticipation is rising

It’s been such a busy week, so many things needing to be crammed into such a short space of time. Fortunately this was a week off Pilates, I’m not entirely sure the broken foot would have been terribly happy about giving that a go, so happy days for a week off. The foot by the way is so much better, my super powerful bone healing seems to have remained intact despite MS and Lemtrada.

Bella’s dog training last week was mostly successful, although some of the loose lead techniques seemed to contradict the previous weeks learnings and confused her greatly. Doing a lap of the room with a full glass of water in my lead hand and not spilling a drop was pretty epic though J

I’m eagerly awaiting 13:00 when I can call the doctors to get my blood results for the month. It’s quite bizarre after the last 3 years, to be excited about things other than the Lymphocyte count. So this months look out points are :

·        TSH – hopefully heading back in the correct direction thanks to the increased Levothyroxine dosage J

·        FSH – Menopause measure – bring on the ass patches that will make me feel like a teenager again J

·        Whatever weirdness the foot brings – OMFG – Just went back through my photographs to find last years broken big toe so I could look at the bloods for that month and see what went odd – CREEPY RANDOM THING – I broke my foot A YEAR TO THE DAY that I broke my toe – perhaps I should pencil in June 15^th next year as a potentially suitable date for break number 19 J - Anyway back on topic my Neutrophils went a little nuts back then so possibly again this month.

I got my oxygen therapy in over the weekend, lovely dog walks and 2 BBQ’s one lazy lie in (Saturday I was wide awake at 06:30 L BOOOO)

In different and awesome news COSCO finally have Tomahawk steaks back in stick again. We have 4 sitting in the freezer now and Gareth thinks I’m going slightly mad. 2 will be used this coming weekend when the Chapper’s are over for dinner. Gareth will be making 2 awesome sauces to go with them, his ‘Better than Miller & Carter Dripping Sauce’ and a peppercorn sauce. My amazing ribs will be the starter and I’m toying with individual boozy desserts in pretty little glasses but I’m torn between something salted caramel and something lemon curd / Limoncello based. If this follows the usual food related decision path of my life, I suspect will make a panic decision late on Saturday afternoon J

I’ve been pretty slack on the diet for the last couple of weeks – not BAD – BAD just a bit naughty BAD so today I’m going to knuckle down and get back on it properly.

Cripes that’s just made me realise it’s 11am I’ve done umpteen conference calls and I’ve not had a cup of coffee yet L


EDIT : for those at the start of their journey, another Lem-Blogger I recommend you follow. The lovely Jo has just completed round one and is publishing her progress in real time.
https://ms-understood.com/

Talk to you later alligators when I’ve got my blood results – I’m off to hit the caffeinated beverages shop – hard J xxx

3yrs 4 wks - breaking my foot and my heart

Some days I wonder who I must have been in my previous lives.

I figure I must have been someone REALLY bad if I’m honest because I’m not sure what I’ve done in this life to deserve constant loss and heart ache - Perhaps Ghengis Khan or Hitler - it would explain a lot?

Something I didn’t mention last week was that I had BamBam-cat back at the vets on Thursday night, his weight loss had continued and he had stopped eating entirely until we managed to get pureed cat food in him on Wednesday night / Thursday daytime / evening. We knew his time was limited and that there were more sinister things going on (lumps inside in his tummy area)

We had hoped that we would have a few more weeks with him, but it wasn’t to be. On Saturday morning I brought him into the utility for breakfast and he simply lay down on the floor and wouldn’t move, when we lifted him he would cry. It was time. One last car journey on Gareth’s lap rather than in a cat box, lots of tears and cuddles, lots of we love you baby boy and we let him rest.

I’ve cried so many tears this weekend.

It was father’s day on Sunday, BamBam is gone and then there’s the broken foot ….

Yes you did read that right

The broken foot

My right foot is swollen, misshapen and quite frankly feels like tooth ache has set in

This injury happened whilst I was standing on my tiptoes trying to put the over the table brolly up in the garden …. I slipped off the marble base, lost my balance and STOOD ON MY OWN BLOODY FOOT…..

Yes you read that right too …….

I stood on my own foot and broke it.

I figure it takes a really ‘special’ (not a compliment) kind of stupid to do this to yourself (remember the last break when I dropped a dining table chair on my foot and broke my big toe??? ‘special’ ……)

I mean seriously – who actually does these type of clutzy injuries to themselves??

OVER

AND OVER

AND OVER AGAIN

Perhaps I should just wrap myself in bubble wrap from head to toe and then stay in a nice safe padded room.

In different news – The World Cup has begun. After being quite ambivalent about it, I’m really starting to enjoy the continuous football on the TV. The shock results so far, Germany in a shock loss, Spain and their draw against Cristiano Ronaldo (or Portugal as the rest of the team call themselves) Brazil’s 1-1 draw with Switzerland last night. Tonight England play Tunisia – anything could happen given the other run of results. Bugger I’ve just realised I’ve committed to a drink with my old boss this evening – I hope the game is on at the pub.

