I went to the dermatologist for my annual checkup. After getting slammed in the face by a harsh laser for scar tissue removal from my skin cancer (think of the hardest hitting rubber band popping you in the nose a thousand times), a marble sized cyst removed from under my arm, 4 stitches later, a black eye from the laser, and $500 less... again, finding it hard to be thankful and desperately looking for the Christmas spirit.
So then I notice my throat is hurting. Hmm... thought it was just sinus drainage. But then I remembered the last time I had a sore throat that caused a major psoriasis flareup 3 years ago. (Strep is a trigger for that). Anyway, I am THANKFUL TO HAVE A HUBBY WHO IS A DOCTOR AND CAN WRITE ME A PRESCRIPTION! I asked Matt to err on the side of caution and call me in an antibiotic (fyi, if you catch the strep early enough it CAN prevent it from spreading and possibly decrease the severity if you're lucky). So I started my antibiotic and felt great for 10 days.
The day after I finished it, I noticed red spots on my neck and chest. Ugggghhhh. By that night, it had spread to arms, legs, and torso. I fully expected to look like my all time worst by the next morning, but to my complete surprise the spots actually looked somewhat better the next day??? Still there, but not enflamed or itching as bad. I make my appointment with the dermatologist AGAIN expecting to start one of the new immune system depressants (Enbrel, Humira, Stelara, etc). Within 3 days, the psoriasis had gotten worse and then almost completely gone! All I could imagine was Clint Eastwood saying "Do ya feel lucky punk? Well, do ya?" YES I DO! After having my last flare-up completely clear up when I got pregnant with Merritt, I have no doubt that my breastfeeding Mason has helped again (keeping the pregnancy hormones up!) on top of the antibiotics.
My psoriatic-arthritis has reached an all-time high. I'm 36 and can't walk more than 1/2 mile without my knees feeling like they are being stabbed with a knife. My elbows throb in pain while I wash my hair. Ankles, hips, and wrists hurt depending on what I'm doing. I tend to find exercises that don't involve walking, running, or stairs. Elliptical and Pilates seem to work for me - which I will get back to when I'm done nursing Mason.
Anyway - all that to say -- I will be starting some new treatment in the near future. I'm a little terrified of trying this. Mason is on a countdown to being weaned and then I have to make my decision. Being a pharmacist is sort of a curse when I know TOO much about drugs. Ignorance is bliss people!
On top of all the physical pain lately, can I just tell you how much Merritt drives me insane??? I'm her mom so I can say that, right? I love her to death, but ooohhhh myyyy goooodnessss. Make.her.stop. I really don't know where she comes from. Certainly doesn't remind us of anyone (other than the fact that she looks like her Daddy). She changes clothes AT LEAST 5 times a day, and normally wears multiple outfits...all at one time. Yep, just layers them on because she's weird like that. Usually different pieces from different outfits. She loves her accessories to a scary degree. I imagine her on one of those intervention reality shows where they tell her she has to sell all of her stuff one day and the high pitched screaming will be heard around the world. Her vocabulary (and correct context) has reached a new level also. Anyone who says she needs speech therapy needs a kick to the groin. We need a therapist to get her to STOP talking. Or a therapist to listen to her rants, because my ears are about to fall off. So this week I was thinking that maybe... just maybe... we were beginning to round the corner from the terrible 2's and 3's. She went 2 days where I would actually use the word GOOD to describe her. Should have known that it would come back and bite me in the butt. Yesterday, she cut her own hair. 2 good chunks missing out of the front that I'm pretty sure won't reach in a ponytail anymore. Today, she is eating crayons.
November and December are proving to be hard hitters this year. Is it January yet? Nope! Its December 5th and we don't even have our tree decorated yet!
On a more positive note, we had pictures made with an amazing photographer in Tennessee back in July and I am just now getting the proofs back! She's worth the wait though! Here are just a FEW of my faves.
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