11/30/11

Walked on the treadmill for 1.82 miles yesterday and burned a few calories.  It is so hard to get into the walking state of mind.  I am gaining weight like crazy.  Up to 237 now, been eating alot of junk at night.  I am almost done with the first month of the Methotrexate and will have to go get more blood tests to check the liver and stuff.  I guess that getting things under control should be the first priority.  After the blood tests have been sent to Dr. Call I am supposed to call him for a telephone consultation instead of having to drive up to Provo.  Carolyn sure has been in the Holiday spirit this year.  She has fixed the house up for every holiday.  I like it when she is in these moods because everything is so cheery.  It has helped me get through this new adventure were having.  I will keep walking and see if I can get some of this weight off, but the problem is both meds. I am on cause weight gain

11/29/11

Walked on the treadmill for awhile curling a couple 5lb. weights.  I don't seem to be any worse for the wear.  Slept a little better last night.  Will try and mix things up.  I just seem to be out of sorts lately.  That's all

11/28/11

One workout last week where I walked for 2.63 miles in 50 minutes and burned 220 calories.  I am having a rough time trying to keep my muscle mass.  I look awful.  I will read this week about the meds. I am on and see if I can do some weight lifting.  I can't have another week like this one if I ever want to get my muscle mass built up

11/23/11

A better day yesterday.  I don't hurt as bad today.  I like having good days like yesterday.  I am still having trouble getting a full nights sleep.  I was waking up at 3 am but now it is 4 am.  If I can just get to 5am that is the time that I get up anyways.  Walked yesterday for 2.63 miles.  Will try and get in a few more in Murray

11/21/11

I am working on staff treadmills here at work, not my personal treadmill that Bill and Colton put out in the corral under the manger.  I have two of them up and running but the last one is the best built and I bet it weighs 300 or 400 pounds.  This is the one I worked on Friday, changing the deck and belt along with cleaning it up.  Never got it running because it has an electrical problem that is stumping me.  I don't know if the lifting, moving, up and down while working on the machine was what made my hands hurt so bad over the weekend.  The rest of the body hurt but not like my hands did.  I walked last week for 13.05 miles which took 4h19m and I burned around 1300 calories.  Hard to put in that much time for that little distance, I my mind anyways.  I  have lost so much muscle that everything I do is hard so I will have to keep at it a little at a time.  Will keep up the walking this week especially with Thanksgiving on Thursday.  Still trying not to bitch to much but sometimes you just can't help it

11/18/11

I didn't work on the treadmill yesterday.  But I am so sore today in the hands, fingures, shoulders and neck.  Can I really have lost everything this fast?  Sucks.  Yesterday I walked for 2.25 miles in 43 minutes very slowly.  I will get thru this one way or the other because there is no give up in me.

11/17/11

Yesterday was a productive day but I am paying for it today.  Moving around a 350 lb. treadmill was not a good move on my part.  Here's the problem:  I have did this all my life.  I have always figured out a way to get what needs to be done without having to ask for help or in this case waiting for help to get there.  I have lost so much muscle mass that I don't have the strength I am used to having.  Anyway I was able to get the machine taken apart so I can put the new parts back on.  Just takes more time than I am use to.  I got in another walk of 2.53 miles which took 48 minutes.  I even did a shuffle (jog) for 10 minutes without hurting myself.  I know baby steps and that this is the first week back but you all know how impatient I am.  I am just tired today.  Will take it easy and not try nothing stupid

11/16/11

There was no pain with yesterdays walk.  I got a little winded because I haven't been doing much of anything but felling sorry for myself lately.  Another walk on the treadmill for 38 minutes covering 2.34 miles.  It is so hard to not try and get in 3 miles.  That has always been the minimum that I thought I should do as a runner.  Need to change that mindset right now.  I need time on my feet.  I have lost so much muscle that my legs look like skeletons legs to me.  My body fat has climbed way up there with the loss of the muscle.  I am learning when to take the Prednisone (6 am in the morning and 6 pm at night), that is keeping me pretty much pain free.  I now have more questions for the next Doctor visit.  The main question is, we get the pain under control, is this a lifetime treatment or what????

