Specialist Visit in the City!

Well, this week, we had to go to the city again to see my rheumatologist. 

We went down there a few days early so that I would be able to rest before the appointment. We also got to see some of our family, which was awesome! 

They have really tall grass in the city... Hehe!

We got to the doctors early, and had to kill some time, so we went to McCafe! Of course, my FibroDuck was with me =)

Anyway...

I was really dreading my appointment with the rheumatologist, but it went okay. 

She was nice to me this time (and didn't call me fat!) She couldn't really tell us anything new, but she suggested some things that might help me to manage my symptoms, such as special joint supports, medications and pain management. She is going to write to my local doctor to recommend things that might help me. 


I have to have some more blood tests to look at whether my inflammatory markers stay high all the time, or whether they raise when I get an infection, and drop when I don't have an infection (and whether they ever drop to normal levels). The rheumatologist also mentioned genetic testing for Ehlers-Danlos, and was concerned about my wisdom teeth getting infected >.<. I am hoping that now the tooth is through the gum, it will be fine (like the tooth on the other side is). The thought of having it taken out is a little scary!

Anyway, after the appointment, we had to drive all the way home, which took around five hours. The road signs kept telling me to secure my load...

We broke the trip by buying ice-cream and chocolate! Hehe! It is nice to be home again, and all of our pets were very happy to see us!

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Winter (and Carpet) is Coming!

Winter is coming, and my joints disapprove! The osteoarthritis in my hips has been especially painful the last few days, although I managed to leave the house yesterday afternoon in my wheelchair. It was the first time I had been well enough to leave the house in over a week, and I was dying to get out, so I went with mum and Ellenya to look at carpet!


The carpet that is currently on our floors is 17 years old, and is in desperate need of replacement. It was once soft and pale cream with flecks of pink. It is now flat and hard, and has become more of a grey-brown colour, with stains pretty much everywhere! We used a nice chocolate and pale pink rug in the lounge to cover the stains, and to make the room look nicer until we could save up for the new carpet, but now the bank balance has almost reached our goal, we are looking for replacement carpet. It is more exciting than it sounds, really!

Unfortunately, our short shopping trip revealed that most colours don't seem to be in fashion at our local carpet shops. They had an abundance of brown, beige and grey... and not much else! Ideally, a pale pink would match our house - but the only carpet that they had in that colour was "discontinued". Some of the carpets felt like weaved wire - all coarse and scratchy and hard - not the kind of thing you would want to walk around on in bare feet! So, we didn't commit to buying any new carpet yet. Mum is going to look at some other shops in the next town over. Hopefully she will find a nice soft carpet that's a prettier colour!


Although our trip wasn't very successful, I felt incredibly happy at being able to get out of the house! I saw different sights, smelled different smells (although the abattoir scent wasn't what I would call 'pleasant'), and met different people! It is awesome to go out - I guess leaving the house is something that people take for granted until it becomes a rare novelty! After visiting two carpet shops, I was exhausted and sick. I slept in the car while Mum and Ellenya went to the supermarket, then I came home and slept in bed until dinner time! Today I feel okay again... well - okay by my standards! I was even able to shower, so today is a good day!

Despite winter making my joints extra achy, it is a pretty time of year. This morning, there was a thick fog over our valley. 

Moke decided it wasn't really cat weather, but she would look at the fog through to wire door. 

The fog has lifted now, but it is still overcast outside. I can see pretty yellow autumn leaves on the vines out the window. It looks wintery and cold out there! I am glad we have heaters and blankets, and that I am warm in my armchair inside!


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Franklin and Shelley's New Accommodation!

Last week, Franklin and Shelley got a new tank stand for their tank! (They had previously been living on a table).

Playing on the carpet while their tank was cleaned and relocated!

Moving the old table out, and the new stand in - and cleaning the tank!

The new stand!

Shelley and Franklin seemed to approve =D 

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Some Pics From the Last Few Weeks!

Here are some pictures from the last couple of weeks =) 

Dad's Birthday:

Random Artwork:

And some pics of Moke =)

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Pirates of the Caribbean!

Today, we went to the movies to see Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides! I love the Pirates of the Caribbean movies! We got into Gold Class (where the seats are reclining), and there were only six people in the whole cinema! Oh, and the movie was 3D!!! It was awesome! I had an ice-cream sundae and hot chocolate, and some peanut M&Ms and raspberry lemonade, and my Fibroduck came with me! 

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ME/CFS and Fibromyalgia Awareness Day Pictures!

I have had myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) for many years now, and I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia last year (although, I have probably had that for a long time too! I always just assumed that my pain was from ME/CFS!) Blogger was down when I originally tried to share my photos from awareness day - so here they are! Better late than never!

I was pretty sick on the 12th of May, and could barely get out of bed. I tried to help raise awareness by tweeting and retweeting, and by posting information and links on Facebook. On the 13th of May, I felt a little better (better enough to walk around my house and sit in my armchair, anyway!), and was able to take some pictures of my Fibroduck! I figured that it was still May 12 over the other side of the world, so my pictures still count! 

Fibroduck with some orchids!

With my newest walking stick!

Siting in the little handle that helps me to get up and down the step in our loungeroom.

Sailing in Ellenya's shippie wind chime!

With my Shelley!

On my armchair! (It is a recliner, and now has a massage pad fitted to it!)

Visiting the fishies!

On the carpet!

On my mousepad! (Yes, it is a sketchbook, but regular mousepads aren't as good!)

Getting warm in front of the heater!

Getting WiiFit!

On my keyboard!

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