Wednesday May 21st 2025

No Stars In My Eyes · May 21

It's morning and I am showered and shampoo'd. I have about an hour before I have to leave for the doc's appt.

The left fore arm rash has improved, in that it is not raised like it was, but it is still a brilliant red and now has little bumps within the red area, and still itches. But itching's worse in the area on the left side of my neck and the lower part of under and behind my left ear. AND now under my bangs at the hairline of my forehead, which I woke up scratching.. The gypsies also complained in my lower back, right hip, left knee. And to top it all off I woke up with the Jardiance commercial jingle running through my head. Urg! I hate that little song! I always mute the TV when it comes on.

Anyway, that's the scoop on the home front. Won't do laundry until later, after I get back from the appt and the errands. Looking forward to starting the dose-pak, assuming I do get it, for both the rashes and the gypsies!

Interesting new occurrence with Nannie .... she no longer recognizes herself in pictures of her and her husband. She talks about "they" and "her" as if they and she are really someone else. She does not connect with her personal 'history'. Anything you tell her, she says, "I didn't know that." and also examines "that lady" in the photos, saying, "She looks like a very pleasant person." I wouldn't exactly use "pleasant' to describe her, but Nannie is like Nannie is, and always has been, in spite of the dementia.

Time to dry my hair and get dressed. Always gotta get to an appt 15 minutes early, but since it is a morning appt maybe I won't have a long wait to get into the exam room.

I'll come by later and give you the report from the doctor.

Editorial Team / Admin · May 21

Thanks for the Jardiance jingle, No Stars!! LOL. I hope the appointment goes well and is helpful for your rash and for the gypsies (my, they have been partying lately)!

No Stars In My Eyes · May 21

Did you know that taking a pepcid tablet twice a day helps hives to go away faster? The doc said it really makes a difference for hives.. Huh, whaddya know! Well, now I am to take one in the AM and one in the PM for 7 days.

So, anyway he gave me Prednisone 10 mg tablets, and I am to take three tablets all at once, with food, once a day, for 7 days. The pharmacist said to be sure to take it early enough in the day that it won't have me too revved up to be able to fall asleep easily at night. I took them at 2 PM when I got home (I did eat) and I could tell the moment the Prednisone hit my blood stream because my body felt like someone had geared me up ...ZiiiiZZZZZZZZ! into 5th gear. 😳 Whew! Tomorrow I will take it earlier than 2 PM, but today I was eager to have my itching 'starting-to-stop' and my joints to stop complaining ASAP. Besides with my 'normal' bedtime being 2 AM, I am hoping that today's 2 PM dose won't mess with me too much when I do go to sleep.

My doctor said my (self-) diagnosing has had a pretty good track record in the past 9 years. He said I give him a lot more to work with than most patients do, and it helps narrow things down! So I am correct much of the time, with the final call, of course, being his! He also said he admires and respects me for my temperament and my intelligence! He also said he thinks I am a genuinely really NICE person, and he doesn't know many who would stick with someone like Nannie for so long. I told him about her looking at a photo of herself and saying "She looks like a very pleasant person." and he burst into laughter, because he KNOWS Nannie very well, too!

Nice to be given such a boost! He said anytime I needed him, don't hesitate to call, because he has my back.

SiL left me a text that said she was going to go to the grocery store (which is a mile from Nannie's daycare) and did I want her to pick Nannie up? Hmmm. Yeah, even though it is earlier I would like, I'd just as soon not have to go out again. I thought she told me that she or BiL would be able to pick up Nannie, but I wasn't thinking it would be at 4 PM instead of 5 PM. (I shoulda known there would be a change in what I expected.😋!) C'est la vie. *sigh* It's as long as it wide. Pfft!

Editorial Team / Admin · May 22

Yah, that makes sense, No Stars. Antihistamines are H1 blockers and Pepcid (famotidine) is an H2 blocker. Combo should be helpful, especially with the Prednisone! I hope your symptoms go away SOON!

Not much going on here, it is HOT for the next few days: in the mid-90's. Had a nice late lunch with ds yesterday (Oh, I already told you that, earlier. Oh well).

I made more the Chicken Tomatillo Soup. Dh tried one of the tomatillo pieces before I put them in the soup. He said they taste like a green tomato. 🙂 I also paid some bills and got two loads of laundry done. We also drove to Lowe's to get another water-tight storage box for him to keep the cat's food in = ANT-PROOF!! I am always entertained when I go to Lowe's or to Home Depot, they have so many THINGS!

Have a good evening!

Tweety, BSN, RN · May 22

Good evening.

Stars, hope the rash improves.

I had a rash from antibiotics and was almost put on steroids but stopping the antibiotic did the trick. The one time I was on steroids there was zero effect on my energy level.

The retirement party management put on for my coworker was nice. Like I said, I won't really miss her that much.

I had a fit when I called to check on my refrigerator repair and it was rescheduled a week. Took many calls to get past AI who told me "I understand you want to talk to a representative but I am your AI representative". Had to Google how to get a real live human who told me they rescheduled because they didn't know I had the parts they mailed me. I emphatically said I have them and they'd better change my appointment back to tomorrow, Fortunately she was able to accommodate me and I was able to stay in my nice person mode.

Editorial Team / Admin · May 22

Tweety, good on you, for sticking to your guns! I HATE AI, it is so impersonal and ignorant of "my" situation! I hope the fridge is FIXED TOMORROW!!

nursej22, MSN, RN · May 22

Hullo. I had a pleasant morning working at the demo garden. My other person that works with me with the roses is going to have to step away. She has had another small stroke and isn't allowed to drive. She does struggle with finding words at times, but she has been fun to work with, and learn how the garden has evolved. Dh has offered to help and I'll probably take him up on that. We stopped at the grocery store and got store-made oriental food. The name of the store is Haggen's (a small, regional chain) and many people call their food "Haggen-ese". I had teriyaki chicken with rice, dh had sweet and sour chicken and broccoli beef. I came home and pulled some weeds. I am going to do an online education thing tonight about garden pests.

I had dexamethasone for a procedure 2 years ago and I was revved up and bouncing off the walls for 2 days. I was supposed to be "taking it easy" and poor dh was gently trying to get me to calm down. I don't ever want to feel like that again.

Holy cow, Tweety, that is ridiculous about your repair. Good for being firm and having clear expectations.

When are you going to Milwaukee, Joe?

Ado, I hope you are finding your meetings useful.

You are correct, Dianah, 90 is hot!

Ado Annie, ASN, RN · May 22

That does make sense that pepcid would help with hives. I believe they give it along with benadryl in the ER for allergic reactions. I have found benadryl to be very helpful as long as it's OK for me to go to sleep for several hours.

Teeety, that is super frustrating. I hope they show up and get it done.

Today's meeting was good and we finished about 3:00 so instead of staying in OKC to have dinner with them all, I came home. I must get up extra-early tomorrow. At least I am not the one doing the driving.

Ado Annie, ASN, RN · May 22

Yesterday at lunchtime I went to pick up meds for the cat. On my way through town, I noticed a guy on a motorcycle weaving through cars. I remember thinking he was being awfully careless. Shortly after, traffic ahead of me slowed. A semi had hit a motorcycle on the onramp to the interstate. I thought at the time it was surely not the guy I had seen ... but I'm not sure. At any rate it was sobering.