Ever play darts?

My weather bug just popped up to tell me that it is raining! As though I wasn't going to be able to figure that one out on my own. For those who have never been to my house, one side of the ranch is lined with the Spring Branch Creek. The Guadalupe River is about a half mile from the other side of our property. There is a dry creek bed that runs through the center of the ranch and sounds like the Colorado River this afternoon. Many of the weekend tubers throw their cans out on the side of the road, but when it rains, they wash up on my driveway. If you drove by and thought you missed one heck of a party...don't feel bad...we did too!


"Ever play darts with a moving target?" I asked the nurse this morning. I was trying to remove the concerned look from her face. I have found that needles hurt less when the person giving it is in a good mood. It was just my annual Flu Shot. My Rheumatologist makes sure I do not miss any of my prevention. "You have been on the Cell-Cept for a year now Kim, and I have to say that I am very impressed with how well you have done," he told me. He expressed his amazement with the fact that I made it a year without an infection or significant illness. My friends and family who have known me most of my life know that I have never made it more than a few months without getting strep, a sinus infection, or upper respiratory infection. This is why we were very concerned last year when we fully suppressed my immune system. I have two school age children in my house! "This was the first year in my life I have not gotten sick," I explained to my doctor. "That is because you are the luckiest woman alive," he added. Then we both realized how ridiculous that comment was, and we both began to laugh. I, however, know that I have more than luck on my side!


Well, loved ones...we are back on the roller coaster again. "Look Mom...no hands!" My mother has never enjoyed roller coasters, and I know she would love to get off of this ride with me. A week ago, I went and visited some old friends for a couple of hours, then we went to a birthday party for one of the cutest little girls I know. We were home early, but I wasn't feeling very well. My head started to hurt and the pain behind my right eye was growing stronger. My scalp on the opposite side began to sting. This is my sign that I have inflammation in my brain. The pain kept growing and soon I was throwing up. Well...I actually had surgery a few years ago that prevents me from throwing up, but I still go through the motions. My body was starting to convulse but it was milder than I have experienced in the past. I crawled into bed with a giant icepack on my head and tried to sleep. To be honest, I was pretty scared and not sure how this was going to end. I would have gone to the hospital, but my doctors have made it clear that they will start high dose steroid therapy when admitted. I wasn't ready for that yet.

I woke up the next morning and felt a little better. The headache was not gone, but it was better. Over the following days, the pain and pressure shifted, as did the symptoms. My memory is sketchy and it is taking me longer to get out thoughts. I walked into the doctor's office today and exchanged pleasantries. "How are you? Good...and you? Good..." I went over the symptoms I am having. "So you really are not doing that well," he clarified. You see, I hate sounding like I am complaining or making people worry...so it is usually easier to say..."I am fine!" Sitting on the exam table, it was clear that I was not fine. "You are jerking quite a bit aren't you," he asked. "No...I have this awesome Reggae song in my head and I can't stop dancing," I replied. We both laughed again at what appeared to be the second dumbest comment I had heard that day. He asked me to complete a couple of tasks. I passed the right side tasks, but bombed the left side.

Here is the game plan, we are going to bring in a new Neurologist who is known for working on tough cases and can think outside the box. "He may tell you that the Mayo Clinic is the best...and if they say there is nothing that can be done, then that's it...but he may pull out a bag of tricks," he said. They took seven vials of blood, so hopefully they will give us a reason for this decline. It took three veins...but we got it! The kids are back in school, so I am able to take mid-day naps. That seems to help.

One last thing: please pray for my doctor, Everett Allen. He had surgery on his shoulder and is a little frustrated that he is not 100%. " I get frustrated, but then I come to work everyday and it is put into perspective," he explained. "Perspective doesn't mean you don't deserve compassion," I told him.