11/15/11

Well a few things have happened since my last post.  Had my second appt. with Dr. Call on 11/10/11.  He put a name to what I have, Spondyloarthritis, which is suspose to be a type that attacks the large joints, tendons, ligiments and attachments along with the spine.  Also put me on a Cancer med. that is also used for autoimmune deseases, Methorexate.  You take 6 pill at once/once a week.  He is keeping me on the Prednisone for at least 2 months while the Methorexate builds up in my system.  I still have the ear infection that doesn't want to go away.  I am done with the antibotics but still using the drops that are antibotic.  Exercise!  Call said that the Prednisone creates problems with the Achilles Tendon and other tendons and attachments.  He said I could walk on level ground, no incline at all.  If I felt up to it that I could run slowly, no speedwork, lol.  I can bicycle and swim.  So with that said I started yesterday.  I was on the treadmill for 38.38 minutes and walked for 2.03 miles.  As I was having a pretty much pain free day yesterday the walk went well with one exception.  The tendons on the back of my knee on the left leg that seems to have started this whole thing gave out with a couple sharp pains which took me by surprise.  I was only walking 3 mph, took it to 2.5 mph and it went away.  If I want to exercise I will have to really pay attention to the details.  I don't feel as pain free today but I am not really that bad at this very moment

11/08/11

Again I was out of it again yesterday.  Hurting, tired from not getting much sleep, the acheing still wakes me up.  I allso have been having a pee a thon.  Need to cut back on water at night.  Looking forward to seeing the Doctor Thursday to see what he has to say.  I hate writing negitive post because that's not what this blog is about.  Winter is finally here with sleet and cold weather.  One more crazy thing that happeded yesterday at work.  You know I have the sore shoulders, the ear infection and yesterday I got a migraine headache.  Right in the middle of a lecture.  Hopefully today will be a better day

11/07/11

Back to work on a snowy day.  Really not much more than a dusting.  Did the usual fall back this weekend and my body seems messed up.  Took it easy this weekend.  Just don't feel like my old self.  Having a very hard time staying positive.  No walking just did my chores around the house.  I am now taking the Prendizone only 2 times a day for 7 days.  When I was taking the 3 pills I hardly hurt.  Now taking 2 pills I am starting to hurt again (not as bad), but hurting.  I don't want the hot poker type pain back.  Didn't sleep well last 2 nights.  Muscles are sore and I have no strength.  My next Doc appointment is Thursday.  Ear infection is still there, right now is hurts like heck when I chew anything.  I will try and get in  more walking this week.  Only have 3 days to work this week.  I still not eating right.  I guess comfort food is relieving the pain somewhat

11/05/11

Was able to get one of the treadmills fixed and moved back down front.  Naturally I had to check it out once it was set up.  I walked on it for 1.01 miles which took a long time of 25 minutes.  The treadmill held up for the walk test as did the rest of my body.  Experienced some discomfort in my body, but that is to be expected.  Starting my second week of the Prednisone (2 a day for 7 days) and we will see if the pain is more or less.  I will try and get a walk in today.  It will have to be outside as the treadmill is not working and has been moved under the shed in the coral.  Ear infections is still giving me fits but will stay on the meds. for that and see what happens.  As I said with the walking and actually having to work at work my knee is back to hurting but not like it did before he drained off the fluid and gave me the cortizone shot.  I have a few chores to do this weekend but will mostly take it easy and try and get over this.  Until next time

11/4/11

As I said yesterday they didn't get enough blood from me when I was at the hospitl.  I made an appointment at Armstrongs office to get the blood drawn.  While I had them on the phone I asked it I could make an appointment for my right ear.  I feel like I have an infection in it and it is hard to hear.  So they took the extra blood and looked at the ear.  Said that I have an infection, gave m antibotics, both internal and inside the ear type.  I moved three treadmill from the front of the building to the back secure area with the help of inmates.  It was more walking than normal and my knee hurt last night.  Kept me awake somewhat.  It wasn't working out but I feel like I did 2 miles of walking.  I need to be patient and do what I can do

11/2/11

Friday October the 28th I had my first visit with the Rheumatoligist in Provo.  He started by reading the test results from Dr. Armstrong and tests and ex-rays he had ordered.  He said that they didn't tell him much but that now he had a guideline for future reference.  Put me on the table and did manipulations of the joints I am having pain in.  Looking at my left knee he was surprised that I didn't think it was swollen, because he said it was.  I was surprised how much fluid he got out of the knee.  While in there he gave me a cortizone shot in the knee.  I don't believe in cortizone shots but he pretty much insisted, and it did help.  He sent the fluid to the lab for tests.  Also put me on a longer round of Prednisone, (3 pills for 7 days, 2 for 7 days and 1 for 7 days).  He took me off the IB's and the LorTabs.  The results of everything so far is that I can walk without limping, (knee still hurts more that normal).  I can at least sleep and I don't wake up in pain everytime I turnover in bed.  Sitting for any length of time is a problem, but that makes me get up and walk more.  Dr. said that is would be good for me to walk but no high impact anything.  I have lost weight but it has been muscle.  He ordered more test that I will get today at Sanpete County Hospital after work today.  I go back to see him again on Nov. the 10th.  Once I get my mind wrapped around this new dilemma I will start a walking routine.  Carolyn and I will start going to Gunnison Pool and do the water aerobics.  I will repeat myself again, don't take your health for granted.  Enjoy it while you can