Merry Christmas everyone.
In the last week, I have been (mostly) pain fee. Nice!
The one exception was on a run yesterday. I felt unmotivated to go, and the ordinary weather wasn’t helping my motivation. But I gave myself a kick in the pants and told myself not to be a sooky-la.
After 1.5km, my ankle was a little grumpy, but I think it could have taken the exercise if the rest of my body also agreed to exercise. Since it didn’t, and my ear and throat were aching, I got concerned about a pending cold and went home instead. After all, I don’t want a cold during a holiday.
As it happens, I am not getting a cold. The flesh just wasn’t agreeing it was time for exercise.
In other words, I was a sooky-la.
The last couple of weeks have been very good. I have been pain-free and flare-up free. In terms of moving and motion, I have been able to do everything I want to. I definitely feel better, much better than any other time this year. Also, in thinking back over time, I am even tempted to suggest that I feel better now than any other time in the last four or five years.
So given there’s no visit to K this week and no troubles, I have very little to talk about. While as a blogger, that's not the most ideal position to be in, if you’re writing a blog about your medical condition then having nothing to write is a welcome problem. A very welcome problem indeed.
It is a reason for me to celebrate. It mgiht also be the time to think back to this time last year.
Last year, almost to the day, I was suddenly struck down with extreme pain in my left hip and rendered unable to walk. In a few weeks’ time, I would be diagnosed with SpA, but for now, I was in a lot of trouble. My 12-month software replacement project was going live that coming weekend. As Project Manger, this was quite inconvenient to say the least. I hadn’t yet finished my Christmas shopping. My parents were coming for Christmas and for the first time ever, Brian and I would be hosting them. I was in pain, then on drugs for pain, while having to work. It was quite messy. And I was very very pissed off.
This year, I am heading into Christmas unconcerned about my mobility, or lack thereof. I am looking forward to going away for Christmas. I have planned quite a few activities over my three week break all of which I would not have dreamed of doing a year ago. I finish work this Friday. I have indeed finished all my Christmas shopping.
So! Who has the bubbly?
So given there’s no visit to K this week and no troubles, I have very little to talk about. While as a blogger, that's not the most ideal position to be in, if you’re writing a blog about your medical condition then having nothing to write is a welcome problem. A very welcome problem indeed.
It is a reason for me to celebrate. It mgiht also be the time to think back to this time last year.
Last year, almost to the day, I was suddenly struck down with extreme pain in my left hip and rendered unable to walk. In a few weeks’ time, I would be diagnosed with SpA, but for now, I was in a lot of trouble. My 12-month software replacement project was going live that coming weekend. As Project Manger, this was quite inconvenient to say the least. I hadn’t yet finished my Christmas shopping. My parents were coming for Christmas and for the first time ever, Brian and I would be hosting them. I was in pain, then on drugs for pain, while having to work. It was quite messy. And I was very very pissed off.
This year, I am heading into Christmas unconcerned about my mobility, or lack thereof. I am looking forward to going away for Christmas. I have planned quite a few activities over my three week break all of which I would not have dreamed of doing a year ago. I finish work this Friday. I have indeed finished all my Christmas shopping.
So! Who has the bubbly?
I took my first dose of Adalimumab! I think. Unless I really was taking it before. Oh, never mind. I'm sure you get the point.
The visit to K yesterday was quite the busy one.
The week 12 milestone was so much more than simply coming to the end of the of the time that all testrabbits patients may be taking a placebo. There are several things I need to do, or need to have checked every visit. Blood tests, surveys, blood pressure, answer questions, joint assessments and dose.
But at week 12, additional things were required. There were many more survey pages. I believe that I had to re-do the same survey pages as per my original baseline visit. It’s hard to remember exactly but I think they were a repeat. My weight was checked. There were one or two additional tests and a series questions and an examination by a doctor. The General wasn’t there so another doctor checked me out. He was the one I saw at my second visit. I gave him a bit cheek and he returned serve. I like him.
My CO reports all tests from last visit were fine. I am, once again, unremarkable. I was also very pleased to report a very happy last 2 weeks, culminating with the two jog sessions. I haven’t been able to go on another run since last week, but that’s thanks to the fact that Australia’s 15 year horror-drought has been broken by dumping 15 years worth of rainfall in 2 months and does not have anything to do with my aches and pains.
