July 2011

On the 2nd of July I had yet another trip to the ER because my stomach was killing me.  I also had a real bad ear ache.  They did a ct of my abdomen again and everything was fine.  I think my count was 38K then and I was doing 5 & 0 every other day of the prednisone.  The doctor gave me a script for ear drops and we were on our way.  We stopped at Walgreens on the way home since it is a holiday weekend I figured we should just get it right away.  I asked the girl how much it would be and she said the ear drops were $130.00!!  I was like why are they not covered? She said it was coming up that I am not covered at all for anything.  Great now I have something else to deal with!   On Sunday Pleasantdale did there fireworks and we decide to watch them at the splashpad park for a different view.  I saw Melissa Lantro there who I haven't seen since Nicks wake in October of 09.  We chatted a bit but I needed to sit down so I said by and call me sometime and that was that.  I was feeling a bit better come Monday so we went with everyone up to Pell Lake. Steve, Caley, Colleen, David, Mom, Dad, Matt, Lola & I all went up to see the fireworks on the lake.Lola is Colleen & Davids Chihuahua puppy, she was born on May 6th!  She was so cute playing in the sand but she did not want to swim even though David made her!  She has become a major part of this family now! At this point I was taking the prednisone 2.5 & 0 every other day.  On Tuesday the 5th Mom, Steve & I went back to public aid to straiten out the problem with my health insurance. My caseworker said oh sorry I just put you back on today.  OK but I asked is everything going to be covered since I was in the ER on Saturday and she said yes.  On the 6th I saw Dr. M and my count was 34K, I had written in my book that I had a test at the hospital that morning but I don't know what it was.  That may have been the gall bladder test and I mixed it up with something else!  On the 8th I went to the Rhuemotologist and she said she was happy with the progress that I was making with the Physical Therapy and that she thinks I'm doing well and don't need to work with her.  On the 11th I took my last dose of prednisone, I thought forever but I was wrong!!  On the 14th I saw Dr. Klamut at the main building and that was when they officially declared my stomach to be inflamed from the steroids.  He gave me some samples of aciphex since my protonix was not covered and it was too expensive to keep buying but I couldn't afford to be on nothing.   At this time I am totally off steroids and the joint pain has begun, its not so bad since I am doing PT but I have also been taking advil again all the time.  I go back to see Dr. M on the 5th of August.