The Dog and Duck

I won the lottery

not.  The first colonoscopy did not work so they want to do it again.  The RA meds are not settling in my stomach too well so I am off them for now. No NSAID, no arava, no plaquenil.  When my stomach wants to cooperate, then I can try adding back nsaid and slowly plaquenil but no arava. A steroid shot into each hip might help some of the other joints, if not go back on prednisone. A steroid shot in the elbow might help the pain from cubital tunnel sydrome and help the shoulder pain. Come back and see them in 2 months. Meantime have another colonoscopy.

Ok, my hips and elbow hurt and I am a grump.  The little truck has been totaled out and am still waiting to hear from insurance.

Nothing like a little whine. 

I hope that I have it all out of my system or else the keg is going to go dry...

quick update

Just a quick update - Dad is doing okay.  He does not have the luekemia that they were screening him for.  He will just have to be monitored.  They still do not know for sure what is going on with him.  For now, please keep Mom and Dad in your thoughts and prayers.

For a look at the tornado that was 10 miles north of us check out Barb's blog.

Have a wonderful weekend. 

Vocal chord dysfunction

I have added another photo album with some cough control tips.

Here is a great place of information on VCD .

National Jewish  is going through different tests on me to try and find out why I cough so much.  I have defintely been learning new things.  This is one of the things they are looking at now.  Their website is very informative and pretty easy to use.  This is my next fun thing to do. 

Hearing check ups

Max, Chris and Ted all checked out fine.  Thank you, Lord.  They even did a quick screen on me and I am fine too.
Joe is not so sure about his hearing aids.  These may not be the best fit and he may have to try again with a different pair.
He knows he cannot join the military because of his hearing so he is hoping to get into school for music.  Keep him in your prayers, please.

The Bell Curve

"Someone’s got to be average. If the bell curve is a fact, then so is the reality that most doctors are going to be average. There is no shame in being one of them, right? Except, of course, there is. Somehow, what troubles people isn’t so much being average as settling for it. Everyone knows that averageness is, for most of us, our fate. And in certain matters—looks, money, tennis—we would do well to accept this. But in your surgeon, your child’s pediatrician, your police department, your local high school? When the stakes are our lives and the lives of our children, we expect averageness to be resisted. And so I push to make myself the best. If I’m not the best already, I believe wholeheartedly that I will be. And you expect that of me, too. Whatever the next round of numbers may say."

The Bell Curve

I thought this was a really good article, about the hope for CF and the dedication and ingenuity of some health care personnel.  I also think it had something good for the rest of us.  IMHO