ONGOING SAGA between the PACEMAKER & CELLULITIS

WHATIS THERE SAY BUT THIS SUCKS!!!!! And I wished my BODY would get well and star well so I can get this pacemaker in and go on with my life!!!! The entire ordeal is getting way to old... I am so tired of cellulitis, infection & having to wait to get over  this mess.... This is like the 3RD time we have had to cancel and  reschedule it!!!! 

             

Happy Father's Day TO Each if you - Dad's, Grandad's, step-dad's those who raise you like they are your Dad & More!

TO ALL of the INCREDIBLE DAD'S, FATHER'S, SONS WHO WILL SOMEDAY BE DAD'S, GRANDFATHERS, & the list goes on.. no matter how old we are "Our Dad will always be"  Our Dad and "Bestest Fishin' Friend!" Happy FAther's Day! And Dad even after this much time has gone by, I STILL miss you! I seem to "still use some of your sayings" almost everyday of my life! LOL!

Okay, here it is in a "short version"... I was scheduled for the pacemaker this coming Monday morning in Dallas. The week before Memorial Day my left hand around my knuckles "started in my thumb" began to "look odd, kind of swollen, and reddish"..I thought I just over used it doing something. By the next morning, the knuckles next to it did the same, and so on, so forth. I STILL felt it was a Lupus/RA flare BUT I HAD NEVER HAD THIS TYPE OF ISSUE WITH MY LEFT HAND AND KNUCKLES..I researched, asked 2 pharmacists, and decided it maybe "gout arthritis", and I would need a special med called "Colchicine" (it helps to dissolve the uric acid crystals in the fluid around the joints).

So finally I went to Urgent Care, I believe it was about a week ago LAST Wednesday, so almost 2 weeks ago. They felt the same either gout, OR possibly some type of "infection arthritis" in the knuckles. Well, I went into panic mode. I KNEW NO PACEMAKER IF I SHOW ANY TYPE OF INFECTION! I was now on one antibiotic, higher dose of prednisone, & they did lab work to find out if they could see what was causing the problem. I DID NOT GET to even know until Thursday (so over a week or more)

Sharing Life, Holidays, Up's, Down's, Reality, and Dealing/Coping with Holidays when You are Chronically Ill/Pain & have a broken heart, along with problems that follow....

First I share some "Good News" and Happenings lately in my life. After Losing my Pug, Tazzy here about 3 months ago, and she was a Christmas Present 14 years ago, from my "husband", (we are now separated) & Bub's and I, (my Chiweenie, who is 5) were really down and out about the holidays. My "body" really would not allow me to climb into the attic for the big tree and decorations, so I bought a small tree, and put 14 years of Sleigh Bell's, one for every year my husband and I had been together.

Then I and Bub's have been fortunate enough to have a brand new "fur-baby" addition to the family just this week! He is only about 3 months old, and his name is "Peanut". I've officially adopted him, so he is getting used to myself and Bub's, and we are learning to adapt to a new baby in the house! But, I think he is really the best "Christmas" present we could ever have, and I am so grateful he came along at just the right time.

I adopted him from a local non-profit here in my area called "Tales of Hope". It is all volunteers, who take the pups into their "foster care" until they find homes and owners for them. I am happy my Vet suggested I adopt from them, and so far it has been a very peaceful and simple thing to go through. He came and had a "house visit" for 4 or 5 days, to see if he and us were all a good fit, and then just a matter of a bit of paperwork, they take care of his puppy boosters, micro-chipping, and then neutering, in a few months when he is old enough... so we are happy he has joined us.


Here are some photo's I've taken, of them, of myself lately, and me trying to put "me" back together again, after my husband no longer here, and then of course we lost the lawsuit over the 18 wheel tractor trailer that RAN OVER HIM WHILE THE DRIVER WAS ON HIS CELL PHONE WITH HIS BROTHER!

Needless to say, I know I have told some of that story, but was kind of under a "gag" order until after the trial, which was the 1st week in November. You can imagine where that left myself, but much more than that my husband, who suffered MANY terrible injuries, of which left him partially paraplegic, without some of his "memory for things such as current", and harmed his concentration levels a great deal. All of that with the pain and suffering, from having his back basically broken in "two", with 9 fusions down the thoracic spine, and wired together... he has more "broken" ribs, that not, and a concussion, that they did not realize how badly it effected him until months and months after the accident. He is a web developer, designer, and has been for 20 years, and that takes a huge amount of concentration, and the ability to "hold onto" information as far as not only long term, but short term... which all suffered from the accident. So, without any settlement funds, he is basically not able to get health insurance, cannot apply for federal disability because he had worked for himself so many years, and made well below the amount to pay in social security. The job he had before then, he did pay in, but as we know, that has to be within so many "months" before you apply and he of course did not have those "units" before, since it has been years since he paid in from a regular job.


The pain and suffering harmed my own health of course, and he had been somewhat my "caretaker" when I had surgeries, or flares with the Lupus/RA, or was too ill. He did some of the cooking, running errands, going to the market, etc... and after the accident, he could not even walk down two steps at our front porch, much less walk in a store, drive, or do anything that required, bending, lifting, carrying and so forth. So, as any spouse would have done, I "negated" my own issues, as far as health, trying to help him heal, both physically and mentally... all the while I started getting ill with more flares, and just have one crisis after the other with my own health, and mentally of course I felt almost as if I had "lost" myself and him... I feel I was "grieving" over losing my own "health" and then to watch him change, I grieved over losing him and us.


