Saturday, November 05, 2005
OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER....1998
October 1st in 1998 came in on a Thursday. The next day, Gene Autry died at the age of 91 and Roddy McDowell died the day after that from incurable cancer…he was 70. The first time I saw him was in “My Friend Flicka” with Elizabeth Taylor. The movie launched both of them into a full-scale career. I was their same age and kept up with them throughout their rise to fame and fortune.
Ever since I contracted Fibromyalgia I had been walking once or twice a day for pain management. Becky walked with me in the evenings after she came from work. With light medication to help me have restorative sleep at night I began improving slowly. That and the daily walks were doing their job to combat the weakness and pain. I was going through a series of wild extremes due to the fact my immune system was totally bushwhacked and my body was trying to get back on track. The body I had lived in all those years suddenly trapped me into one I couldn’t understand. None of the past remedies worked at all……it was open season and I had no ammunition.
For relief I watched the World Series play-offs. It was a wonderful diversion from my misery. It was the year Sammy Sosa and “Big Mac” were each attempting to break Roger Maris’ home-run record and the whole country was caught up in it. The Yankee’s played the Padre’s for the Series and won four straight games. Football was underway so I was focused on that after baseball was over.
By now I was getting Triamcinolone by the pound jar. I slathered it all over my body morning and night and at times I used a spaghetti fork to rake across my back the itching was so unbearable. I had that plus an ointment for my face and a different one for my scalp. My days were filled with pills, applications and ointments. I was stuck at home because the rash was unsightly and I wanted to spare the public-at-large of trying to avoid me. My world was now defined by the confines of the house and yard. Becky came every day and put the ointment on my back and then to eat supper with me. I’ve always been a ‘home body’ so that part wasn’t difficult for me.
We drove to Shawnee to visit George on the 9th and spent a long weekend…..returning home on Monday. We enjoy good eating places and shopping when we go to see George. He is a relaxed host and it is fun to see his newest project on the house or lawn. Later that same week I went to the dermatologist for a biopsy of my back. She couldn’t figure why the Triamcinolone hadn’t worked to clear the rash up. I came home knowing no more than I did before.
The weather was typically lovely as it always is in October. I spent a good part of my days getting leaves up and burning them. I was outdoors most of the time because I wanted to enjoy every aspect of the beautiful weather. By the end of the month there was little yard work to do. I went back to the Dermatologist right after the first of November and she thought the Motrin was causing my rash so she took me off it and then gave me a stronger ointment to use. She sent results of my visit to my Internist and he called a different pain killer in to my local pharmacy. I was hopeful but not expecting a miracle…..this malady had drug on and on until I didn’t think I would ever have normal skin again.
In fact, the pain medication didn’t work at all. I stiffened up and had unbearable pain any time I moved. After a few days I went back to the Motrin on my own. It had been impossible to get anything done without it. After a few days I began to loosen up again and was able to do the chores that needed doing. The weather turned cool and cloudy with snow showers occasionally….nothing that stuck.
One evening a little black cat was crying across the road from our place….I hadn’t noticed her on my walks but this evening was drippy and soggy outdoors….she was crying for help. Well…..I couldn’t stand it. I coaxed her to the yard with milk and feed and eventually got her to come to the front porch. She left after eating and I wondered if she would return. The next morning she was waiting on the porch for me to come out. That began a long and loving friendship that lasted until March of last year. We were two little souls who needed some comfort…..and we will travel her journey as the months pass on.
The weather stayed nice the whole month of November on the whole. My rash never got better and Christmas was near. I just made it through each day with the determination that I wasn’t going to lay down and quit. Somehow, I knew there were answers and I intended to find them……..
Until Monday,
Essentially Esther
Ever since I contracted Fibromyalgia I had been walking once or twice a day for pain management. Becky walked with me in the evenings after she came from work. With light medication to help me have restorative sleep at night I began improving slowly. That and the daily walks were doing their job to combat the weakness and pain. I was going through a series of wild extremes due to the fact my immune system was totally bushwhacked and my body was trying to get back on track. The body I had lived in all those years suddenly trapped me into one I couldn’t understand. None of the past remedies worked at all……it was open season and I had no ammunition.
For relief I watched the World Series play-offs. It was a wonderful diversion from my misery. It was the year Sammy Sosa and “Big Mac” were each attempting to break Roger Maris’ home-run record and the whole country was caught up in it. The Yankee’s played the Padre’s for the Series and won four straight games. Football was underway so I was focused on that after baseball was over.
By now I was getting Triamcinolone by the pound jar. I slathered it all over my body morning and night and at times I used a spaghetti fork to rake across my back the itching was so unbearable. I had that plus an ointment for my face and a different one for my scalp. My days were filled with pills, applications and ointments. I was stuck at home because the rash was unsightly and I wanted to spare the public-at-large of trying to avoid me. My world was now defined by the confines of the house and yard. Becky came every day and put the ointment on my back and then to eat supper with me. I’ve always been a ‘home body’ so that part wasn’t difficult for me.
We drove to Shawnee to visit George on the 9th and spent a long weekend…..returning home on Monday. We enjoy good eating places and shopping when we go to see George. He is a relaxed host and it is fun to see his newest project on the house or lawn. Later that same week I went to the dermatologist for a biopsy of my back. She couldn’t figure why the Triamcinolone hadn’t worked to clear the rash up. I came home knowing no more than I did before.
The weather was typically lovely as it always is in October. I spent a good part of my days getting leaves up and burning them. I was outdoors most of the time because I wanted to enjoy every aspect of the beautiful weather. By the end of the month there was little yard work to do. I went back to the Dermatologist right after the first of November and she thought the Motrin was causing my rash so she took me off it and then gave me a stronger ointment to use. She sent results of my visit to my Internist and he called a different pain killer in to my local pharmacy. I was hopeful but not expecting a miracle…..this malady had drug on and on until I didn’t think I would ever have normal skin again.
In fact, the pain medication didn’t work at all. I stiffened up and had unbearable pain any time I moved. After a few days I went back to the Motrin on my own. It had been impossible to get anything done without it. After a few days I began to loosen up again and was able to do the chores that needed doing. The weather turned cool and cloudy with snow showers occasionally….nothing that stuck.
One evening a little black cat was crying across the road from our place….I hadn’t noticed her on my walks but this evening was drippy and soggy outdoors….she was crying for help. Well…..I couldn’t stand it. I coaxed her to the yard with milk and feed and eventually got her to come to the front porch. She left after eating and I wondered if she would return. The next morning she was waiting on the porch for me to come out. That began a long and loving friendship that lasted until March of last year. We were two little souls who needed some comfort…..and we will travel her journey as the months pass on.
The weather stayed nice the whole month of November on the whole. My rash never got better and Christmas was near. I just made it through each day with the determination that I wasn’t going to lay down and quit. Somehow, I knew there were answers and I intended to find them……..
Until Monday,
Essentially Esther
