Sorry, couldn't resist.
Soooo.... Wednesday was rheumatology hospital day. Yippee.
I was duly weighed, and surprisingly the steroids have only made me put on 2lbs - I would have guessed at least half a stone, possibly more so that's better than I had thought. The nurse wasn't at all worried about it, then again she isn't trying to squeeze into my clothes. Or not that I know of ...
I saw a different consultant, very nice woman who was about 12. She went through my mountain of medication, my original test results, various blood tests etc and had a good look at my poor hands and footsies. The Big Boss, the professor was summoned and arrived with his entourage of serfs kowtowing to him (actually he was a really nice bloke, straight to the point).
He confirmed what I already knew - that I am Very Speshul. Apparently this severity is quite unusual in early stages of rheumatoid arthritis, so they have chucked in some additional medication.
I am going to be shown how to self inject the methotrexate to try and avoid the side effects I am having, no more steroids for now because they didn't have much benefit, increased dosage of pain killers, tablets to avoid the side effects of the painkillers (stomach ulcers), more methotrexate, more folic acid and a different tablet to take daily which, as with the meths, is to stop the RA eating into my bones.
Self inject, yikes!
Hence the little prick title just in case you thought you had wandered into a Carry On script.
Rattling, that's me.
I have grown a nodule (madam!) on my right elbow which needs monitoring and the pain in my right foot has been incredible.
More blood tests, more prodding, more appointments. I cannot fault the RA team at the hospital, all very kind, explain everything and very co-ordinated.
But I am down at the moment, as I have said my life has changed beyond all recognition and I seem to be caught in a spiral of pain, tablets, pain, tablets - my only trips out are hospitals and Drs.
I made the fatal mistake of looking up self injecting methotrexate online - ooooh, youtube (or youtape as my friend calls it). I fainted! Worra twit. I am NOT looking forward to it at all but I do know it's a necessary evil.
Hey ho.
So what else is happening?
The Emily Peacock tapestry is growing slowly, I am so glad I have this to keep me saneish. It depends on my hands / head state, but I am still thoroughly enjoying it. Plenty of mistakes in it - if I was making it for someone else I would unpick and redo but as it is for me I am just thrilled to be able to do SOMETHING crafty.
I was utterly elated last night because I managed to make a door curtain - first time I have used my beloved sewing machine in ages.
Nothing fancy, something I would ususually knock up without a second thought but by hell I was chuffed to bits! I forgot to buy curtain heading tape today so the matching living room curtains will have to wait until next week, which is possibly just as well as it is meths night tonight.
The girls decided to go 'glamping' in PSidney's tent - I warned them it would end in tears but oh no, they knew better.
Sure enough along came Sid to see what the giggling was.
Hmmmmm, strange looking lettuce.
Nom nom!
I did the decent thing and rescued Daffers before she ended up minus her eyebrows - she has been under the settee ever since jibbering to herself.
The garden is enjoying the weird weather - with predictable unpredictability the British weather decided that on the day an official drought was announced it would start to pour down.
I am fascinated by the way the hydrangea blooms - those leathery green 'leaves' slowly turn into the most beautifully coloured 'petals', I think they are so beautiful. I would love a cottagey garden one day with a load of these.
Ditto the geraniums, I love the smell of the leaves.
And I even have a rose in bud.
I do think that for a tiny city garden it's doing really well.
I have started some more knitting - hey, a black cardi, there's a thing! (I seem to have an utterly ridiculous amount of bought and hand knit black cardies but I do love them).
This is Daisy by Kim Hargeaves, which has been knit many times on Ravelry - I am making it with the sleeves longer to hide my bingo wings, in black with a pink trim at the pockets and pink buttons.
Obviously when I don the cardi I will become as svelte as the model. Truly.
Enjoy the weekend one and all x
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