I know in MY HEART AND SOUL.... THOSE PEOPLE on THE OTHER END OF THE LAWSUIT FLAT LIED IN DEPOSITIONS, AND ON THE STAND, I BELIEVE THEY "PAID OFF" THESE TWO SO CALLED WITNESSES, THAT I KNOW COULD NOT HAVE POSSIBLY HAD SITE OF THAT BUSY HIGHWAY COMING INTO DOWNTOWN DALLAS, I-45 THAT DAY! But, I KNOW SOMEONE USED THEIR MONEY AND POWER, AND PEOPLE TO LIE, thus we lost the suit...

BUT, WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND.... IT ALWAYS DOES... AND SOMEDAY, they WILL PAY FOR THEIR OWN WAYS, in some form or fashion... we "never" have to take "revenge" for I've seen it happen too many times... THOSE TYPES OF PEOPLE, are taken care of by their own misdeeds. We must just let it go... and "Let God".... I guess would be the proper saying.... How how, some day the "truth" will come out.... it may not "help" us by then, but when it does, it will effect their lives, and then someday they may understand just how horrible our lives have been, and what they have taken away from a marriage, a family, two people, and all we feel we "lost" within those seconds of that accident....


All right, so now I have that part out.... I am taking one step at a time, one breath, one "breath's space", and one moment, day, week... as they come... There is not much else I can do but either "give up"... or move forward... as the song, "too much time to make up, everywhere we turn, time we have wasted on the way, too much water moving underneath the bridge, let the water come and carry us away"  Crosby, Stills, and Young ...


And I have experienced so many wonderful thing in my life, things I felt I would never be able to do... travel by myself to states and states... move to a wonderful city and stay for 5 years, Seattle, snow ski at Wolf Creek Pass CO, see the beauty of Santa Fe, see a baseball game in Phoenix, make a drive all the way to Nebraska to meet a friend, to have many friends that are "miles away" but close at heart... publish not just one but 2 BOOKS, and working on this 3rd one.... dance, sing, play the drums, write music, play the piano and keyboard, go to college and get my Associate Degree, although NOT in the subject I wanted... run a "retail women's store".......see the ocean in FL, in TX (The gulf), the the Sound in Seattle, take a ferry to Bainbridge Island, see the beaches in CA, Go to Vegas, have many vacations I remember as a child with my parents, experience things I thought I may never.... BUT, STILL, I have so many more I want to do, to see, to experience, and of course go to WASHINGTON dc and "stand upon the White House Steps, and tell Congress how I feel about those in need with Lupus, RA,JRA, Osteoarthritis, and many more chronic health conditions....


My "hopes" are that my life gets back on a "new track", in a very good way beginning January 2016. My hope is that I can get back to my writing, and finish my 3rd book, and have it published. I also hope that I can find the "finances" somehow to get my home "finished"... there are so many "small" things that need to be completed, and without lots of cash, that makes it difficult to do. I really don't need a great deal of materials, and what I need is not all that expensive, but it is the "labor", and finding someone to come and do what "I can't do"... I can paint, sand, (have a new idea about my kitchen,bathroom, and laundry room floors that will cost a lot less)... I need some wall boarding put up in the spare bedroom, and in my laundry room. But, the most expensive thing I truly need is a new roof on my house. This one really is in bad shape, and I am very concerned about the Spring and Summer, and stormy weather... plus my entire outside of the house needs painting, which some of that I can do... it is the higher parts, where I have to be up on a ladder higher than I should be that I will need help with. I am going to try and put new "hog wire" fencing up around my back yard, and most of the posts are there, but I need some help getting a couple of dead trees out of the way, and then probably getting the fencing tight enough, plus this back 1/2 acre or so of land that is mine, truly needs to be completely cleaned up. I have a huge pecan tree that died and most of it is down, but it needs to go... plus some other smaller trees be cut down, and trimmed... then I have a piece of an old bus, that was here, when I bought the house, and it needs to be hauled away. It is old, an eye sore, and someone could probably take it with a trailer, and sell it for the scrap metal... so some things are more just time, others I need a bit of cash, and others are in need of assistance, and then of course the roof, that means about 5,000.00 or so....

So, my hopes are that I can stay well enough, to get at least "some" of these projects accomplished as far as the house, I can finish my book and get it published, can get a surgery out of the way I am in need of, and maybe two.... plus just find "myself" a new light, a new path, and follow my heart... go back to dancing, singing, listening to music, and doing what my "body" allows me to do....

My wishes are that YOU, shall also find your path, your light, and your "love" of what ever that may be, whether of the human heart, of a new job, a new place to live, or just doing some of the things in life we tend to put off.... and we never know if "tomorrow" nor the next breath will be here....

I am putting up some pics, and links of some of my "wishes", and my ow hopes for my life the comes with each step I make forward..... Honestly, I've spent way too many years putting everyone else "1st" in life.... and all of what I want, need, or wish always goes on the very back burner... and there shall be some that are not "happy" with this decision... but I am chronically ill, I have many health issues, and I stay in severe pain most days, and I feel like if I do not put my foot down, and begin taking care of ME... I will regret things later as I get older.....


I hope you find the courage to put "you" first... and put the things in life that are important to you, on the "front burner"....

More on the "Abscess, Cellulitis, autoimmune complications, does our water contain something making us sick, Biologicals, stomach upsets, RA, Lupus and when do it EVER END???!

