Challenges

Two weeks ago, I think the rollercoaster has once again reached its maximum kinetic energy.  You know exactly what I’m talking about. Once you are strapped in, they don’t come off till the ride is over. The minute it leaves the loading station, your stomach just tries to hide.  All your back muscles tense up, maybe goosebumps even. For some that is the primary experience of something wicked this way comes. As for me it was the anxiety build before the release and speed. 

Loved rollercoasters. 

But the pad two years have been non stop rollercoaster rides. My fathers ICU thing, which got me bored on a drive and I empty probably 4-7 large filled cysts. When I got to my uncles, I knew something wasn’t right. I felt super sick. But “it’s that time of the year”. I know that the rollercoaster had already started it’s ascent. The night sweats along were a dead giveaway. Bleeding teeth / gums was just a side salad at this point. I was to ably averaging 100F fevers. Just got in and out as much as I could. 

At least work was helpful. When the respirator was removed, that was my cue to leave. Little did I realize the challenge has begun. And not, like you think, this version includes how many things can you do to stay alive. At the same time you cannot lose anything. 

Wanna see a magic trick?  

Not more than 24 hours home, my fever was up to 103F.  It’s been there the whole ridge home. As I drove back I kept playing back in my head what happened on the way to Mn. Firstly me breaking my toe. Having to drive on it. 14 hours. Yes I was in a rush, but I could have done this.  Being in a breeding ground of shit where I shouldn’t have been. I remember panicking when my face was going darker shades of red, quickly might I add. My heart rate was all over the place too. Once again. The rollercoaster is close to the fun part. As I mad scrambled to find a doctor That could get me in ASAP wasn’t happening. The rollercoaster keeps going tick tick tick. Sepsis#1 in the books. 

Since then. Every rollercoaster has been becoming a much deeper and harder ride. Since 2018, I don’t think I’ve been allowed to get off. It’s been the same rollercoaster ride, however it’s “new & improved” the next time I go around. 

The latest ride, I started working with both my ID dr, & my immunologist. My face has just been murder. My cheeks, chin, forehead. Eyes. God. Just circle the whole thing and caption it with “Ow”.  From an antibiotic standpoint. It’s quite clear that when my dermatologist blasts me with kenalog, that just activates the pain. It’s the side of my immune system that works. I told the ID Dr. that rocephin is working. It’s helping to lower the pain. I’m not needing more morphine than usual. This is gotta be either an infection, or uncontrolled inflammation. 

The pain is basically my cheeks nose to my chin. It feels like someone threw acid at my face. The pain comes and goes. At its highest, it’s really hard to sit up straight. It’s almost as though as if someone shot lighter fluid in my sinuses, let it sit for awhile .. then lit it up. What I’ve. Priced though, is that steroids seem to do something. I am not sure if it’s the antibiotics in conjunction, or the steroids on their own. Every day I wake up feeling a little better each day. I’m not saying it’s vastly improving day to day, it’s more of a minuscule to marginal change from the last. 

3 weeks ago my face was absolute murder. I could barely see, or talk. Now I can function again. What did I do differently?  I started taking clindamycin 300mg 4x a day. Added in cefdinir 300mg 2x a day. Then 20mg of prednisone. As for topical, I’m doing clindamycin/mucipirocin sinus rinse, but I’ve stepped up that intensity to 2-4 times a day. 

This weekend was the first weekend I’ve gone a long distance away from “people. Alamosa is one of my favorite spots. The dunes just look cool. And of course the oasis store right to the outside. Where you can camp, park an rv, rent a cabin or a modern motel room.   Due to Covid I wasn’t able to go in’s to the store and look at all the fun knickknacks they normally have. Or shoot over to the restaurant and watch humming birds while you eat. It’s just a simple experience. 

I made the decision to do Medano Pass. This is the trail that starts in the dunes and you have to drive through them, then to the side, then a fun backroad filled with dips, water crossings, and disbursed camping.  It took us roughly 2 hours to transverse it. It’s probably the most fun I’ve had in a very long time. The typical anxiety, wasn’t there this weekend. I wasn’t going to let it make me miss out on this. As we got off the trail, that’s when the sun was hitting me min stop. We drove to a Safeway in one of the small towns. Wow. It was frozen in time.  I appreciated it.  Got my mouthwash and we headed back to the Oasis campground. Setup my jeep, make food

And try to chill and watched a movie till our butts hurt. I did get some new panels for the back windows so that airflow can move through the car and keep it nice, And cool at night. It’s got builtin screen that won’t let mosquitoes in. I did manage to get bit I’d say 10 times.