Wednesday, March 10, 2010

How to deal?

Today's been one of those days full of questions about my latest health issues... Since Sunday, I've been sleepy and weak (like taking notes in a 50 minute class took 6-7 pep talks), and I'm not over it yet. The problem is: I don't know what to do to get better. With the celiac, it was straightforward (not easy). Eat gluten-free food, feel better. If I felt ill, I could wait it out, rest, eat "sick" foods, and feel better in a few days. It wasn't easy, but I knew what to do. With all of this now, there's so many questions... Do I rest? How long do I rest? How much do I push myself to do schoolwork? How much do I push myself to exercise? When all I want to do is curl up in a ball and go to sleep, how much caffeine do I drink? If I push myself, will it catch up with me later? How much longer is this going to last? Am I doing too much, or was it walking too far and messing up the sleep schedule? How do I realistically go to bed between 9 and 10 at night, when all the fun stuff usually happens after 8? What should be the priority things I do around the house?
So many questions, so few people to answer them. Do I find a specialist somewhere? What if that specialist is only questionably legitimate? I am seeing a rheumatologist on Monday, but there are limits to what he'll be able to offer me. (More prescription drugs - mixed feelings about that, given to what some of the recent ones have done to me - NOT FUN.)
On an odd note - it seems the Story of the Day from storypeople.com now has 5-6 days in a 24 hour period, so I get many emails a day instead of just one. It's on the verge of becoming annoying, but not quite there yet.
I've been loving the sunshine and "warmth" of the past 5 days though. Yesterday, I sat on a park bench in the sunshine and pretended to be a sponge, soaking up every last bit that I could. Everyone else was out enjoying the sun too - it's like hibernation is finally over :). Only a month-ish left of possible wintry weather, and I'm excited.

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