RA update, Zoo Report, and Wal-Mart Project update

Friday was my daughter's 7th birthday and she decided that she wanted to go to the Denver Zoo for the day.  I had been extremely nervous about this outing for the past couple of weeks because I had been dealing with crappy RA stuff.  In fact, I was wishing that it would snow on Monument Hill so we couldn't go.  Well, that didn't happen.  It was sunny and bright as well as cold until noon.

So, we medicate me REALLY well the night before and put me to bed to make sure I get enough sleep because I am the only one who can drive. (Hubby has narcolepsy)  Anyway, the drive was smooth up to the zoo.

We get there and the adventure begins.  I did 4 hours of walking with lots of stops along the way.  I walked until one of my toes developed a blister!!  I managed to walk 95% of the zoo yesterday.  I thought I was GOING TO DIE!!!  I truly felt like my body was falling apart and was going to need oxygen.  But I survived.

The next day (Saturday) I actually wasn't in any pain. No sore muscles, backaches, or cranky joints.   I did drive to Colorado Springs for a meeting.  This has been a very eye-opening experience and I am questioning a few things about the way I am going about learning to live with RA.

So, what have I done to improve my situation?  I have started to take my medications at night.  I am starting to believe that taking them at night gives them a better opportunity to work because they aren't having to fight against an active body.  I am waking up and not feeling like my fingers are going to break off my hands and my toes are going to stay right on my feet!

Something I don't think I told you is that my brother, Rusty suffers from gout.  He has had it now for several years and just was miserable; especially his feet.  So, he started to take the tart cherry extract and he said that his gout has all but disappeared AND he hasn't had any episodes of it in a LONGGGGG time.  So, I went to Whole Foods and got the extract he recommended and I started taking it tonight.  There are 45 doses in this container...I am going to see if it has the same affect on me as it does my brother.  BUT that doesn't mean I am stopping my medications.  I am enhancing them.

Speaking of medications, Dr. Sean isn't going to write me anymore scrips for Prednisone because he has tweeked the other medications and I do feel that they are working.  But I am still needing to get the compression gloves especially for the right hand.  Right now, I am getting excited to drop the Prednisone again because that means many symptoms will calm down.  The RA is starting to focus into centralized areas- right wrist and ring finger, left ring finger and it is lightly touching everywhere else.

The Wal-Mart project just got another small boost.  The software has been purchased to put the website together and now we are ready to proceed to buy the domain name and space from godaddy.com.  We have been learning more about webcasts and blogs. The skeleton of the website is done, now we just need ot transfer files over to the new software and finish making it look good.  I also bought a few things to help on this challenge.  The webcast script is almost finished and then it will go into editing and then pre-production.  We are hoping to shoot on the16th of March, edit the webcast and post it on the 19th.  March 19th will be here soon and we will be ready to roll on that date.

One final note-  I have my SSI telephone interview on Friday, the 29th of this month.  They are going to basically grill me over my application and then I should expect a denial letter.  Then I will appeal and get it sent to a judge.  No expectations or time limits honored on their part expected either...just going with the flow on this one.  I will update with the outcome as soon as I get it.