Thanks Denise Tekell and Yes Nancy Hershelman Gipson this "thing" that began as a lump on my thigh has turned into yet another one of my difficult situations, that sometimes even the doctors are not sure the "why", when or how of it all. What makes it worse is that I have not really said much to the doctors that is, about the "lump" on the other thigh... I cannot fathom how I would have "two" abscesses, in almost the same location, yet one on each thigh... unless as I had suspected, it has something to do with my biologic Orencia injections. I take them at just about where these lumps originated. So, some where I have this gut feeling, those needles from that batch of Orencia, were contaminated... I "thought" originally that this one that now has turned into an abscess... I had gotten a very tiny sliver of wood in it. I had a very small kind of gray looking spot come up, that kind of appeared to be like what you see after something such as a splinter gets in to your skin... it seemed to be a tiny bit of trying to get infected... I kept working with it, keeping it clean, and finally I thought got out a very, very tiny almost little sticker out of it. At that time, there was just a very little bit of stuff that was a bit yellow that also came out with it. But, I cleaned it up put Neosporin on it, covered it with a band aid, and in a couple of days, it seemed to close over and be well. It was about 7 days or so before this other "lump" began to form, and it was actually a bit above where that sticker was... not really right on that area. I did not give it much mind, until I noticed not only did the lump get "sore" it was getting larger. By the time I finally decided it needed to be seen about... it was just a lump, no redness or anything visible on the outside of the skin, just the lump that was then about the size of a silver dollar or maybe a bit larger. I went into my PCP, he took one look at it, and knowing my health issues, said it was cellulitis, and he immediately started me on TWO different antibiotics... I found out one for staph and one for strep... which would be the way to do it, especially with my immune system so compromised. ell, I took those for 7 days, and even though it got smaller, it left almost harder, so I called him, and he put me on a 2nd round of the same antibiotics... well 7 days later, the lump did not shrink anymore, plus it began to be sore, to the touch, so I went in that time, he said, of course my immune system still was not able to fight it off enough, so he did one more rounds of the same antibiotics, and said if there was no improvement, he wanted a surgeon to remove that lump and have it tested to see exactly what we were dealing with. Well, I went through hell and back trying to find a surgeon fairly close that took my insurance. I finally did, but he could not see me for like 10 days, and by now the lump began to show OUTER problems, with redness on it, even more sore, and seemed to be almost "swollen" around the lump.. So, that was a week ago last Friday... again I called me PCP told him that now it was showing outward signs of infection, and told him the surgeon would not be able to see him for another week, and I was very concerned... so he put me on one more round of antibiotics until last Friday, when I went to the surgeon. He came in took one look at it, and said it was an "abscess" that needed to be "cut open" to drain, and sure enough, after I almost fainted from the pain of the damned Lidocaine injections to just deaden it, which they hurt and stung like HELL!! Then even with the deadening, I could feel it when he was putting Q-tips inside of that opening to clean out all he could get out... he then proceeded to tell me he was going to "pack" it, and I needed to remove the packing the next day, and at least twice daily remove the bandages, clean it with Q-tips dipped in peroxide and he said I could just put a large band aid on it... on heck no... it is still so sore, I don't dare NOT cover it was gauze pads and medical paper tape... I can have pain with it, just walking, much less if I were to accidentally hit it etc... Of course you saw the photo's I took those yesterday.... and today it almost looks "worse" to be than better... but I really am not sure, so I've been doing exactly as he told me... and it still has a huge hole in there, that is as wide as the top portion of my little finger, and is at least that deep... and the length is almost1 1/2 inches or more... enough that I can get 3 Q-tips or 4 in it at once, and I still almost feel as if I am hitting "bone" at the bottom... I see him Wednesday... to hopefully find out "what" was in it, and maybe why... but also figure out if this other one is the same thing, or something entirely different... Needless to say, between that stupid thing, my Tazz, my Pug has been sick to her stomach, I've had to cut her down to eating a bit of white rice, a bit of yogurt, and drink....and I got sick before going to church yesterday morning and have no cue why... I "felt" fine, I thought, got dressed, did my makeup, had my hair looking okay, and just about 10 minutes before I walked out of the house, it was like my stomach "flipped" 2 or 3 times... and I was running for the bathroom, sick to my stomach, almost got my dress messed up and wound up taking meds for my stomach and staying at home yesterday... in fact I needed to run out quickly, grab some more gauze pads for my leg, and get a "coke" which settles my stomach, and I thought again I was fine, but about the time I was pulling onto my street to get to my house, I almost did not make it.... I ran in and again was sick to my stomach... just insane ... and my Mom has been having the same issues off and on now for weeks too... I've even changed over to bottled purified water for now, thinking it is a bacteria in the water... it can happen this time of year, and in fact there must be something going on with our water... because there was an article in our local paper Saturday, about they were going to do some "testing" and it may have a "bleach type of smell" and for those who put it into medical devices, may want to use bottled water for a few days, like dialysis machines and so forth.... So, now my RA etc is acting up, due to fearing to even attempt to take my Biologic - plus my Rheumy is trying to get me switched over to Xeljanz, so I would not be able to take it and the Orencia... it is just a living hellish nightmare, all ofit....

This is what an "abscess" Looks like on my Thigh! I gather I did have cellulitis and then came the abscess afterward....

Cellulitis? An Abscess? A Boil!!?? What is it, was and what is the difference???

