Sunday, June 26, 2016

Not Better Yet

Yesterday was a really crappy day. I figure I can say that because of the exorbitant number of times I start out with "Today was a great day."

I woke up with pain. Usually I feel best first thing in the morning. The pain hits me around 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. But yesterday it hurt to get out of bed. I was outside talking to Fany when I suddenly had the vertigo. I've never felt that way before. It was like my eyes wouldn't focus and I was bumping into trees when I tried to walk. I thought I was going to pass out. Fany helped me go back to bed at 9 am and that's where I stayed all day.

While I was in bed, I found this blog. It helped me feel like I'm not crazy. She didn't have the stomach problems I had, but she had crazy bleeding which I did NOT have. Thank God! As I read it there were things I remembered and thought, 'Oh yeah! That happened to me too!'

https://chikungunyablog.wordpress.com/

I am sick of people telling me I should be feeling better. I'm doing all I know to do, and I don't feel better. I'm on day 29, not counting the rash which came about 4 days before.

Tomorrow I'm starting the mediterranean diet. It is supposed to help with joint pain. Basically I'll try to cut out added sugars, while eating lots of fruits and veggies. Nothing processed and no red meat, which is how I prefer to eat anyway. I think I have access to most of the required food. It should be fairly easy to follow and not much more expensive than my current food budget. People swear they can feel a difference.

I was relieved to read in the blog about mood swings. I thought I was going crazy, but so did the girl in the blog. That strange sense of being healed, and then being so sick again! The blog girl had it. She also talked about not being able to follow conversations. My boss talked to me for a half an hour and I had no clue what she was saying. I thought I was going cuckoo. One more thing I could identify with was the odd sleeping patterns. Sometimes I would crash dead asleep at any hour of the day. Other times I would have crazy insomnia, even when I hadn't napped. Apparently that is "normal" as well.

Everyone across the board, from the doctor, to the blog, to the people in Los Pinos, are recommending coconut water. It's so expensive, but I think I may break down and buy some for a least a few days to see if I feel better. Fany swears it heals her parents after only a month. Worth a try.

Today I went to the gym. Everyone online was saying they kept exercising. I don't know how. I ended up lying on the floor and stretching. Every time I tried to exercise either I'd be exhausted after four repetitions, or in some cases, my body just wouldn't move. I used to be able to raise my straightened leg out to the side to hip level (to work on hips). Now I can only get my leg about a foot off the floor. That was disappointing.

I am really getting excited to go back to New York State for a multi-year high school reunion. I'm spending 13 days there. Yesterday while I was lying in bed I worked on arranging fund raising activities. My brother and Mom have gone back to where I grew up, but I haven't been there (except for my Father's funeral) in many years. Never thought I'd look forward to going to Lewis County this much. It's nice to have something to look forward to.

If I had to get Chikungunya, I am grateful about the timing. I have another month before I travel to NY. At work, the first group from parenting class graduated the day I figured out that I was sick. The conduct disorder kids are on summer vacation. The first group from sexual abuse prevention finished two weeks ago. Really, the timing couldn't be any better. Three of my biggest commitments are on pause.

Parenting classes will start up again at the end of July with a new group. Conduct Disorder group will start after I get back from NY in August, and the group therapy for sex abuse prevention will start the second week of July. I thank God that my lighter schedule gives me time to heal without feeling guilty or rushed. That's the happiest note I can think of to end on for today.

Oh, and my stomach is much better now. That's a really good thing too.