Hey guys!

Sorry for not posting lately. I have been lurking. Saying prayers for those
who need. Celebrating or commiserating where appropriate. It's just the
upper back and neck stuff from the accident limit my time at the computer.
By the time I finish my synagogue business, and stuff for the kids
(Classroom volunteer emails - at least I'm on the receiving end of those,
not sending) my back is to tired and my hands start to numb up.

Saw the RD about 10 days ago. I am still questioning whether this is Lyme
Arthralgia and not RA. He thinks it's more likely to be RA saying, "A
typical presentation of RA is more likely than an atypical presentation of
something more rare." In itself, that is true. But it doesn't explain why
all my initial symptoms were neuro-muscular, and those symptoms are coming
back since I've stopped taking Vioxx.

But anyway, I have added Plaquenil to the list in case he is right. Went to
the Ophthalmologist first to get a baseline exam. So far so good. No side
effects beyond a little indigestion. RD's keeping me on both the Doxycycline
and Relafen to make it easier to figure out if there is a change in how I
feel. He did warn that it would take a while before I might feel any change.

Doug, who never gets sick, has had two different colds this January, each
landing him in bed. And since he's such a good sharer, I got them, too. The
first went away very quickly with the Zicam. With the second, the Zicam
reduced some of the symptoms, but not the length of this stupid thing. Went
to my chest irritating the asthma. The Albuterol has been sufficient. But
this whole asthma thing is so new that I have trouble knowing when it's
acting up. I only get coughing stuff rarely. Most of the time it's chest
achiness with feeling a little lightheaded.

My kids are fine and doing well. But my 22 month old nephew has been putting
my sister through the ringer. He started daycare this year and has been sick
with only a week between bouts since November. And being the very active
inquisitive type, he wound up with a stitches in his scalp in November. His
latest is he used a wooden spoon to pull down a hot cup of tea that my
sister (who has bronchitis and pleurisy, and is working on her MSW,
including an 'in service' two days a week) had specifically put out of
reach. Second degree burns on his arms. They took him to Shriner's Hospital
where he got excellent care, but hasn't been able to go back because every
time he spikes a fever, they ask sis to keep him home so he doesn't infect
the other kids at the clinic. Please pray for strength and calm for my
sister, Michelle (who would not want her last name mentioned because it
could be googled). A prayer to make her husband Alan be more helpful and in
positive ways would be appreciated, too. Nuff said.

Sending Love to all -