At long last: the post-trip journal entry
I haven't written since we got home from Hawaii, primarily because I kept wanting to write an entry that included photos, but couldn't seem to get myself to deal with the photos on my iPod, on my camera, and in the file Shannon sent to me. Finally, I dealt with them all ... and now there's the uploading to LJ. It all just felt so exhausting ... and so I just kept putting off writing.
Here's a pic of me at Waikiki Beach, while we were walking to rent bikes for our ride around Diamond Head:
It was very sunny. I ended up getting burnt. There are more photos uploaded to LJ. Maybe I'll get around to posting them tomorrow. The trip was great. After the stuff I'd been dealing with for the preceding couple of months, it was amazing to have Shannon and his parents constantly wanting to make me happy. What did I want to do for the day? What did I want to eat? Where did I want to go? Kimberly, let us cater to your every desire! It was like a vacation from my issues.
But now I'm back.
So. Anyway. Here's what's up since we got home:
1. My left eye continues to be red, pink, mostly fine, pink, etc., varying a bit each day. But it never looks entirely well. I'm assuming I'll be seeing an ophthalmologist soon.
2. I saw my nephrologist. My kidney function continues to be stable. This is good. I was going to list my creatinine and eGFR numbers here, but the lab result sheet is apparently downstairs. Maybe I'll do that tomorrow. The numbers were good. I'm still smack dab in the middle of Stage III CKD. So, I mean, the numbers aren't GOOD for a normal person, but they're stable, which is good.
3. I saw my pain doc. I'm going to finish the patch that's currently on my back, but then NO MORE OPIATES! I'll be done with the Butrans! We had a funny conversation, because he kept trying to offer me options for getting off the Butrans with minimal suffering, trying to reassure me that it shouldn't be a problem but suggesting possibilities for easing the way, and I kept just telling him, "Let's just stop the Butrans." I've been using the lowest-dosage patch for a month or more now, and I'm DONE. Finally, he agreed, but seemed puzzled at my "I'd rather go through some mild withdrawal symptoms than stay on these fucking opiates a single day longer than necessary" attitude. Apparently, I am the opposite of most patients he sees. Apparently, most people want to avoid withdrawal symptoms at all costs. NOT ME. Get me off this fucking crap! So I'll finish out this patch on Thursday, and then I'll be DONE. Huzzah!
4. I saw my new intern at CWC. Her name is Tola. She interrupts me a lot, but that's okay. She pointed out that I smile a lot, even when talking about really bad stuff. I encouraged her to call me on it when I do that, because I know my affect makes it difficult for people to accept my words sometimes.
5. I got summoned for jury duty for tomorrow, but they're stringing me along, telling me, "You don't have to come in in the morning, but call again before noon to find out if you have to come in at 1." Jerks. I'm happy to do my civic duty, but I'd appreciate a bit more notice, so I don't have to revolve my day around the remote possibility that they'll want me.
6. I'm playing around with some jewelry making right now. I've played with stringing beads a bit in the past (a couple decades ago!) & it's interesting me again now. I'm going to take a 3-hour class on bead stringing at a nearby bead store (Baubles & Beads) on March 8, and I also have a resin kit, which I plan to play with. I would love to learn to make pendants using resin!
7. Okay. Time to go start getting ready for bed.
Here's a pic of me at Waikiki Beach, while we were walking to rent bikes for our ride around Diamond Head:
It was very sunny. I ended up getting burnt. There are more photos uploaded to LJ. Maybe I'll get around to posting them tomorrow. The trip was great. After the stuff I'd been dealing with for the preceding couple of months, it was amazing to have Shannon and his parents constantly wanting to make me happy. What did I want to do for the day? What did I want to eat? Where did I want to go? Kimberly, let us cater to your every desire! It was like a vacation from my issues.
But now I'm back.
So. Anyway. Here's what's up since we got home:
1. My left eye continues to be red, pink, mostly fine, pink, etc., varying a bit each day. But it never looks entirely well. I'm assuming I'll be seeing an ophthalmologist soon.
2. I saw my nephrologist. My kidney function continues to be stable. This is good. I was going to list my creatinine and eGFR numbers here, but the lab result sheet is apparently downstairs. Maybe I'll do that tomorrow. The numbers were good. I'm still smack dab in the middle of Stage III CKD. So, I mean, the numbers aren't GOOD for a normal person, but they're stable, which is good.
3. I saw my pain doc. I'm going to finish the patch that's currently on my back, but then NO MORE OPIATES! I'll be done with the Butrans! We had a funny conversation, because he kept trying to offer me options for getting off the Butrans with minimal suffering, trying to reassure me that it shouldn't be a problem but suggesting possibilities for easing the way, and I kept just telling him, "Let's just stop the Butrans." I've been using the lowest-dosage patch for a month or more now, and I'm DONE. Finally, he agreed, but seemed puzzled at my "I'd rather go through some mild withdrawal symptoms than stay on these fucking opiates a single day longer than necessary" attitude. Apparently, I am the opposite of most patients he sees. Apparently, most people want to avoid withdrawal symptoms at all costs. NOT ME. Get me off this fucking crap! So I'll finish out this patch on Thursday, and then I'll be DONE. Huzzah!
4. I saw my new intern at CWC. Her name is Tola. She interrupts me a lot, but that's okay. She pointed out that I smile a lot, even when talking about really bad stuff. I encouraged her to call me on it when I do that, because I know my affect makes it difficult for people to accept my words sometimes.
5. I got summoned for jury duty for tomorrow, but they're stringing me along, telling me, "You don't have to come in in the morning, but call again before noon to find out if you have to come in at 1." Jerks. I'm happy to do my civic duty, but I'd appreciate a bit more notice, so I don't have to revolve my day around the remote possibility that they'll want me.
6. I'm playing around with some jewelry making right now. I've played with stringing beads a bit in the past (a couple decades ago!) & it's interesting me again now. I'm going to take a 3-hour class on bead stringing at a nearby bead store (Baubles & Beads) on March 8, and I also have a resin kit, which I plan to play with. I would love to learn to make pendants using resin!
7. Okay. Time to go start getting ready for bed.