What else can go wrong?

[NikkiNicole]

Last week, I had a radioactive iodine uptake test and an MRI to try and help my endocrinologist figure out the rather puzzling thyroid tests that I was having. It seems that just my CRP, my PR3 (ANCA), ESR and thyroid tests are coming back irregular. Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful for that, I just wish that there were easy answers for my blood work.
Anyway .... the RAIU was fine. The MRI came back showing a small nodule on my pituitary gland. Those mean nothing in the grand scheme of things, for now anyway! I have to have another one done in 6 months to make sure it hasn't grown. It grew since February ... which is a lil unnerving but ... with everything else going on.
I just want to shake my fist at the world.
I look at my ongoing health conditions on Kaiser's website and cringe at how many things are listed there.
Hyperthyroid
Hashimoto's Thyroiditis
Solitary Plasmacytoma
Wegener's Granulomatosis
Pituitary Adenoma

Anything else care to be added? Grrrrrrr
:unsure::predrage::mad1:

[NikkiNicole]

I know there are others out there that have worse things going on, that have worse WG flare-ups, that are dealing with much more than I am. I'm just constantly have something coming up and I look ahead and think "What's Next?"

[Alysia]

Dear Nikki,
it is indeed too much for one young girl... :crying:
hold out and let us hold you :hug2:
I believe it will be ok. good days are coming soon.
I am sending you my love and my praying.

[NikkiNicole]

I have more ... I'm getting sick. Well, above what's normally wrong. My stupid co-worker has been hacking all over everything in here and now hubby is sick too. I think I posted this somewhere else but I just took my break at work to go lie down. I'm coughing non-stop one minute and sneezing when I'm not.
The feeling of being run over by a bus has increased beyond it's normal feeling. I am not a happy girl.
Thank you for always being so sweet and kind. I feel like I lean more on everyone here than I can with anyone in my regular life. They don't understand.
I love you. I love you all so much already.

[Debbie C]

Nikki.are you able to take a leave from work ? My pulmy dr. wrote out a script for me saying my immune system was so low that I could not work for at least a year. I was able to get Medicaid,which paid my med. bills and I am now on disability getting S.S. every month. Maybe your job is too stressful and you are in such a confined space. You should maybe check on it, at least if you have short-term disability at work. I hope you and your hubby are feeling better soon. Go have a glass of wine and kick back !!!!!

[drz]

I know there are others out there that have worse things going on, that have worse WG flare-ups, that are dealing with much more than I am. I'm just constantly have something coming up and I look ahead and think "What's Next?"

Wegs, the gift that keeps on giving. No time to become complacent. Hope things get better soon so you get a little break.

[rebekah]

Sorry to hear of everything you are going through right now, Nikki. I hope things start to improve for you soon and you feel better.

[annekat]

I'm sorry, Nikki.... you have indeed been going through a lot of stuff, not only the string of illnesses that seems to grow, but the stress associated with it all. And yes, you shouldn't be around people who are hacking all over the place. If you have to, take plenty of precautions.... masks, hand sanitizer, etc. A little break from work and getting some extra rest would be nice for you. I hope things improve soon.

[NikkiNicole]

I do have yet another blissfully long weekend due to trading shifts with a co-worker so she could attend her son's college football games. So, I get to be off Wed/Thu/Fri/Sat and only work Sunday in the morning which means still getting a decent night sleep on Sunday night! I plan on just being a "housewife" cooking, cleaning up a little and resting.
I am starting to get towards wanting to be isolated to my own desk so I know I can keep the contamination to a minimum. We share desks and move around the room. It's a 24-hour facility so when I leave, someone comes and sits down behind me and vice versa. We have enough desks and every position can be used for anything so ... I think I may have to ask the ol' doc for a note. I don't mean to be nit-picky but I do NOT want a lung infection. I had seen enough of them with my Dad. No thanks.
I am hoping I only have a wee touch of what's going on and that I'm not quite immunosuppressed enough yet to really be knocked down but since I was already still feeling down ... this isn't helping.
With hubby being sick ... o m g ... he's so whiny! haha. He took a nap today. He was tired from our breakfast. I had to leave and come to work. Must be nice!!!

