The joys of allergies

OK, so I am never going to take another anti-inflammatory again!!! When I was younger I injured myself quite a lot. I was involved in competitive gymnastics. While preparing for a competition one year I recked my ankle pretty bad. I had torn all the tendons and ligaments in my right ankle, which equals a lot of pain. My doctor prescribed me an anti-inflammatory called Voltaren Rapid, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). Well, after taking this drug for 2 or 3 days I had an allergic reaction to it. Apparently the drug does the opposite it is supposed to do when I take it. In a matter of hours my whole body was tightened into a ball of rock hard muscles that wouldn't move. It was the most excruciating pain I have ever endured (worse than child birth). It was so bad my jaw was locked. There was nothing the doctors could do for me. They told me I had to wait until the drug ran it's course, about 4-5 days. All I could do was cry.

Well, last week I was diagnosed with Gout; a form of chronic arthritis that isn't all that common in women, and most women who do get it are post menopausal. Hurray for rarity! My family doctor prescribed me an anti-inflammatory called Apo-Indomethacin, another drug in the NSAID family. I was told the chances of me having an allergic reaction to this drug was highly unlikely. Well, highly unlikely happened. After taking the drug for 2 days I felt my back starting to cease up. I stop taking them immediately but it was still too late. By Saturday morning my back, neck, and shoulders were ceased into a ball of knots, and I was in excruciating pain. I called my father to pick me up at 6 am and headed to the ER. I knew what they were going to tell me, "There is nothing you can do but wait it out." but I thought I would get checked out any ways.

The doctor I had told me that this reaction is not side effect of these drugs and that it was pure coincidence. I explained that it had happened before and that it was on my records. He pulled out his palm pilot, looked up the drug, and said "See, there are no known reactions like this to NISAIDs." Then he continued to tell me that is was most likely a viral infection, prescribed me some T3s for the pain and sent me on my way. I am SO impressed with this doctor that I just might ask to switch over my records to his practice!

So, to close this blog I am making it know to everyone that this pain is all in my head, that my memory of the reaction I had 20-odd years ago never happened, and that all people react the same to ALL drugs. Man, I love the medical professionals who think they know everything. I am greatful that I have a great family doctor!

JOY TO PAIN AND THE INABILITY TO MOVE OR DO ANYTHING FOR MYSELF!!!

Holly Crow!!! August is gone?!?!

Well now, I can't believe the summer went by so quickly! August was a busy month for us. Lots of new and exciting things going on. Lots of fun memories. Lots of crazy days ahead. I will try to fit as much as I can in but at the same time make this as painless as possible for those reading. =P

The beginning of the month brought Whoop Up Days here in Lethbridge. We were able to go see the parade to kick the festivities off. Makynna loved watching everyone walk by. I will have to say that she has the perfect "queen wave". She cheered on everyone. Oryn's favorite parts where the marching bands and the bag pipers.




A few days later we where able to go to the fair grounds...or as Makynna would call it, "the fairest". She put fair and Farris wheel together. On the Thursday we went with Auntie Dian. We gave Makynna the choice of which ride she wanted to go on first...she picked the fishy ride. I tried to talk her out of it because I saw how fast it went but she wouldn't listen. Man, you should have seen her face! PRICELESS! The minute that thing started to move she looked like she was going to have an aneurysm. She didn't cry. She didn't scream. She just hung on. When the ride stopped all she said was, "Mommy, I want out." After that she was a little more cautious on her choices. LOL She had a blast though. We ate cotton candy, and elephant ears then it was time to take Auntie Dian to work...with a promise to come back tomorrow. On Friday we hit the "fairest" with Grandma Ully, Grandpa Ully, and Auntie Dainta. We ate more food then it was off to the rides once more. Makynna never asked to go on the fishy ride again, though. We played games up the wahzoo, and Makynna took a load of prizes home...Oryn got a few as well. We even got a chance to watch a bit of the Rodeo (not my favorite). Oryn was enthralled with the cowboys riding the crazy horses.





Later on in the month Papa Hovan's work was having their employee, family function. They had it out at the Skyline Ranch, just northwest of Clarseholm. They had a BBQ, horseshoes, fishing, lassoing, face painting, and horseback riding. We had a blast! Makynna, who is afraid of everything, decided that she wanted to go horseback riding...when Makynna got on that horse, she was not EVER getting off! She fell in love with Peggy, the horse. She was quite upset when they needed her to switch to a smaller horse so they could take another adult on the trail ride. It took some convincing but she warmed up to Sage, the other horse. Oryn did really good out there. She rode in her stroller the whole time without any fuss. She loved watching everything and everyone.




This slide show contains all our Skyline photos.


Then on my birthday we went to the Calgary Zoo for the day. It was also Grandma Ully's birthday so we made it a Ully family trip. We left at 9:00 am and didn't get home until 10:30 pm. It was a long day but a great day! Oryn was so good. Once again, she sat in her stroller the whole time and watched everything. She only kicked up a fuss once and that was in the Jeep on the way home but it was short lived. Makynna caught on to what you are supposed to do at the zoo...run from animal to animal. She had a blast!




This slide show contains all our Zoo photos.


Then, this weekend we had the opportunity to meet Dian's fiance, David. He is a very nice young man. I had to hold back the vomit when I watched them leave my house and get into Dian's car. David walked Dian to the driver's side, opened the door for her, waited there until she was in, then closed the door, then walked to the passenger's side and got in. Oh gag me. LOL Jokes! It was cute. Makynna took an immediate fancy to poor David. If she were 19 years older Dian would have some healthy competition on her hands. Eh, Di? Oryn too was twitter patted with David. The smile she gave him when we went for dinner at O-sho's was the biggest toothless grin she has ever given. So I guess we have to keep him now. We are super excited to welcome him into our family permanently on December 16! Sorry! I don't have any pictures of Dian and David to add to this blog update...hopefully next one.

Now a quick over view of the milestones we have over come this month. We discovered that Oryn is lactose intolerant, she got her first tooth, is now "army crawling", can say dada...and didi (Auntie Di was on the phone with her today), and is getting into anything and everything...mainly her big sister's toys, which she is not "allowed" to play with. Makynna has taken "ownership" of her baby sister. "That's my Boryn!" (which is what Makynna calls Oryn). Makynna has also become more interested in learning to write her alphabet, her imagination has become even more vivid, her shoe size has gone from a size 7 to a size 9 in just two short weeks, and she has learned that her skin is called her "epidermis". Life is good all around!