Turkey Day

Hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving...we had the family here...lots of food! My mom got here early and we cooked all morning...it was fun, but tiring...I spent all day yesterday in bed exhausted...with PH, it is a trade off...you pay for the good days...but, at least there are good days! Today, I am better...heading to the grocery store soon :)

Pushing myself

Yesterday was fun, but also very difficult for me. A new art exhibit came to the Ft. Lauderdale Museum...Norman Rockwell...I really wanted to go...he is one of my favorite artists...so we drove to Ft. Lauderdale (30 minutes) and saw the exhibit...it was great...beyond my expecations...then, we decided to have lunch in Ft. Lauderdale...probably not a great idea on a Saturday...(74 degrees and sunny)- it was packed...we drove around for an hour...my blood sugar was getting low and I had a mini panic attack...when that happens, I start to lose my temper and get downright mean...not my best feature...Brian and I started to fight b/c we kept driving and driving...and could not find a place...I was getting a little car sick too...we ended up pulling into Mc Donalds so Em' and I could eat something until we found a place...finally decided to go to the local mall and have lunch in the food court...by this time I was very exhausted...my energy was gone...but I apologized for losing my cool and I wanted to see the day through...ordered a salad and water...cost me 16$! It is a fancy food court...the salad was overloaded with dressing, so I ate little...then, ordered gelato...way too chocolately...so that was a bust...we finally came home and I was completely spent...so the question remains...was I glad I pushed myself...yes...all in all, it was a good day...looking back, I probably should have just driven home after the museum and gone out to eat near the house...I know all the restaurants in Boca and parking is not an issue...I have not ventured out for a "day" of fun in a long time so I overestimated my energy capacity...but, I was so happy to see the Rockwells...I bought a book and a few other fun things...I always love to see art in person, especially by an artist I admire and have studied...next time, I need to bring a snack in the car...and I need to maybe plan a little better :)

Good news

Well, as I posted on facebook, my doc visit went well last Friday...my PH doc is retiring and passing his patients onto another doctor...this one I like better :) He is younger, nicer, and a cardiologist. I always thought PH was better treated by a cardiologist, since it is how the PH affects the heart that really matters...my echo was good...my heart is working good...I must have a very strong heart...I get that from my dad's side...thankfully...my mom's family has bad hearts...no regurgitation...pressures are in the same range 45-55...has been there since I went on flolan. They want to start me on letairis soon...so we will see how that goes. I am feeling a little better than last week...still tired, but better...I start a new PT job for Alpine in November...it is a 3 month job, but I am working 25 hours a week...hope I can handle it...I want to get some $$$ in the bank...I have really been trying to save more, but something always seems to come up...take care all and thanks for reading :)

Dr. visit coming up

It is that dreaded time when I have to get an echo and see my PH doc...I hate to go for all the obvious reasons, but also b/c he gives me SUCH a hard time about being overweight...telling me I must be eating a lot and not doing something right since I cannot get more weight off...I really do not eat a lot...I rarely eat dinner...soda once in awhile...but I cannot get weight off...I am very sedentary and he seems to think this is an excuse...not all PHer's are overweight...but a lot are...what do they tell their docs, I wonder? I have more anxiety about him discussing my weight with me than my PH...I know that is weird...but I feel like I am being judged harshly and it makes me uncomfortable. I had a doc awhile ago that never gave me ahard time...he said most of his PH patients gained weight and could not get it off...to keep trying...and that was the end of it...now, I get the third degree every time I go and it pisses me off...how should I handle it? Thanks for any advice :)

Got to shop

Always a good day when I can shop :) Still, I came home and felt totally wiped out...it is so weird...sometimes I feel fine and I am doing laundry and cleaning...running errands...with my O2 of course, but at least I am moving! Other times I cannot get up...I am so tired...fatigued...I hate to say "tired" because it is so much more than that! I have to get out of the house though...I forced myself to go to the mall and I am glad I did...got my niece a b-day gift and bought Em' and myself something...Brian and I went into one of my favorite stores..."Bath and Body Works"...they had a big sale...we were in there for awhile smelling soaps and such...he was having fun...we had a nice day together...have not had one of those in awhile...he is such a funny guy...we forget sometimes how much we mean to each other b/c we have such little time alone...but when we do it is special :) Take care all and goodnight :)

Monica

I never met Monica Silfuentes and I have never even talked to her...but I have her on Facebook and I have been thinking about her all weekend. She had a double lung and heart tx and is in the hospital with pneumonia...she just had her tx a week ago...I hope she will be okay...I have been praying for her a lot. Getting a tx is so traumatic on the body as it is...how can she fight off pneumonia? I hope she is strong enough for it...and is home soon. I am donating some paintings for charity this month...two for Madison and two for this other charity in Fort Lauderdale...they make coloring books for kids that have been through bad things...the books help them to cope...both events are having silent auctions...we will see what happens...I have Colleen sending me some jewelry (thanks Colleen) for Madison's event and another artist I love it sending me one of his pieces...I will take pictures for them and let them see their stuff being bid on...hope I can get a few more things soon.

Better

My hormonal attack is over and I am feeling better...man, when I get down I get really down...I am not referring to dancing here people! I have been selling on ebay...not making any money...but that is okay...it will get better...I just love to paint and I am grateful for another venue to sell my work. My family has been urging me to sell on ebay for some time now, but I really did not feel it was a good place to go...but we will see. On another note, Emily starts drama and hip hop classes next week...she is very excited. Not cheap, but she really wants to get into acting and dancing...so we are making some small sacrifices to make it happen. She is selling chocolates now for her safety patrol fund raiser...she is all excited and told me this morning she LOVES being a safety patrol...I am happy for her. As far as this health care business...I am all for making some changes...but I am not for any government plan...I am on Medicare...but I feel Medicare for all would bankrupt the country and cause our taxes to go way up...I think the best thing to do is to allow people to get insurance from other states and increase competition that way...also, tort reform and doing something about the high cost of drugs. There are things that need to be done b/c medical care is WAY too expensive and it does not have to be...but I am not comfortable with the gov't running anything, let alone something so deeply private...I do not like Obama at all...I think he is a radical and I think people, even Dems are waking up to him. I have no problem with a Democratic president...I voted for Clinton twice...but he is trying to socialize this country and I am not for that...at all...plus, I do not like the people he associates with...he needs to reevaluate who he puts in his inner circle...and this ACORN video about the funding of a teen brothel...disgusting...he worked for them...but more disturbing...billions of our tax dollars are funding this corrupt group...not right.