So the weekends plans went out the window, no more work was done on the pot holes on the lane – I feel like I could do with a weekend to get over the weekend.

In different news, I ‘think’ the increased Levothyroxine dose might be starting to work, I feel less ‘old-fart’ than I did a few weeks ago in myself.

This month’s blood work is taken on Friday (along with the menopause test) so fingers crossed for a better TSH result, and if I’m honest possibly a nice set of patches to stick on my behind and then onwards and upwards to feeling like a teenager again (I think I can remember that far back)

Much love to everyone xxx

 

3ys 3wks - magnesium experiment update

I feel I should really apologise in advance the mini ‘flurry’ of posts last week (well 2 of them) has left me thinking there’s not really anything even remotely interesting to report this week except an update on the thyroid / / menopause / magnesium experiment..

So far I’ve only tried the liquid form of the magnesium, my logic being because it is in a more absorbable form that it might have an effect more quickly. The Levothyroxine I know will take far longer to actually show some changes, although perhaps little changes in the bloods that are being harvested on the 22^nd. It would be nice to see those TSH numbers dropping a little again they’ve been steadily creeping up this year along with that all important T4 number.

6.41	7.77	8.52	9.61
Serum Free T4 = 11.8	T4 11.3 PMOL/L (12-22) MU/L (0.27-4.2)	T4= 13.2	T4=13.5

 

So anyway interim results on the Magnesium trial – I feel better, I’m less tired, I have more energy than I did (but I’m not going dancing any time soon) things ache a little less, and surprisingly the twitchiness of my left foot has dramatically reduced - I would have said gone last night but it gave a couple of minor jumps while I was stretched out on the sofa I’ll stick with drastically reduced for now.

I feel brighter – sorry that’s a rubbish description but it’s the best I can do – perhaps it’s the sunshine, that I got a compliment on my weight loss, that I’m wearing summer dresses to work. It could also have something to do with some really great news I’ve received that I’m not in a position to share yet.

So tonight is Pilates, and the lovely Vicky is back and assuming there are no pipes of torture tonight that should be enjoyable, Bella’s back at dog training tomorrow, some dog walking planned for the weekend and very little else. Life is awesome and I’ll stop blathering on now and let you get back to important stuff.

Take care, much love

T

3yrs 2 weeks - the power of positivity and dog training with grated egg

It is incredible how doing something positive, even something small can just really put me in a ‘better’ frame of mind. Something really simple; being proactive and going to see the doctor to say that the medication for the thyroid needs addressing, and to ask that he checks if I’m going through the menopause.

I love appointments with Dr B he’s such a positive person and I think that because I don’t take a great deal of time and am familiar with what is going on with me helps. I asked for a repeat of the pain meds prescription that I got at the start of the year (I have 26 tablets remaining – so that’s probably a month or a month and a half left but there is no need to have to take another appointment just to deal with that). The Levothyroxine is now doubled so fingers crossed that starts to have some effect. And the FSH Test is registered on the system so that when my monthly bloods are done on the 22^nd only 1 hole is needed in me to extract the goods.

Yesterday, the powers of Facebook where I have a number of school friends yesterday told me that actually a lot of the ladies from my year are all in that ‘here comes the menopause’ phase of our lives, some really great advice and information from the others has resulted in me abusing the Amazon prime subscription once again. I’ve ordered some Magnesium Citrate supplement (a liquid one and a tablet form one) – a little research makes me quite hopeful that it might help with the achy bits, fatigue and my twitchy left leg, for £5.87 it’s got to be worth a try for a few weeks, nothing ventured nothing gained.

Gareth and I are both still doing Pilates each week which is improving our core strength no end – although this week the lovely Vicky was away and left her evil friend to run the class – OMFG the pain yesterday in my upper back, chest and arms was horrendous – I literally felt like I’d been beaten. Perhaps it’s because she’s a more effective teacher and worked me harder (which is a good thing) but I think the next time Vicky has a week off I might too J.

Last night was Bella-dog’s first night at beginner training classes. Joy of joys we didn’t have the most disruptive dog in the room. The most easily distracted in the recall exercise through ‘distraction alley’ absolutely she was the worst, not because she wanted all the distraction toys and tennis balls, but because she decided to have a good old wander around the room and say hello to all the other people there J.

It’s Friday, the weekend is nearly here, I’m in the office (well for a half day I’ll probably go home at lunch and WFH for the afternoon). I’m now 3 weeks done in my new job, the time has flown by and I’m so happy to be back here again. The environment, atmosphere and people is so familiar, it’s professional, logical and organised which makes the control freak in me very happy.

