a Everyone- Questions About Angels and everything else....

[Guest guest]

HI, , a, Debs, Tess, Al...everyone...

, Sweetie, I knew if anyone could find anything like

that on-line you could. I was kind of hinting when I

dropped that title earlier today...and you picked up on

it. Nice surprise when I got back from Doc's. I have a

couple of his books of poetry. Don't you also love the

mailman whistling up the driveway reading the post

cards??

Rheumatologist's visit went well and was way overdue.

She is checking to see if my insurance will cover

Remicade. She wants to wean me off pred ( I have been on

10-15 forever) and we think that might be the way to

go.If not, we will look into Enbrel after the first of

the year when she thinks it will once again be

available. I am currently doing the mtx plaquenil and

pred combo. Problem is I have had to be off mtx a couple

of times - first with kidney stone recovery post

lithotripsy and then the walking pneumonia. She also

wants a tb test.

She also wants me to try the protein power diet to

control the edema I am experiencing. She figures I am

carrying an extra 20 pounds in my legs-alone from just

fluid...maybe 50lbs from fluid all told. No wonder I

feel like a water balloon and nothing fits...shoes being

a special problem. She won't give me diuretic to jump

start....wants me to lose no more than 2lbs a week. I

mentioned weight watchers points system...but she wants

low carb high protein. Will give it a shot...maybe I

will begin to feel a little better by say Thanksgiving

or Christmas then.

I am seeing the urologist on the 5th...may run edema

issue by him too. I worry about the ketosis started by

the high protein stuff. I am under enough stress without

that too. The urine drop is to determine the type of

stones I am prone too. Have had no new stones that I am

aware of since end of February. Don't want too

either....easily as bad as the worst flare. Trust me.

Work has been miserable. I am so tired of always being

behind. I have lost 5 staff since January...have only

replaced one - and then with someone brand new- who is

phenomenal but needs a lot of supervision time that I

don't have but have to make time for. I spent easily

half my day yesterday...in court or dep prep ....on

someone else's cases and mine in the meanwhile keeps

piling up...ARRGH. Morale is shot. Found out...through

reasonably reliable source that Administrators got 4-

5,000 bonuses at Christmas when they are now laying my

staff off. As managers we were told that there was no

money for bonuses for our staff...but union found out

otherwise...ARRGH. Now want to scale down medical

insurance...heck that is the only reason some of us can

afford to work there. I have been asking for voice

activated software since February...told me to download

a sample from a site to see if I like and whether it was

worthwhile for me. ( Did I mention we do all of our own

word processing and most of the data entry??) Tell me

how do you do that without microphone and sound card on

computer?? I have come very close to filing EEOC

complaint...My boss keeps saying how his sister has RA

and asthma but manages to mountain climb...Everest

supposedly...and has lots of energy. Sorry enuf ...If I

keep this up it will fill a digest by itself. If anyone

wonders why I post so little this is why....I am not

ignoring...and I am reading and silently supporting all

of you.

Hugs,