Allergic Reaction

I mention back in the spring about having issues in sleeping, which was due to stress.  I went to GNC and bought melatonin and velearan root to help me sleep.  They did, and I had no very little issues in sleeping over the summer.  I tried not to take these two sleep aids that much over the summer.  When school started at the end of August, all of a sudden, I started having issues sleeping again.  I have very little stress this year, and I have my joy back in teaching.  I love where I teach.  I love teaching my students and what I teach.  I am greatly enjoying my school year.  I've done the two sleep aids at various times this school year.  I got sick back in the middle of September, and kind of stopped taking them.  When you are on an antibiotic, you are very careful in what else you take.

I started taking steroids on October 23.  I get about 4-5 hours of sleep, then can't seem to go back to sleep.  I can probably count on both hands, how many times, I have gotten a good night's sleep since school has started.  I was out of the valerean root, so I bought a bottle at Giant Eagle last Saturday.  Nobody told me,  that sleep issues is a side effect of the steroids.  I took both sleep aids about 45-60 minutes before going to sleep over the next 4-6 nights. 

  I noticed how difficult it was to go up the short flight of stairs to the recess door to pick my kids, and the short flight of stairs to the entrance/dismissal doors we use.  I am not talking about becoming short of breath, I am talking about my muscles in my legs, it was taking effort.  Even at night to go upstairs to go to bed, it was an effort to use the stairs.  Thursday night, I noticed a rash on my right leg.  I had also noticed having cramps in my left leg, while moving around in my bed.  My muscles hurt in my right leg, there is a rash on the front of my right leg and part of the back of my left leg.  Both legs are covered in bruises. My legs also itch at times. I had an allergic reaction to the sleep aids. 

Yesterday, I called my lung doctor to get in and see him, due to the allergic reaction.  He was out of office and said to go to the emergency room.  I called my personal doctor, she was booked solid, but another doctor had an opening right after lunch. I took it.  He had blood drawn to check my platelets, and sent me to get an ultrasound of my right leg.  (I had one back in July).  He wanted to check for blood clots.  That came back normal, no blood clots.  No more sleep aids until I am done with the steroids and will have to adapt to not getting enough sleep.  I need sleep.

I got weighed at the doctor's office, and I haven't gained any weight since October 22.  That is good, since gaining weight is one of the side effects of taking steroids.  I just want to eat.  I have also felt like I have been in a brain fog.  It is like I feel totally out of it.  I felt this way back in September when I was sick.  I kinda felt like this last weekend when I was experiencing the sugar crash.  I am not sure what causes this brain fog.  Side effects of meds are never fun.  Because of this rash, I can not wear my compression stocking.  I do get tired of wearing the stocking, but it is something I will have to wear for the rest of my life. 

Everything Came Back Negative!

  I saw my oncologist this morning and I will see the surgeon this Friday morning.  From my oncologist, the results are negative.  Even the blood test that I had on March 1 came back  negative for Melanoma.  That means I am still NED!!!!!  I have been diagnosed with some inflammatory disease, probably sarcoid. Hard to say for sure which one.  I will have another PET/CT scan in three months on June 10 at 11 am.  Hopefully everything is back to normal and no new changes. 

My neck is still sore, I didn't like having stuff near my neck today.  I kept pulling at my sweater.  I had my name badge around my neck and my microphone on, and my it was bugging me.  It bothers me to turn my neck in certain directions and to raise my head up too far.  It will take time for that area to heal.  I am trying to keep my neck covered at school for now, so the kids won't have to see the incision area.

Still Very Sore!

My muscles sure do hurt! It still hurts to cough.  I tried my recliner last night, not comfortable enough, so when I woke up three  hours after going to sleep, I took a pain pill and tried my bed, that was just as bad.  I hurt to move.  I am staying downstairs tonight and sleeping in my dad's recliner.  His chair is much more comfortable. 

I do feel better today, but since I hurt to move, and do not think I can do the stairs well at school, I am taking tomorrow off as well.  I will get dad to take me in the morning to prepare for the sub and to bring stuff home to grade.  I have to be able to move around at school.  I will stay home most of the weekend to rest.  I will go back to school Monday after my oncologist appointment.  By then,  I should be able to move around much better.

This was surgery number four in the past elven months.  That is a lot on one's body.