Since I just about "fainted" a few minutes ago, I am making this short... and will give more information either this evening later, or tomorrow. I saw the surgeon yesterday and the "lump" on my leg, after changing from "cellulitis" had actually formed an abscess under the skin. So, he wanted to "open and drain" it... and of course send off some of the infection to find out what caused it. He told me that there was "little"cellulitis left... so I was confused, and came home to read and find the exact differences between an abscess, cellulitis, impetigo, and then you can have an infected hair follicle etc... well, it probably began as "cellulitis" which was infection in the deeper portions of the skin... usually no formation of a "pocket of infection" but an infection spread over an area of the underlying skin. Where the abscess was actually a "pocket" of infection that had to be opened up and drained... Now most of you know I am one tough "cookie" due to the many surgeries, procedures, and so forth I've been through, but this FREAKING HURT!!! When he went in and began to injection the Lidocaine to "numb" the skin, I almost jumped off the table! OMG, it stings anyway, but this was even worse than it going in your upper palate of your mouth for a tooth to be fixed or pulled. It kept jabbing around putting an ass load full of Lidocaine in it, and then of course I was lying down, and he had a drape over my leg, but he "cut" in incision into my thigh. I did not feel much of that, but when he began to go into it with peroxide and Q-tips to clean it out, I wanted again to cry.. Lidocaine or NOT it freaking hurt like hell.... he then "packed" it with gauze and his nurse covered it over with gauze and tape. He asked me if I had someone at home to help clean it out a couple of times a day, and I told him I did not think my pups would be too thrilled - LOL... of course I said I could... yet I still did NOT know the EXTENT of this HOLE in my thigh!!! So, about an hour ago, I knew I had to take the bandages off and clean it out, and then put a band-aid or something to cover it back on....Well, I started to pull all of that gauze off the top and OMG, it was soaked in mess that drained out and blood... then I came to that damned packing... I had to pull that out also... and it was about 25 inches or more LONG.. by the time I got all of it out... also soaked with dry blood and pus that came out of the wound... and then there it is this HUGE HOLE IN MY THIGH!!! It is over 3 inches LONG and about 1 1/2 inches DEEP!!!! Now as I said I am not a cry baby about most stuff... but I had to take Q-Tips and put Peroxide on them and literally go inside of that hole to clean it, and he said to do that at least twice a day!!!! Honestly, I cried while I did it.... So, I do that and he will see me back on Wednesday, and said he should have the results back off the culture... but believe me, I NEVER want to go through this again... and I am not sure even what the heck is up with the lump on the other leg.. I did tell his nurse about it, but he really did not address it, and took care of this one first. I guess time will tell... this other one on my right leg could be nothing, or if it is something then it will certainly show more signs, like getting larger etc.... I thought I would be find one that was done, but believe me... it hurts to even walk on that leg.... so that is my "LABOR DAY" excitement... I hope the rest of the holiday is not like that for sure!!!! When I clean it up later again today, I will try to take a photo of it.... but not sure anyone really wants to see it... I cannot fathom how DEEP and wide it is... just a HOLE, where I guess it "ate away" at the tissues there.... 


http://www.skinsight.com/adult/cellulitis.htm 

Cellulitis, Antibiotics, MRSA, Catching Up, and what "normal" is when you battle with autoimmune illnesses

Gosh Lord knows I need all of the prayers I can get for sure... I did find out yesterday that this stomach mess that began last Friday maybe a "stomach bug" going around. I spoke to my pharmacist about a medication, and they told me that lots of people had been in over the past week or so, with the same thing... really nauseated, feeling lousy, and be "sick" to their stomach... I kind of thought that maybe what it was after I spoke with Mom Sunday over the phone and she was sick Sunday morning with about the same thing. I believe mine was a bit worse just due to the fact, I had already had such severe intestinal issues from the antibiotics, and I am just "worn down" from the cellulitis, not sleeping, the heat does not help and so forth... hopefully I will NOT encounter any more of that mess for awhile. I am still NOT at 100% though. Yet, at least I am COMPLETELY THRU with the antibiotics. I officially took the last 2, yesterday evening. Although the "lump" is still not completely gone away, I think I will just see what happens over the next couple of days. I certainly do not want another round of antibiotics, especially since they are some they use to fight really, really tough cases of infection. I do not want to become "immune" to them and then not get what I may need, if so happened I did come down with some type of very bad infection... MRSA always remains in the background when I think about having to take antibiotics. Although my PCP does not just hand them out for anything, but with me being more prone to having an infection, I have had to take more than I really want to over these past few years. I GO TO the Cardiologist this morning. Just a routine follow up, but her appts are always too EARLY... this one is at 11AM so not too bad, but I always prefer to have appts. very early afternoon about 1PM... that way I have all morning to do things and get caught up on stuff, and I don't waste time having to get ready for a doctor in an appt that is way early... Then the rest of the week is actually pretty quiet as far as going to doctors etc. I STILL NEED to go have the damned Chest X-ray done... I got sick and had to postpone it again... and I know my Rheumatologist is really wondering what the heck is going on. Anyway, I will be playing catch up on lots of stuff over the next few days... so I appreciate everyone and your well wishes and prayers... and I hope things "settle" a bit now, and I will feel better over the next few days, get my strength somewhat back, and be able to get back to "life" rather than a sofa and movies 24/7... Hugs to all... Me

It SUCKS big time, when you feel your life is totally out of your own control, and you have no way to "fix" things... you just have to succumb to the sofa, resting, and putting a whatever you could call "life" on hold.

