Pajama Day

If medical stuff bores you, skip this post -- it will be boring :-) We are having a Pajama Day here at the homestead. How awesome it is to spend the day at home!

I saw the doctor and the nausea seems to be from an irritated stomach lining. How about that? Apparently I did some damage with the flu that was exacerbated by stress. Imagine that -- stress! Only about 12 more weeks in the semester -- I told the doctor she had to patch me up since the stress wasn't going to subside until then. Balance will be restored following this semester. I told her I didn't care if she had to give me vitamin shots every week for the rest of the semester -- I gotta make it through and I need to feel better!

She looked at me and said "Cut me Mick, I gotta go back in!" I cracked up. Nice Rocky reference I must say. I'm now going to have to take Protonix. This is a drug which helps heal the stomach lining. I've been on it two days, I'm ready to be healed. I'm still not healed. Not fair.

My sleep study is a week from Tuesday. We are placing bets on sleep apnea or chronic pain as the cause of the insomnia. I'm betting on pain since hubby says I wince a moan a bit. That poor guy -- I'd hate to share the bed with someone like me! His snoring wakes me a times, so I guess it is even? I would prefer to avoid a diagnosis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. That is one of those labels which I want to avoid. There is a definite stigma with CFS -- similar to that of Fibromyalgia's stigma.

I suffer chronic pain as the result of a 2001 auto accident. I am much happier to say that I have Myofascial Pain Syndrome. (MyDr. calls it Chronic Myofascial Pain). Some doctors use these terms somewhat interchangeably with Fibromyalgia, but there is less of a sneer associated with MPS of CMP.

The crux of the matter is that lack of sleep makes the pain thing worse. So which came first -- the chicken or the egg? My issues started when I was in too much pain to sleep. Now I'm not sleeping and my pain is worse. I had a sleep aid from 2001-2005 but had to stop due to side effects. I tried to live without a sleep aid from 2005-2006, then I gave in and sought help from my primary care physician. Who would have thought resolving through a sleep specialist would take this long? Add flu and stomach irritation and I've become The Tired Achey Nauseous Girl.

I am living on instant mashed potatoes and and HMR diet shakes. The bonus? I'm down another pound -- 16 pounds since 12/20. YIPPEE! I still have wood to chop, but it does feel good to start fitting back into my clothing. I hope to drop 2 more sizes by spring -- I'd be ecstatic to fit into some of my nice spring clothes.

So that's my update. Sorry if the medical stuff was boring, but it does explain a bit on why I complain of pain and lack of sleep doesn't it? I promise not to be such a whiner in my next post!

Have a great Saturday! Our plan here is to stay in pajamas all day -- YAY PAJAMAS!