July Overview.

Hello again all, well thats the month of July coming to a close, where does the time go, does anyone know ( or care) however this month has been a bit up and down really, although to be honest the positive aspects have outweighed the negatives so I am pleased about that.

It has been 12 weeks since I was first diagnosed with Dermatomyositis, and 10 weeks since returning home from hospital, and it has been a steep learning curve as far as I am concerned. (and still is)

Dysphagia:

The swallowing problem, although making some improvement is still making eating very difficult and so I am still on a Puree Diet, I try different foods to puree down so that I can get various tastes and flavour,s, but it is still quite a boring regime, still looking on the bright side it can only get better with time ( and medication) looking at the illustrations to the right, which would you chose ?
( see what I mean)



Twisted Stomach :

With the twisted stomach (cup and spill ) the biggest problem is/was the amount of acid reflux that was  being produced, at one time we were controlling this with large doses of Omoprazole and diperidom, but as the swalowing got harder we had to use a less effective drug "Lamprazole" which was disolved in the mouth.

Just recently though the Acid reflux seems to be diminishing so hopefully the medication for the Dermatomyositis is having an effect of controlling the acid reflux (Or not as the case may be) anyway it is certainly a lot better the last week or two.


Is this Acid Reflux, or just some "old Geyser"  Answers on a postcard please and sent to  "Dorothy" at  "I could not give a toss", Land of Ozz.


Dermatomyositis :

How are we doing with this so far, well to be quite honest have not had a lot of pain but have limited mobility and no muscle strength, ie walking any distance, lifting shopping bags, reaching above shoulder etc, but saying that, it is a lot better than 3 months ago, have been reducing steroids, now on 30 mg a day, but also increasing the Methotrexate now up to 15 mg on a friday with Folic Acid on a monday, hopefully we will see a continuing improvement as the weeks go by, and soon, once we can stabilize the medication we can start some Physio to build the Muscle strength, "always live in hope"
""Got to get ready for the 2012 Olympics ""

So there we have it folks small progress but progress none the less but a long road ahead so all we can do is carry on and do the best we can and enjoy the good days and ignore the bad.

Pauline phoned this morning, She is coming to collect me about 1.00 pm and take me down to her place so that gordon can help me to have a bath, it is easier at Pauline and Gordon,s as it is a ground floor flat (No Stairs) . We can also drop off repeat prescription at Doctors so that I can collect it on Tuesday when I go for blood test.

Well that was a laugh and a half, having a bath is a marathon event for me at the moment, first of all I cant lift my leg high enough to get into the bath (Never used to have trouble getting my leg over), eventually make it into the bath  (with help from Gordon) , and then afterwards cant get out of the bath, trying to stand up was like a comedy of errors. had the mobility in the legs but no muscle strength, it was hillarious, eventually made it but god that tired me out, (To much Laughing), good job Gordon cut my hair before I had a bath,.

So there we have it folks Friday comes and goes, been a brilliant day, had a nice bath, haircut and Manicure, had a few laugh,s along the way, and am now absolutely Knackered , but well worth is so I am off for a rest, so until tomorrow,  Cheerio people.