Follow up post: just got home from my appt

[happybird]

First of all, thank you all so much for the support. It really means a lot and helped to keep me calm.
DU is the best.

Well, they couldn’t get any blood out of me. Arg. Have another appt for Thursday before work for a blood draw. In the meantime, I’m to drink lots and lots of water to hydrate up and make my veins nice and plump. I just worked two 12 hour days in a hot kitchen so being a little dehydrated was inevitable. Should have thought about that when I made the appt and chose a different day. Live and learn.

Talked to the doc for quite a while about different Lyme tests and all my strange symptoms over the past two(!) years. Lyme is fairly common in this area, especially among the equestrian community, so he has seen it present with many varied symptoms. After our discussion, I trust his ability to properly diagnose lyme, which is a big relief. The weird rash/not really a rash thing on my back thing has him stumped. We won’t know anything until they get blood out of me and then get the results back, so there is no use speculating. It could be a combination of a few things, like the onset of regular arthritis and a recurring Baker’s cyst behind my knee. Again, no use speculating.

Lunch with my Mom was fun, as always. Had a great cup of Spicy Chicken Tortilla soup with my burger. She invited me to the point-to-point on Sunday and that will be a ball. A lot of their friends, many of whom I haven’t seen in years, will be there. She told me to invite my coworker and her husband and their baby, too. Hoping they can come!

I am feeling much better, mentally, than earlier today. Just having started the process feels like having a big weight lifted off my shoulders.

Again, thank you all.

[Rebl2]

1. Did he

think about Lupus? Although rash I think with Lupus is on the face. Lupus can cause similar symptoms as RA.

[blueinredohio]

4. I was diagnosed with lupus a few years back.

It was everywhere from my shoulders to my hips looked terrible but didn't itch. Doctor had never seen anything like it. Sent to dermatologist which lead to a rheumatologist. Blood work diagnosed lupus. Its something for your doctor to check into. Good luck. Glad you're better mentally.

[happybird]

5. Got the lupus test back today and it was negative

Thank goodness! Looks like it’s going to be Lyme. Still waiting on more results to come back, but I tested positive for Lyme antibodies on the preliminary test.

[rsdsharp]

2. Best of luck going forward. As for the blood draw, have they tried your hands?

I am the ultimate hard stick. When I got married, more than 40 years ago, a negative Wassermann test was still required to get a license. I dutifully went to the hospital, and spent the better part of thirty minutes getting stuck; stuck more than thirty times. Ultimately, when I was about to pass out, they just asked whether I had syphilis, and took my word for it that I didn’t.

Fast forward ten years. I went to the doctor, and they wanted blood drawn. Three people tried. Right arm, left arm, standing, sitting, lying down. No luck. So they sent me to the hospital. Same deal. Finally the tech said, reluctantly, “I guess I COULD try your hand.” She did, and voila! Blood.

I insist on blood being drawn from my hand now. If they haven’t tried your hand, yet, you might ask.

[happybird]

6. That's usually where they get blood from me, also

On Monday I was just too dehydrated. Yesterday, she got it from my hand on the first try. Yay!

[rsdsharp]

8. Good for you! It's always best to get it on the first try.

I don’t know why phlebotomists take it as a personal insult to do the hand. They have to use an ultrasound to get an IV in my arm, and even then it’s a struggle.

[happybird]

9. She was so good it didn't even bruise!

Very surprised about that. Usually it hurts like hell and I have a nasty bruise for about a week.

Years ago, the doctor at the methadone clinic used to let me draw my blood myself. He said, “you all know which veins work best on you.” Sad but true. I have mostly forgotten about that part of my life. It pops it’s ugly head up every few years when faced with certain situations, like needing blood drawn.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

3. Take care of yourself and be careful

I had blood drawn last week and they had to use the veins in my hand. It was only three vials.

[happybird]

7. Thank you! (belatedly)

They got blood out of my hand yesterday. Usually they can get some from there but I was just too dehydrated on Monday. It was a good reminder to back off the coffee at work now that it’s getting warm out.