This past 6 weeks or so have been a total nightmare. Combine all of the issues with the lump on my thigh, cellulitis, high powered antibiotics, my own lower back, pain, stiffness, and a seemingly "worsening" of RA symptoms. My hands and wrists, along with fingers and thumbs are really bothering me worse than they ever had. My right hand has several swollen joints and even the cartilage between my fingers seems to be swollen, puffy and very stiff.

I have actually missed my Orencia now for the 3rd week (in fact I usually take it on Tuesdaus - but after all of the issues with cellulitis on the top of my left thigh in a place that seems where I usually do the Orencia Injections, first of all, with the infection I feared taking it, and 2nd of all, I am not through researching it, but I feel I may have gotten a "contaminated" needle giving myself the injections... I am a stickler for the skin being very clean, and make sure that the alcohol swabs get all in the area, and I always have clean hands, and usually put a bandaid over that spot at least for a day... and I realize with any type of autoimmune issue, I am more apt, more prone, to have these types of issues, but when you get so ill, that your entire life goes on hold for several weeks, it is surely difficult to deal with. 

Anyway, I just completed two 7 day rounds of Rifampin and Bactrim - I hope and pray after 14 days total of these two powerful antibiotics, this cellulitis is gone, and what small "lump" that is left, will just take a bit of time for my body to "absorb" it. I've never had to deal with cellulitis before. So, what portion I do know about it, is what my doctors, my pharmacist and my own research has told me.

I don't want to have to take anymore antibiotics if I can avoid it. I already have infections at times like pneumonia twice in the past year or so that require them. Thus, I worry so much about getting "immune" or something mutating to where the antibiotics do not work. Actually that scares the hell out of me.

But, I must be sure that all signs of infection are gone. I can't take a chance for sure. Plus I feel if this does not do the trick, I will have to be hospitalized and put on IV antibiotics, which I don't have time for, and is surely NOT a convenient situation for me financial wise, time wise, and due to me being here, with the pups, and no longer having another person here to help out, I just can't be gone several days to the hospital. Of anything that sucks about being alone, to me is just that. I can deal with "alone", like many of us do. What I can't deal with is the times I need to be gone for more than a day... then that requires so much change. I must find someone to watch after the pups, and that is not an easy thing... fortunately there is a young woman, along with her sister and Mom that do come to your home and watch after them. But, mine are both so totally ruined, they have a hard time with a stranger, or with me being gone for any time over a day, or a day and a night... so it is like having kids... you can't just leave them at the house for a few days, run off to the hospital... you must have them watched over... My Pug, is really get very stiff herself... she is up in age and has a difficult time getting around... can't jump up on the sofa anymore by herself... and she requires a bit of extra attention, plus I give them both medications daily and so forth...

Even though some may not comprehend how an animal or animals can be so much of your life, but they are... anyone that is an animal lover, and has or had a dog(s), cats and do forth totally "get it"... they become a part of your family and for me right now, they are my family...

Even though I think I should have "more time" now, I feel as if somewhere my time is being "sucked" away... the days feel shorter, and the number of things that need to be done, longer... and I never seem to be able to find enough energy to complete the tasks that I should be able to... I've tried everything... lists, organizing, I multi-task, although not as well as I used to be able to... but it is like life goes into overdrive... and rather than slowing down, and things getting "less" all needs are more... whether it is my own health, my Mom's, the house, the pups, everything seems to suck time away... I spent over a week more or less on the sofa... so I have all of this stuff piled up... and all of it important in its own way... but it is impossible for me to handle it all anymore... the age, the autoimmune illnesses, along with everything they bring and take away... my body feels "worn" out rather than better....





















 

Orencia - CELLULITIS - and other known biologic medications, for RA, Lupus and other Autoimmune Diseases"....

OF course all of us know that "biologics" in total can cause infections, cancer, especially lymphoma, TB, and other some "serious" side effects. But, I NEVER have had "CELLULITIS" before in my life. I "thought" originally this cellulitis on my left thigh (top) was from possibly a sliver of tree bark that I thought happened about 8 weeks ago or so while I was cutting some branches up. But, the more I think about it, the more I "see" that both thighs at that particular place is where I usually take my Orencia Injections. It is so happens, about 3 day ago or so, I noticed a "small" (like possibly pea size) "lump" on my right thigh almost in the same spot. Of course it could be any number of things, but I am beginning to wonder if the injection type of Orencia that I had in that last "box" may have no been contaminated... because having "bacteria" on the skin OR on the needle in itself, can of course cause cellulitis... and the "medication" in itself, can also cause it also. I am almost "overly" cautious when it comes to my weekly injections. I use a couple of alcohol preps, wash my hands first with antibacterial hand soap, then make sure I clean the skin well around and out from where I put the medication. Yet, I am leaning towards the possibility of the "injection" needle in itself as I said above possibly being "contaminated"... anyway, the huge lump is definitely going down now. It is now about the size of a "little smokie" LOL... or I guess the very top portion of my thumb to the first knuckle size approximately. NOW though, after having the severe intestinal issues with the antibiotic I had here, while waiting on the doctor over last weekend to call me in the two for a 2nd round, which is Omnicef, that is the culprit of causing me to have SEVERE problems with not being able to "keep" anything in my digestive tract. I FINALLY thought I had the "gripes" I think as it can also be called, have basically stopped (I pray) BUT I woke up very nauseated this morning. I took some of my meds for it, and thought I would be okay in a bit... but a bit earlier I began to be sick to my stomach and was "throwing up" and all I had at the time in my stomach was some green tea iced... so if it is NOT "ONE" end, it's the other... Gosh I am so sick and tired of being so SICK< SICK< SICK!!!!  Anyway, I am trying to get myself back on schedule with everything, but getting so nauseated this morning put another damper on my schedule returning to whatever "normal" is for me.... If YOU or ANYONE you may have heard talk about getting "CELLULITIS" from "Orencia" or another biologic, please post and let me know... I would like to see if there are others here that may have had the same type of issue...

