Change The Conversation - Stop Using The R-Word

Who says you can't learn anything important from watching TV? Yesterday, while watching an interview with John C. McGinley on the Bonnie Hunt show, I learned about a program started by the Special Olympics. John C. McGinley has a son who has Down Syndrome. He spoke about the February 9th episode of the Bill O'Reilly show on which the word "retard" was used in a callous and derogatory manner. The statement was made by a guest on the show, Dick Morris, who said:

". . .What he [Obama] didn't quite explain to me, and maybe I'm a little retarded about this is. . ."

The result of this is the following video created by delegates of the Global Youth Activation Summit, Please take a moment to watch this important message:

Those of us who suffer from chronic illness know all too well how awful it feels to be judged unfairly or labeled by others. We are called weak or lazy for not being able to do things healthy people can. We are thought of as crazy or hypochondriacs because people don't believe in an illness they can't "see".

We who blog use words everyday to express our thoughts and feelings. Let's all make a pledge to stop the use of the R-word and all other hateful and hurtful language. Please head over to the Special Olympics website and take the pledge, grab the badge and blog about this campaign. This is one of the rare opportunities we get in life to make a difference for the better! Please join me today.

Having a Tooth Extracted

I am writing early in the day because I have an appointment later to have my tooth pulled. I figure I won't be in much of a blogging mood after that, so do it now. Of course I am looking forward to having this done, well "like getting a tooth pulled" as the old expression goes. I have been having problems with this tooth for over 2 months, but haven't been well enough to get it out. Because I am battling with a sinus and ear infection that doesn't want to clear, the dentist is reluctant to take the tooth. He feels that with an active infection in the area it will make the healing process problematic.

The frustration for me is that once again someone else's miscommunication has become my problem. When I went to the internist to get treated for the infection, he put me on antibiotics and made it clear he wanted the tooth pulled last Friday. This way I would still be on antibiotic, and have had most of the course of treatment. The dentist had told me he would make time for me whenever I needed because he wanted to pull it the minute I was feeling well, before another issue had a chance to crop up. (Let's face it, he knows my health history!) So I called the dentist's office immediately upon leaving the doctor and got someone new. I explained the whole thing to her and she scheduled it for today (4 days AFTER the doctor requested). I asked to change it, explaining again WHY and got nothing but attitude. In fairness to my dentist's staff, that isn't the usual experience with his office.

Last night I received a call confirming my appointment. I explained I needed to speak with the dentist because the infection has not cleared and I didn't know that we should proceed. I spoke with his assistant who was appalled that they hadn't seen me on Saturday. Of course, all of this is water under the bridge now. I was left having to get in touch with the internist's office this morning to get clearance and now am having the tooth pulled at 2pm, despite my own misgivings, because I know I am still sick. Again, the doctors won't have to suffer, I will. And add into this mix that I have medications that are taken at 3 pm with food, which obviously can't happen, so I will have to push them an hour ahead.

I am so sick of dealing with all of this. The trying to juggle too many health issues, medications, doctors and other issues. Add to all of this the snow we got again last night. My mother won't drive in the snow, and I understand her fear. She has been away from it for over 25 years and she feels she isn't competent to do it. I appreciate that she knows what her limits are. However, that means that I will be driving myself, in rush hour traffic, after having a tough extraction. Not exactly my favorite scenario.

Okay, well now that I have cheered everyone up with this positive post, is there anything else I can do to brighten your day?! :-)

Here's hoping things are going better for you and I hope my next post is much more upbeat!

Fighting Illness and the "Adrenal Factor"

This past week I have been pretty sick with a sinus infection and some sort of virus. I'm not surprised given the stresses of the move, both physical and emotional, that my body would react by lowering its defenses and allowing a bug to take over. What is particularly annoying to me is that due to my adrenal insufficiency, it is harder for me to fight off infections or viruses, and I have to be extremely careful about maintaining my cortisol level, which affects my electrolytes, and giving my body the rest and nutrition it needs to heal.

Another thing I have to do is increase the daily amount of hydrocortisone I take, bumping up to what is called a "stress dose". I have to do this whenever I am under physical or emotional stress, to prevent severe, life-threatening complications from a drop in sodium, potassium or other important electrolytes. Of course the extra steriods produce their own set of problems, but it is all part of living with an adrenal insufficiency. Unfortunately, since the condition is so rare, there are even doctors who don't seem to get the importance of it. Luckily, I have a good endocrinologist as well as internist, who monitor me closely, but I have had problems even during past hospitalizations with getting the proper doses of medications for my situation.

I have learned to take things like this in stride, but it is another reminder that I have a body that acts differently than most, at times the fatigue makes it hard to get out of bed and the nausea and diarrhea contribute to the chance of dehydration. I am grateful that I became aware of my problem before I went into adrenal failure or shock, but I wish there were more known about this condition, and that more doctors understood the importance of keeping track of it along with my the many other things I deal with, especially when they seem minor, like a slight infection or a virus, which for someone else is usually the least of their worries.