Hey RB where have you been?

[Reality Bytes]

Sorry I've been awol, life just got a bit busy nothing spectacular it just took my time and attention away for a while.

My mother-in-law caught/developed some kind of mystery condition which initially seemed to be just slowing her down a bit after returning from her holiday whale watching in Tenerife but which then rapidly immobilised her leaving her virtually unable to walk and in constant pain, it then started to spread to her arms and back. She's had several diagnosis all of which have subsequently been ruled out - ranging from osteoarthritis, to avascular necrosis, osteomalacia (rickets) and most recently an unknown inflammatory virus we were asked to look after her dog "for a couple of weeks" back in January - she's still here and at the moment it's not looking like she'll be going home anytime soon - if at all. MIL has recently had a big dose of steroids and as a result is pain free and able to walk without aids in the house and with a zimmer/walker outdoors, she's increasing the distance daily but she's still a pale shadow of her former self. We still have no clear idea if she is ever likely to return to her former fitness levels. Thats taken up a good bit of our time - and put paid to our holiday plans which are now on hold until we have a clearer idea of her support needs long term etc.

I had a wee bit of a dip when approaching the 1st anniversary of mums death (yes its been a year!) but I got through it better than I thought I was going to, thanks to Brahms & Xeno.

And alongside that I put myself back in the job market - and went through the highly irritating, frustrating, annoying, mindbogglingly over complicated process of looking for work. I spent days on applications only to lose the will to live or get so fecking fed up with the ridiculous requirements of the application form I didn't bother completing it. Ultimately I applied for 2 jobs, got interviewed for both, and was offered the 2nd one. So I'm back working, and back in my true "field" working for a third sector mental health organisation. Its been very interesting as the sector has changed beyond all recognition since I was last in post, as have health services in Wales since devolution. I've been from one end of Wales to the other the past few weeks attending network meetings for an Assembly funded initiative which as far as we are aware hasn't been done in any other country in the world apparently - so thats exciting if it comes off as proposed.

Thats pretty much it - still lots going on, still busy, but I'm aiming to be around a bit more from now on.

[oldr_n_wsr]

RB
did they check your Mother-in-law for Lyme disease? Don't know if you have the deer tick over there but those symptoms sound a lot like what a buddy of mine had a few years ago and it turned out to be lyme disease. If the docs don't look for it, they may not suspect it. And a deer tick is the size of a poppy seed, not easy to see on a person and may be gone when you do check for them.

[Rick]

Watch out I hear there's alot of sheep SH******G (Shearing I'm guessing) going on around there.

It has made the International (plan b) news circuit.

Evidently accusing someone from Wales of shearing sheep will get one into some trouble...

[Joe Guy]

did they check your Mother-in-law for Lyme disease?

That's a very good suggestion. I hope they did.

[oldr_n_wsr]

I know years ago when my buddy got it, they didn't have a specific test for it and they figured it out by process of elimination of anything else. Now they have some tests but they are not fool proof. Check here for most of what you need to know.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyme_disease

[Gob]

R-B, thanks for updating us, you've been missed!!

[Lord Jim]

Nice to hear from you RB...

[Reality Bytes]

I dont think mil has been tested for Lyme disease, she hasn't had any rashes though, this came on a bit like a virus, started off with her feeling fluey, then the bottom of her foot felt weird to her, then her hips started to ache and feel stiff and from there it spread to all her joints. To be honest to me it sounds an awful lot like rapid onset rheumatoid arthritis but she says they tested her for that and it came up negative, but having lived with my mum who had it for 40 years I know that it doesn't always show up in blood tests in the early stages but she is adamant they have ruled it out. However she has recently seen a rheumatologist who is the one saying virus and he ordered more blood tests which we'll have the results of on Friday so hopefully we'll have a definitive answer then.

[Rick]

She ever have Gout?

[oldr_n_wsr]

I dont think mil has been tested for Lyme disease, she hasn't had any rashes though

The rash precedes the symptoms usually.

I do like the gout possibility.

[Guinevere]

Gout stays in the extremities, never heard of it going into the back. Lyme doesn't require a rash -- even a small bullseye can be an indicator. It can definitely leave you feeling like the flu -- and hit by a bus. Does she have any tremors or shakes? That's also a lyme symptom. Steroids will help, antibiotics also necessary, and unfortunately once you have it, you can have it over and over.

Hope they find the cause and a cure soon!

[Reality Bytes]

Nope no tremors or shakes, talked to her about the possibility of gout yesterday. She has over the years suffered with frequent urine infections, and had one never to be forgotten experience of a holiday in USA when she was taken very ill and hospitalised with what turned out to be kidney stones - she had to have a stent put in before she was able to fly home, given that kind of history I would think gout probably does need to be considered so I have suggested she tells the consultant this when she see him on Friday. When we visited yesterday she had both hands and wrists wrapped with support bandages, to me this more than ever suggests Rheumatoid Arthritis but she's not really listening to me she says the "Dr's know what they are doing" - I'd like to think they are considering everything but who knows

[Gob]

When we visited yesterday she had both hands and wrists wrapped with support bandages, to me this more than ever suggests Rheumatoid Arthritis but she's not really listening to me she says the "Dr's know what they are doing" - I'd like to think they are considering everything but who knows

As someone who works with doctors on a daily basis, I'd like to agree, but we see their fallibility too often.