SHE'S BAAAAACK!

HEY everyone! I know it's been a while, I hope y'all didn't forget about me! I have been sick and busy and not having anything new to really say or I just haven't felt like it. Is that enough excuses? HA! I am a total mess sometimes. I have so much to say most of the time and then sometimes I get quiet. Now there are those who will beg to differ with me on that but I think a lot more than I speak. I have been battling my back of course. No real problems with the Sjogren's lately except yeah, wait.....a root canal! I suspect after 30 + years of no dental work having to be done and now all of a sudden I am starting to have problems could be from the Sjogren's. It could be from aging, except I just do not think 51 is old enough for my teeth to start decaying! I will have my first root canal tomorrow morning. Some say it's nothing and some say it's painful, either way, it took them 3 shots of novocaine to numb me enough for a filling. I really am not too worried about it, I am more worried about having to be there at 9 am! LOL! I hate early morning appointments and this one will take about 45 minutes to get to so that's even earlier to have to leave the house. My back doesn't work well in the morning, I will have to get up way early to take meds so they can get into my system good and I can function and drive. BAH! I will get through it, just bellyaching. Easter Sunday, had a beautiful day, church service was awesome, went to lunch with my hubby and then shopping at Lowe's. All of a sudden my ankle just gave out and down I went, so I was laid up with a bad sprain for a few days and my right knee was swollen and skinned and burning! Didn't help my back too much either. ! Now to my back, I've been having a lot more lower back pain again, way into my pelvis and tailbone area. I have also started having a lot of muscle spasms in my upper back and sides and my arms are starting to get tired easier. My Ortho asked if I saw a Rheumy, I told him I had and she did tests which I will get the results from on Monday. I am worried, a little bit that I may have Dermatomyositis. The reason is because I have been worried about it for almost 2 years since I started having the rash on my eyes and then the knuckles, elbows and knees and I found out about it. It's funny how 6 months after that started, my back started hurting and I started getting extreme fatigue and joint pain and dry mouth and thus started my journey with Arachnoiditis and Sjogren's within a month of each other. Well DM overlaps with Sjogren's too and the more weaker I become in my back the more I worry. I am praying that I do not have this as I don't know how much more my body can take. I have started since the warmer weather, to get up and do! I am making myself do more around the house, don't let it go, get outside, go shopping with hubby, whatever I can so I am not just sitting around moaning and groaning. I started back my therapy to get through all the pain and grief I go through. I have a happy mind y'all and most people who know me, know that I do. They know I like to have fun and laugh and they also know that I've changed a little. Pain does that to you. You are never sure just what you can get away with on the mornings you wake up with a plan. Sometimes I make it and sometimes I don't. I went on a weekend trip a couple of weeks ago to visit my daughter and grandchildren. I made it through with 8 kids all staying at her house with just she and I in charge! It was tiring but so satisfying. I got back home though and woke up with some kind of crud. I am sure one of those kids gave it to me but what would usually be gone in a day or two took all week for me to get over. I had NO energy at all. Good thing about it was I didn't have much laundry to do since I wore nothing but PJs for 5 days straight! I am loving the warmer weather, I am hoping that my pains and whinings will be less during the next few months. I am going to try and ride my bike again, I HAVE TO TRY and I can't wait for the pool to be warm enough to jump in. Meanwhile, my days will be spent as often as possible on the beach and enjoying the warmth, the water, the waves, the smell......I know!!! I know I am not supposed to do sun, but I will do it, just a little smarter than I used to but I am going to be in it, if I didn't have that to still look forward to, I might give up! I am done for the day and I hope you all have a wonderful end of Spring and a beautiful sunny summer! I am sure I will write some more but like I said, hopefully less until the cold comes again, when I really start hurting worse! Going to give it all I can the next few months to enjoy my life and my grandchildren visiting and friends too! Philippians 4:13- I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. 

Love to you all! 

Cindy