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Heath update

For the sake of maintaining my symptom log, I’ve got to interrupt all of this great ATS news for a little whining. Grin.

I think my body loves San Francisco. The weather was very cool, making it pleasant to wear long sleeves to protect from the sun if necessary. I’ve been told it’s like that all the time, although it’s hard to imagine. No wonder it’s so expensive to live there – it’s heaven!

On the way to ATS I had a layover in Denver. I walked out of the jetway and almost instantly started sneezing, wheezing and breaking out in hives. (And I was already allergy medicated.) I had to dig out the abuderol. My asthma, however, isn’t like the asthma of most people I know. They have an “attack” of sorts. For me, I just start coughing a lot and feeling easily winded. I was completely out of breath walking from one gate to another – a trip that ordinarily wouldn’t phase me.

But, once I arrived in San Francisco there wasn’t even a hint of allergy hell. At home, I never forget to take my allergy meds (all four of them) because as soon as I get within two hours of a dose, I’m starting to itch and cough and have a runny nose etc. I discovered in San Francisco, however, that I even forgot a few doses because I didn’t have my symptoms to remind me!

That, of course, meant that I felt much clearer in the head. It was great!

I also didn’t have any bowel issues on the trip! I had a bit of the runs maybe one day, but other than that – it was a week of “normal” poo! Grin! I don’t know why, although I ate way more bread than I usually do because there were free bagels in the exhibitor lounge. But, the other weird thing about the trip is my stomach was like a bottomless pit. Karen must have thought me the total pig. If she only knew the restraint I was showing.

We ate plenty, plenty of food – it wasn’t that – but my appetite just wouldn’t quit. After eating a meal, I felt as though I hadn’t eaten a thing. Weird? That’s not normal for me actually. (Although you’d never guess by looking at me!)

I did have joint pain on two days, Monday and Tuesday. Tuesday it was actually a bit beyond just annoying, but I’d never have complained too much out loud. Karen and Ashley put me to shame with what they put up with. Ashley was due for a dose of Remicade as soon as she got home. As with most people with HPS taking Remicade, she always starts to go downhill in the bowel department about a week before the next dose.

She barely ate a thing all week – but she never complained – not even once, although I’m sure she wasn’t always feeling that great. Poor Karen was having bowel issues and joint issues of her own, so my little joint issues were nothing. I was trying really hard on Tuesday not to walk like an old lady lest Donna ask me what’s wrong.

Mamma Donna takes such good care of us when we travel. She’s constantly asking us if we’re okay. Karen and I agreed – it was really refreshing to be around someone who actually asked that question. We both said we’d have to be pretty not okay to admit to not being okay, but at the same time, it was so nice to be around someone who knew you might not always be feeling great and who was looking out for you.

On the return trip, I repeated the little allergy performance at the Denver airport, and I’ve been fully drugged up on allergy meds since returning home. I’m actually not making it through an entire 24 hours on the Zyrtec – I’m taking one more like every 15 hours. I don’t know if I’m supposed to do that, but it’s better than the break through hive medicine they gave me. If I take that stuff I might as well just pack up my tent and go home. I can’t function with it.

I’ve also had some mild bowel issues since being home. I had the runs Friday, Saturday and today. Today I’ve had a lot of joint pain, and it didn’t get better as the day went on as it usually does. I’ve also had some mild back pain again.

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