How to React to an "invisible bacteria" invading your body, when Autoimmune Diseases are involved & how do you know when you are "well"?

Good question! For myself, YES, it is!  Whether it is a "missing" bone out of my spine, that was found after 55 years of life, or an unusual "lump" on the top of my let thigh, my entire "medical" life always evolves around being unusual, unique, complicated, complex, and some doctors almost "fear" having to treat me at times.

We all in the world now share an added sense of "something is worse now" than 20 years ago. Bacteria now that invades our bodies have mutated and changed so much, many of the well known medications to treat these bacterial infections no longer are able to do so. I found that over the years our bodies do have an extremely interesting way they fight certain things... like this lump on the top of my left thing. IT is my own immune system although compromised, that began getting that infection "rounded up" an circled to push it into this lump, in order to try and stop it from spreading more. So even with a body and immune system that tends to not work properly at times, I still have enough of my immunity, that the body tries its best to fend off the bacteria, thus the "lump" under my skin is cellulitis. But, unless you know about it, or it breaks to the outer skin, it can go possibly not noticed. Of course when the lump came up and began to grow so quickly I knew there was something very wrong.

things with myself and my Mom are just insane. Between my own needing for back surgery, and now to find out my Mom, who we thought has a hip problem, find out it is also her lumbar spine and arthritis. So, between running to doctors, to therapy, for tests, some local and some in Dallas, and then me to come down with the cellulitis, plus I have not even gotten the chest X-ray so I can go on Xeljanz. My "TB" blood test came back "inconclusive" but they feel it is because it did not get tested quickly enough, thus that happens. But, until I have the X-ray, my insurance will not approve the medication.

Of course the sweltering temperatures are not helping... we are under a heat warning for at least the next 5 days and more... looking at temps above 105 plus the heat indeces bringing it up to 110 and above at times...

Things are just a mess right now and I am about ready to throw in the towel, throw my hands up, and then hide under the bed for the next month or so... Gosh knows when it rains it pours... and my doctors all agree, I am a "complex and complicated" patient... YA THINK???

I apologize for not posting more here, but due to my health issues and then all of Mom's things, I have really not been able to sit here for very long to post... I decided I did need to come in and post a few things and share why I have been "lax" in my postings lately....

Here are a few links also I want to share with you...

http://blog.arthritis.org/stories-of-yes/miss-teen-minnesota-juvenile-arthritis/

http://www.lupusresearchinstitute.org/lupus-facts/fight-lupus/lupus-and-your-skin


http://www.lupus.org/general-news/entry/statement-on-the-results-of-epratuzumab-study-for-the-treatment-of-lupus


http://blog.arthritis.org/living-with-arthritis/omega-3-fatty-acids-arthritis/?utm_source=facebook

By the way, talking about "Fish oil" and such especially for your pets, dogs in particular, I had a friend tell me about her dog, who was very, very old and had severe issues with joints. She had put her on "Canna - Pet" which is "industrial hemp powder".... I tried it for Tazz a couple of months... and it just helped her immensely. I was so surprised and thrilled. BUT I was NOT thrilled with the PRICE! The stuff is like $30.00 for a month's supply. In fact, it would be 60.00 a month if you gave them 2 a day... anyway, I did my own research on this "hemp powder" and began to find that there are many "humans" that use it for all types of problems. Especially joint pain, and inflammation... even allergies and so forth. So, I looked on Amazon and found a bottle of "100% hemp powder".... and this has NO THC or whatever the initials are for what is in cannabis that humans use to smoke... it contains none of that... so there is no "high" anyone would get, and it would never show up in the bloodstream or urine. So, I ordered a fairly large canister full at about $10.00. Well, the price right there was much better, but I was not sure how well it would work... It works just as well if not better than those capsules, costs a heck of a lot less, and both dogs even like the taste of it. I can take a treat, or a piece of fresh fruit etc... and roll it in the powder and they just love the flavor. So, I've been giving it to them every morning, and then I put a bit on their food.... I can see both of them up playing, and doing things that before they just almost could not do, especially Tazzy.... I wanted to share this with all of you, and also the fish oil they love too. I feared they might eat their food, but they eat better with the fish oil on it.... LOL!!!! Anyway, a bit of information for some of you..


http://www.medpagetoday.com/Rheumatology/Lupus/52814


Lots of great news above... from information about Fish oil and its benefits, to a new Lupus medication on the horizon, Miss Teen who has made her dreams come true in spite of fighting Juvenile Arthritis, and more... I think you will like reading these...

http://www.ucb.com/presscenter/News/article/UCB-announces-Phase-3-clinical-trial-program-for-epratuzumab-in-Systemic-Lupus-Erythematosus-did-not-meet-primary-endpoint-nbsp

Lupus Patients in the Hospital and Infections on the Rise....