[Debbie C]

Yea breakfast can make one really tired:flapper: Well it's good that you have all those days off again to rest up. It's funny how men can be so whiny when they are a little sick and you have all this going on and still have to go to work. Take care !!

[NikkiNicole]

He was being grumpy and mean because he wasn't feeling well. I snickered and said "I'll remember this." And when he asked why, I explained that I am feeling how he is but that's 100% of the time and always have a smile on my face and don't constantly say "man, I don't feel good". Not to mention the 60 hour work weeks.
He shook his head and continued to complain.
The best part was when he said "Maybe I have what you have, it won't go away." Or ... "My neck hurts too. Maybe it's meningitis" (he forgot that he slipped in the bathroom and tweaked his neck) I told him he'd been sick for 3 days, I was sick for a year and a half before they figured mine out.
Silly husband

[Barbara N]

I have more ... I'm getting sick. Well, above what's normally wrong. My stupid co-worker has been hacking all over everything in here and now hubby is sick too. I think I posted this somewhere else but I just took my break at work to go lie down. I'm coughing non-stop one minute and sneezing when I'm not.
The feeling of being run over by a bus has increased beyond it's normal feeling. I am not a happy girl.
Thank you for always being so sweet and kind. I feel like I lean more on everyone here than I can with anyone in my regular life. They don't understand.
I love you. I love you all so much already.

We love you too and will always be here for you.

[Wegetarian]

Darn, I wish your body would cut you a break soon and stop being such an ass. You seem like such a nice person too, so it really sucks hearing how you have to suffer from new and stressful things :(

[NikkiNicole]

Thank you Wegetarian. It's been a definite learning experience and ... one that has made me really evaluate what is important in life. I am trying not to think about what else could happen as I found I was quite angry the other day wondering what was next.
I had thought I shook off the cold but, it's definitely taken root and is kicking my tail right now. My throat is raw and sore, Im coughing up fabulous green junk as well as getting that out of my sinus rinses. I feel like a herd of elephants stampeded over me when I wasn't looking, my eyes are burning and I feel like I could just put my head down and sleep for days and days!
My last blood tests came in. PR3 holding steady where it was at, still way elevated! The CRP is even now creeping back up again. So ... I get to go back in two weeks and check again! Lucky me.

[marylz]

:hug3:Feel better soon!

[Debbie C]

Nikki,aren't your docs at Kaiser doing anything since you are not improving ? They should maybe up your preds or something:confused: I hope you get rid of your cold soon anyway,that will help you feel a little better anyway. Get alot of rest on your time off. Keep us posted

[NikkiNicole]

Wednesday was the worst day. Coughing, sneezing, completely stuffed up, and ... throwing up. Yay. So fun. I was miserable. I couldn't sleep. I got home at 1am wednesday from work and stayed up except for the tiny half hour I slept from 0630-0700, then I took the dog to doggy daycare so I could go home and sleep without feeling like I was neglecting him. On the way home, my stepmom texted me that a friend of ours had died suddenly at 42!!
I couldn't sleep. I don't know if that was hovering in the back of my mind or what. I think I dozed off from about 3pm-4pm but it wasn't a restful sleep. I was super sick again in the evening on Thursday after trying to do too much again.
So, Friday I did absolutely nothing, and Saturday pretty much was a bit of nothing.
It's back to work everyday for the rest of the month now. Time to put my game face on.

[Dirty Don]

Hang tough Nik...I'm going thru stomach issues right now and, always in the back of my mind, I'm waiting for a flare. I have a feeling it's the heat and humidity we're having this summer since we don't usually get the amount of rain we've had this summer. BUT, I hate feeling poorly every day...sighs...MORE Protonix for now, will get into doc tomorrow I hope...in the meantime, keep hanging in there...you'll win!