The weekend apart from the usual dog walking activities, shopping, oxygen therapy seems to be blissfully clear, I’m planning on a few early nights, nice long morning lie ins and some lovely healthy BBQ’s with fresh salads and yummy stuff (assuming that the weather will behave itself at the required times – according to the weather app it ‘should’ be all good)

Bella-dog now has her crate for while we are out at work, she’s okay with that as long as we leave her with the indestructible Kong to nibble on – which is infinitely preferable to her chewing her way through every bit of woodwork in the house (in a Victorian cottage there is a LOT of wood to chew on)

I’m waiting to hear about arrangements for the send-off for Tiffany and work out logistics. Her funeral will be in BC / Vancouver area, but there will be another memorial at a later time in Ontario. Today would have been her 26^th birthday so it’s desperately sad that there’s no celebration, cake and drinks pictures being posted from the top of a tree or the top of a mountain. Just really grateful that we got the opportunity to talk and reminisce before she went and that the last thing I said to her was ‘I love you’ it makes a big difference to know that things were left ‘right’ if that even makes sense.

Winston doesn’t know it yet but he’s currently receiving the training that Bella had last night at class. So far none of the beasties can take their eyes off me and the reward value of minced hard-boiled egg seems to trump everything (not the orange one J) (and certainly no hard-boiled egg for the flatulent beagle – that just inviting an end of days scenario for the hoomans in the house JJ)

And now one other thing added to the weekend schedule – I’ve just booked Gareth in in for ‘A Good Grooming’ tomorrow at 13:45 – so hopefully by the time I get back from being gassed he will look a lot less ‘fluffy’ (yeah that’s a better word than scruffy J)than he has of late.

Signing off to go wash my hands now because my fingers smell of hard-boiled eggs – perhaps not my best idea of a reward after all J
Much love

T

xx

3 years 2 weeks - heartbroken again and an inspiring man I know

Enough now please.

There are times in my life were I sit back, take stock and then need to deliver myself a resounding kick up the arse, tell myself to man up and stop being such a wet.

Today is one of those days.

My friend lost his beautiful 25 year old daughter yesterday

My friend lost her beautiful 25 year old sister yesterday

The beautiful 25 year old girl I regarded as my ‘niece’ because her dad is one of my ‘acquired brothers’ left this life yesterday

Leukaemia is a shitty shitty thing.

So my thyroid is a bit funky, MS is annoying, I suspect I’m going through the menopause.

So what?

I have choices and time – Play the glad game Trace …… simply because you can

If I can get over I would like to be in Canada for her send off, but the logistics of a new job, no annual leave accrued yet might actually make that impossible. Sadly logistics meant we couldn’t get there for her wedding either.

I’m sorry it’s ‘that time of year’ again, Tiffany’s passing simply adds to the loss of Ian and the anniversary in 2 days of losing Dad, and hey the 23^rd would have been Mums birthday, the 24^th Ian’s funeral – I get so sad and maudlin at this time …..

KICK

Stoppit

Yesterday I had a drive up to Evesham to see my lovely friend Phillipa for the day. It’s been far too long since we gossiped and put the world to rights. I got to see the lovely new home she has, we had an awesome lunch with fresh season Asparagus and there were lots of hugs.

I’m off to see Dr B on Thursday for that lovely thyroid review and the discussion about menopause. Bella starts puppy training later that evening, I’m hoping that it will be a lovely experience with her rather than when we took Winston all those years ago and we discovered we really did have the ‘disruptive problem child’ in the class – LOL

Gareth and I are still doing Pilates together on Wednesday evenings and whilst at some points (when using the hilariously named ‘foam rollers’ which are actually as comfortable to lie on as concrete drain pipes) it can be incredibly challenging I think we are both getting a lot out of it.

I had a proper ‘moment’ on Saturday night, someone I went to school with posted to FaceBook that for the last 6 months he’s been undergoing treatment for Prostate Cancer and that he has beaten it. He’s such a big strong man and it seems inconceivable that over the last few months when I’ve been admiring his attendance of rock gigs and the like that he’s been facing all this. Prostate cancer like MS is something that people just don’t talk about. That whole ‘stigma’ thing I guess. It’s the biggest killer of men in the cancer stakes – it’s their breast cancer and nobody talks about it let alone celebrates that caught early it’s also eminently curable.

We should all talk about these things and keep them out in the open, to reduce the stigma associated with uncomfortable conditions raise awareness of what they are, what the signs are and how they can be defeated. The silence gives these shitty things power – an avalanche of voices and awareness will take that power away.

So big shout out to Mick – you’re bloody awesome mate and long may you continue to kick prostate cancer up the arse (pun intended).

Life remains awesome and wonderfully MS free and I promise to pull myself out of my annual ‘funk’ soon.