Hi Everyone

[Guest guest]

Hi Everyone

First...Happy late and early birthday to all of you who I didn't get a chance to wish you one. Been sorta slow these last few weeks and have been hitting my pillow very early.

Saw my Rheumy and my blood work still looks good except my white blood count is a little high, but he feels it's due to the medication. He's lowered my Prednisone done from 15 mg to 12 1/2 mg since my hot flashing etc seems to be slowing down. As for my dentist he wants me to try and wait until he can get the Pred down lower before having that tooth of mine pulled. I can live with that since I'm not in pain.

I do have one thing he is checking right now and that is the total weakness in both my legs. It's gotten to the point if I get down I cannot get up again. No strength in my legs at all. I've always had fat and very muscular legs and this bothers me. Feel like that commercial where the little old lady has fallen and says, "Help! I've fallen and cannot get up". Yep...that's me. He's doing another blood test on that. Told me it could be a another form of an immune disorder where the muscles become inflamed. It could also be from my cholesterol medication which can cause this as well as joint pain. Will have to see. May have to have a muscle biopsy as well.

Saw a copy of the letter he sent my company. Very nicely put, but to sum it up he briefly explained my disease and the care I was getting as well as the stress level "had" to be taken care of because it can and does worsen my health. So far at work it has been very pleasant and I too have tried to not be so uptight. Don't know if I'm doing something right or the medication is doing it, but my blood pressure has "never" been as low at it was recorded yesterday 110/56. He told me that was good and not to worry about it getting lower. Not bad for a 54 year old woman.

Am taking it easy this weekend since I have been so dang tired this week. Was going to stay in my jammies today, but one of my poor doggies has broken out with little bumps all over her that itch like crazy. We tried Bendryl, but it's not helping so I have to take her to the vet today so darn...that means I have to get dressed.

Have a question for you wonderful people. Do any of you have the weakness in your legs and also do any of you have a burning in your knees? Boy, do both my knees burn..in the joint if you call it that. Oh, also how about your hands. Do any of you have hands so dry that it looks like you have had them stuck in chemicals all day? Mine have become so bad that even putting heavy creams and stuff on them and sleeping with gloves on doesn't help.

Got my hair conditioned and cut last night too so feel more human than a dry mop. So far with the MTX my hair isn't falling out, but it sure has dried up and looked like I had stuck it in an oven. However, if it continues to dry and die then I may have to do the drastic and that is shave the head and get a wig. Oh well, I'm ready so that doesn't bother me.

Sorry I haven't written much, but I spend so much at a computer during the day at work when I get home it's difficult for me to post. Just wanting everyone to know that I'm thinking of all of you, my prayers to those who are really having problems.

Big Hugs to all

Sharyn