[Debbie C]

Nikki, Sorry to hear about your friend passing. Also sad to hear you are so sick and have to keep working...are you not able to take anytime off ?? Did you see about getting your own desk ?? I don't see how you keep up the hours you do that is definately not helping your situation. Hope you get better soon:hug2:

Don, sorry you are ill too..I don't know how you can stand the heat there. I've been to Arizonia a few times and it's just TOO hot. And I can't believe you go golfing in it !!!! Hope you start feeling beeter too !:hug2:

[NikkiNicole]

Funny story, where I live has topped Arizona's temps the last few days. It seems like you got a little bit of a reprieve from the heat, Don and sent it our way!!! Take it back!!!! It's too hot!!!!

I need to talk with my doctor about the desk thing. One girl ran out of here with a plastic bag on her face last night, and is out again tonight and someone else was hacking and coughing and sniveling. I have no idea who sat where I am right now. Ugh.

I think I shall email the doctor right now. I don't want this thing I have to get any worse. It's down to just a cold at the moment.

[Alysia]

Nikki & Don,
what is going on over there ?
I bet your's heat is not as hot as it is here... (about 30 in "cooler" days) but we are living with air conditionning...
that heat might "encourage" germs to thrive :sneaky:
(I also got infection, antybiotic added)
feel well, get healthy !
I am sending both of you big hugs :hug2: :hug2: (each one his own hug)
and some breeze from the mediterranean....

[Wegetarian]

Sorry to hear about your friend. Let us know when something good happens to you for a change, I do hope you get some good news like sometime? Seems you've gotten such an unfair share of crap lately.

[Debbie C]

Alysia, I'm not feeling too bad but would you send some of that Mediterranean breeze may way too just for the heck of it:biggrin1:

Also when I was at my pcp the the other day he mentioned the flu shot and they would have them in in a couple weeks...is anyone going to get one ? With everyone getting so sick right now I'm thinking about it. The dr. at CC made me get one last year and that was the first time I ever had one.

[Alysia]

the flu shot

I read that the flu shot can cause a flare.

[NikkiNicole]

Lots of places around here in California offer the "live virus" flu shot and I was strongly advised against this. In my 33.5 years of life, I haven't caught the flu only when I DIDN'T get the flu shot. Whenever I have got them, (and I got one last November) I have been very sick with the flu. I don't want to go through what could potentially happen now so I won't be getting one.
There have been some pretty sick people here at work. I spoke with the dispatch manager about the potential for me needing to be isolated in some way. She had an excellent suggestion. My own keyboard and mouse!
One of our dispatchers already uses her own special mouse so I would just have one additional little thing of my own. It is the most germy thing that I hvae at my desk. It's definitely something to think about with everyone being sick here at work. I do NOT want to get any worse.
I am still trying to get to the "better" part.

[marylz]

great idea!

[Debbie C]

I know we are not supposed to get a "live" virus ( I think that is a nasal spray one ) but I go to CC next month and I know he is gonna push me to get a shot but you guys know me and medicine !!!!!:mad1:

[NikkiNicole]

Before I gave in last year, I would be at the doc for a check up. They would say "You need your flu shot, want to do that today in the clinic?" I'd say sure ... and then not go to the clinic!!!

[mdjazz01]

I dont understand how anyone can even work with this illness. I find it hard to get out of bed each day

[NikkiNicole]

I am struggling. I really am. I have to work until 1 in the morning and it's SO hard to stay up. And then, sometimes the stress of what I do keeps me awake when I finally get home! Luckily, I haven't been forced to hold over past 1 am in awhile. Everyone seems to understand what's going on with me. Alas, I do work too much because I am trying to pay down some bills in case I have to be put on leave again.
It hovers in the back of my mind that things can change so quickly.
I wish I was at home right now. I took the new dose of MTX today and my stomach isn't happy.

[Debbie C]

Nikki,are you able to get medicaid since you have a disability. That's how I was able to get off work ???? I think you are under way too much stress at your job, not to mention all the sick people around you.