I certainly find this very frightening... Since I have "cellulitis" which I am still not so sure may land me in the hospital on IV antibiotics, plus I need to get my back surgery... even thinking about having Lupus, RA, Sjogren's and other autoimmune "compromised" issues... this is something we should ALL take into consideration. Now I feel we ALL need to be very proactive when we must be in the hospital, clinics, have surgery and so forth... we know that the "antibiotic resistant" bacteria's are out there and prevalent. Never would I have thought I would get cellulitis... yet I went in due to this "lump" on my top thigh... just in time before I did have to be admitted and given IV antibiotics... and even now, I've been on the two different ones now for 5 days... and this lump may have went down a tiny bit, but it is still there... so infections as even with my own personal experience as nothing to put off, and even more difficult to try and avoid...


http://www.medpagetoday.com/Rheumatology/Lupus/52814

Even though Dealing with Autoimmune diseases, Chronic Illness and/or Chronic Pain, every once in a while it is OKAY to find some humor in life.....

Some of you may recognize this as soon as you see it. If you are a fan of a late night television show, then I am sure you will.

Plus if you were "born" in the era of a certain band, that had a couple of huge hits, you may also recognize this also.

Actually, right now I am in such "blah" (for lack of a better word) mood right now.

I found out that this "lump" on my left top thigh, was NOT just any old lump. I have cellulitis and that is why I have it there. I had been out about 6 weeks ago or so, cutting up some tree limbs, after all of the wind, rains etc... earlier in the spring, and putting them in a trash bin, so they could be gotten rid of. Well, I never really "felt" anything but I must have accidentally brushed my thigh against one of the limbs, and a very tiny piece, just a sliver of "bark" I think must have been just like a "sticker" or splinter and was in my thigh. A couple of days later, I noticed a red spot there, and it was kind of sore, so I was watching it, putting antibiotic cream on it, and keeping it covered. I just thought I scratched my leg doing something, I did not know at the time something was "in it".... but then I did see several days later, it looked like it has a bit of infection in it... just maybe the size of a head of a match, so I cleaned around it, and was able to kind of push around the outside of the place, and I saw this tiny piece of something come out of it. And also there was a tiny bit of yellow, but it was really nothing I considered to be horribly bad. I kept cleaning it, and squeezing around it, and for a couple of days, again, I might get 4 or 5 drops of what may have been a bit of infection out of it. But, then it began to seal itself over, and I no longer seen anything red, or warm, or looked like possibly more infection. So, I went on about my life, and really didn't even think much about it at all.

Then, it must have been about 7 to 10 days later, I was doing something and brushed against my thigh, and I noticed a small "lump" kind of about where that place has healed over. It did not appear like there was infection, not warm, not red, just a small lump under the skin. Well, as the days went by, I began to notice it was getting a bit larger. I still really never gave it that much thought, and in fact I figured with the way my body reacts with my autoimmune issues and illnesses, that it formed kind of a scar tissue under the skin. Yet, I continued to notice, that lump was growing, and when I decided to have it looked at, it was about the size of a silver dollar. It was not "soft", but kind of hard. It is sore to the touch, and as it got larger I noticed it would hurt a bit when I walked. So Friday, after doing some "google" searching, I kind of got concerned. More about the possibility of it being some type of cancer actually. From some of the different searches and sites I went to, all too often I noticed there might be someone who does get a piece of sticker, or glass etc in a foot and so forth, and after that heals suddenly a lump appears and it is cancer.

That is when I put the two and two together, and knew that lump had to be due to the sliver of whatever was in my thigh. OF course I have heard of cellulitis and was more familiar with it, in those with Diabetes. I knew that pretty often due to their sometimes not healing over quickly enough and also being a bit immune compromised, especially their feet and legs if injured can quickly turn into cellulitis, and even worse.


But, I guess my conception of "cellulitis" was more of "seeing a place, red, warm with fever, and opened up, possibly even have infection draining out of it. I did not know that you may have it "underneath" the top layers of skin, like mine, forming a lump of infection, that grows quickly and of course can spread quickly also.

But, once again my "gut feeling" took over, and I felt it was something that needed to be seen ASAP. Even if it were to be a "tumor" it still needed attention and I knew I should not put it off. So, Friday, early right after my PCP's office opened, I called. They are only open a 1/2 day on Fridays, as far as seeing patients, but she must have went back and asked my doctor whether I should come in or if it could wait until next week. So she came back and told me to be there at 11:30 Friday morning. Again, I still was not really considering "infection". The "signs and symptoms" I am aware of about something such as this, is what I said above... red, hot, feverish, possibly broken open, and/or infection that you can "see", would be what I would look for if I suspected infection.

Needless to say, I definitely learned something new in the medical world. I have cellulitis. So, #1, I DID GO and not put it off. If I had that may have landed me in the hospital for IV antibiotics (I am just praying the 2 oral ones I am on gets rid of it all)...both of them very high powered strong medications for infections.

Even though it had "appeared" that the sliver came out, and what bit of infection I got out, did not rid my body of the bacteria underneath the skin. Thus, this lump would have either continued to grow, spread the cellulitis somewhere else in my body, or it sure would have began to grow red, warm, and possibly show outside on top of the skin. It was bad enough I went for that many days without seeing my doctor. But, HE HOPES these two antibiotics will do the trick.

Anyway, one of them Rifampin has to be taken on an empty stomach! Well, you can imagine, I am already of the tendency, to get sick to my stomach, so put that in there, along with the other one Bactrim, and all of my other medications... and I feel like hell honestly. I have read and re-read about both of them, especially "usual" side effects etc.