Oh, and under no circumstances am I allowed to stop Salazopyrin. I have been told.
The visit to K yesterday was quite the busy one.
The week 12 milestone was so much more than simply coming to the end of the of the time that all test
But at week 12, additional things were required. There were many more survey pages. I believe that I had to re-do the same survey pages as per my original baseline visit. It’s hard to remember exactly but I think they were a repeat. My weight was checked. There were one or two additional tests and a series questions and an examination by a doctor. The General wasn’t there so another doctor checked me out. He was the one I saw at my second visit. I gave him a bit cheek and he returned serve. I like him.
My CO reports all tests from last visit were fine. I am, once again, unremarkable. I was also very pleased to report a very happy last 2 weeks, culminating with the two jog sessions. I haven’t been able to go on another run since last week, but that’s thanks to the fact that Australia’s 15 year horror-drought has been broken by dumping 15 years worth of rainfall in 2 months and does not have anything to do with my aches and pains.
Oh, and under no circumstances am I allowed to stop Salazopyrin. I have been told.
Back when I commenced in the trial, The General and I had a short and sweet conversation about stepping down from taking Salazopyrin given I was about to commence on Adalimumab. After all, who want to stay on several different prescription pharmaceuticals when only one will do?
The General wasn’t all that keen to have that discussion at the time and had valid reasons for this. I was strongly advised, which I always take to me a non-negotiable order, to keep taking Salazopyrin because for the first 12 weeks, I may very well be injecting a substance that treats arthritis symptoms about as well as sucking on a Chupa Chup while standing on my head.
But tomorrow, is Week 12 from Baseline. Tomorrow I will be back at K for another round of assessments and surveys, only this time I know what I will be injecting. In this trial, Week 12 marks the end of the 50/50-chance-you’re-on-the-placebo period. This is just as well because last night, I took the last of the Salazopyrin in my possession and I’m out of repeat prescriptions.
I would love to suggest that leaving me with an empty Salazopyrin bottle the day before commencing on Adalimumab was the product of brilliant planning. I would then have a perfect opportunity to work in my favourite over-used 21st century buzzword; ‘synergy’ or ‘synergies’, just for kicks. But sadly for me, and lucky for you, there’ll be no working in unimpressive buzzwords I like to constantly pick on. Not today. Because I assure you, it wasn’t planned at all. Just coincidental.
The General wasn’t all that keen to have that discussion at the time and had valid reasons for this. I was strongly advised, which I always take to me a non-negotiable order, to keep taking Salazopyrin because for the first 12 weeks, I may very well be injecting a substance that treats arthritis symptoms about as well as sucking on a Chupa Chup while standing on my head.
But tomorrow, is Week 12 from Baseline. Tomorrow I will be back at K for another round of assessments and surveys, only this time I know what I will be injecting. In this trial, Week 12 marks the end of the 50/50-chance-you’re-on-the-placebo period. This is just as well because last night, I took the last of the Salazopyrin in my possession and I’m out of repeat prescriptions.
I would love to suggest that leaving me with an empty Salazopyrin bottle the day before commencing on Adalimumab was the product of brilliant planning. I would then have a perfect opportunity to work in my favourite over-used 21st century buzzword; ‘synergy’ or ‘synergies’, just for kicks. But sadly for me, and lucky for you, there’ll be no working in unimpressive buzzwords I like to constantly pick on. Not today. Because I assure you, it wasn’t planned at all. Just coincidental.
As an IT Professional working primarily in the web space, one thing that is guaranteed to turn me peuce is a website interface that doesn't work.
'Doesn't work' can mean lots of things, but you know it instantly when you see it or try to use it. Where the Diary was concerned, 'doesn't work' meant a background image hastily created just to put something there. I admit little thought went into it and I have never really been happy with it.
So the Diary has undergone a face lift. I think it looks pretty good, and I would like to thank the creators over at Templates Block for what is clearly some of the best Blogger templates out there today.
'Doesn't work' can mean lots of things, but you know it instantly when you see it or try to use it. Where the Diary was concerned, 'doesn't work' meant a background image hastily created just to put something there. I admit little thought went into it and I have never really been happy with it.
So the Diary has undergone a face lift. I think it looks pretty good, and I would like to thank the creators over at Templates Block for what is clearly some of the best Blogger templates out there today.
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