Of course nausea, upset stomach etc.. is a major one for just about any type of antibiotic. But, I am also very fatigued, in fact as much as I wanted to go to church this morning, I just felt I a not in any shape to go at the moment. I have not slept well again in weeks.... between the stress of my own health problems, and now my Mom's; along with trying to get her to PT 3 times a week, plus she needs an MRI, plus our pain doctor is going to do the Epidural Steroid Injections... (transforminal). They in fact called Friday while I was in the doctors office. I guess they have already gotten the "okay" for the injections from the insurance company, and are ready to set a date up for her to have the injections done. On top of all of that, fortunately, up until about the last year or so, my Mom has been in good health, for her age. She will be 80 next month, and other than controlled high blood pressure, and a "leaky" valve in her heart, that for now they are also controlling with medication, Mom has no clue about any of this and the way they have to do things now. So, when she would go to the doctor, there was none of the extra tests, and so on... she thought she would just go to my pain doctors office, have the injections done the same day, and come home. As I had explained, no doctor that is a legitimate doctor, will put injections into your spine, without a visit to his/her office, having to schedule it with insurance also, and all of the other red tape that now goes along with procedures. So, that has not helped either. I have began to see, that even though I may go over things with her several times, she still may not "get it"... and I find myself explaining things over and over to her, often more than I think I should have to... but I know she is also concerned, been in more pain, that probably she ever had in her life so far, I still get concerned that she maybe a bit more "mixed up" at times than normal.


So, in some ways, I am also concerned about her memory... and even some of the things she tells me about, that happened a very long time ago, and I a JUST think to myself, wow did that happen? And if it did, at my age, why did I not know that years ago. I was around my hometown most of my life, so some of what she brings up and tells me, almost sounds "too odd", strange, "off", to be true in many ways.

Now, onto the REAL REASON for this post, and it seems I ALWAYS have a way of going "full circle" back and forth in order to "say" what I want to in the first place. That is the true "writer" in me for sure...

I am posting this graphic for all of you.... let's see if you recall anything about it! I know for me, I just about ROFLMAO when I hear or see it!

Autoimmune Illnesses - Does Illness, Doctors, Tests, Treatments and Medications EVER END???!!! I am just totally wiped out.... A Week from Hades for sure!

Does it ever end? I DID get a new rug cleaner, and even got an extra $10 coupon off of it, so I have it at home, out of the box, and trying to get the "opt" piece to line up and then there are 2 screws to put in once it is all lined up. I was just too tired, too aggravated, feeling just sick, after an all day of running again yesterday. So, I DID GO TO THE DOCTOR yesterday!!!!!! I called and they told my doctor what was going on and he wanted to see me at 11:30 yesterday morning. I had already felt like something was not right about this growing "lump" on the top of my left thigh. It began getting larger almost each day. And it is about the size of a silver dollar or maybe larger. Sure enough, I have cellulitis. NOT GOOD! If I had not went in when I did, I may have found myself as an inpatient on IV antibiotics over the weekend. He said that he was giving me two different antibiotics, both very strong and in fact one of them they actually use for certain types of Tuberculosis. (interesting since I still need to get that Chest X-ray) and have NOT found time to get it yet! So, after I saw him, I had already been to Wally World and got the rug cleaner, and then I went by Mom's. Well, of course she had not picked up her meds yet, so I had to go get mine, one of them my pharmacy did not have and was not going to have it until Monday.... and it was one of the antibiotics, so I did not want to go without it if possible. So, I went across the street to pick up Mom's scripts, and I happen to have a copy of the prescriptions. They did have enough of the other antibiotic, so I asked them to fill it and I would pick it up in an hour or so... so I visited with Mom, explained her meds, and left to go pick up mine. Then I came home and was just exhausted. It was already something like 4:00 PM and again I had been "running" since about 6 that morning. So, I changed clothes took the medication and got on the sofa with the pups. But, I was just restless and honestly really concerned about this cellulitis mess. That lump has already been there about 4 weeks, maybe longer. So, it really worries me since it can turn bad very quickly, especially when we are immune compromised. I want to use my new carpet cleaner, but my stomach is just YUCK! I think it is the antibiotics. I have a billion things to catch up on.... here at home, online, and then I have 3 days of PT for Mom next week, plus I need to schedule the MRI for her, and then they called about the ESI (Epidural Steroid Injections) already and want me to call them back Monday to schedule those. So, I am not sure if the doctor wants the MRI first, or if he wants to go ahead with the injections.... but that means a possibility of either having a test or going to a medical "something" everyday next week! Plus I have not even had the time, nor the energy to go and have that damned chest X=ray yet. So, I am exhausted to the bone today, and feel like hell. Keep Mom in your thoughts and prayers... she seemed to be better yesterday, but we all know with especially "back pain" one moment you can be fine, and the next in almost unbeatable pain... so one day of feeling good certainly does not constitute it is over yet. I am going to try and stay online this morning and catch up on a few things. But, I will see how I feel. Right now I hurt all over and as I said, I have to take those antibiotics on an "empty" stomach of all things.... as if they are not bad enough to take with food.... I wish everyone a good weekend.... and I will be "around" off and on, just depending on how I feel. and by the way, THE MAYOR SIGNED THE SEPTEMBER 2015 PAIN AWARENESS PROCLAMATION!! I GOT IT in the mail yesterday... BUT they must have not let the ink dry enough before sticking it in the envelope, and a couple of the letters on a couple of words have been pulled away.... so. I am not sure even trying to "go over" those can fix it... I may have to have the woman that did it, redo it and send me another one. I hate to but I've tried to kind of go over them and it just looks horrible. I may try to scan it in, match the typeset and "fix" it in Photoshop if I can... I shall see.....