Gosh, I've been gone so long, I almost feel like a stranger here now. Not a good feeling.
But I'm going to ignore that feeling because I know that all of the wonderful people here on EX would give me a hard time for feeling that way...right?
I've still been in and out of the hospital up here at the University of Michigan. It's an AMAZING health system and far superior to what I experienced back in Reston, VA. My five children were SO right when they insisted upon moving me back up to our hometown of Ann Arbor, MI, to get the better quality care available in a highly-ranked university medical school health system.
Nevertheless, I do not have a final diagnosis. It is an auto-immune disease, but unidentified as of yet. I am finding wonderful relief from the steroid drugs they have been giving me, but I can't stay on steroids forever, as they are so damaging. I have more tests in the Evidentiary Radiology Department this week. I hope to heck for a final diagnosis and just the right drug cocktail after that.
I want SO SO SO much to get my life back. Teddy, I KNOW you get that. Thank Goodness that I have a best friend like you to help keep my spirits up. Even when I don't/can't respond, Teddy keeps sending me texts and I love getting them. I wish everyone could have a best friend like Teddy in their life. I'm so lucky to have you in my life, Teddy, and I love you for all you have done to support me during all this nonsense. No one could EVER ask for a better friend.
When my rheumatologist sees me next, I intend to ask her if I could take a week off from all these crazy medical tests and go to Orlando for a few days. If she says "yes", I could easily fly down because of my flight attendant benefits, but I'd have to beg a place to stay with someone because I haven't had a paycheck since last July (Oh, dear, woe is me...yes, hear the self-deprecation in my voice...because I HATE to not be the one who is helping others. This new role of needing help is very very very difficult, practically impossible, for me.
But I want SO much to come to be at the Second Annual EX Get-Together.) I hope I can find a way to be there. And just a warning, dear friends...if I can make it, you can bet I will show up with all the attendees' early blogs printed out and find some forum to share them with each other again. Seriously, shouldn't "Sky Girl's Annual Tear Fest" become an inviolate ritual of every annual get-together???????
Okay...long enough blog.
I LOVE everyone here on EX. I LOVE my new normal. Being a non-smoker is something I was not ever sure I could do. But I DID it. And ANYONE can do it, if they educate themselves about nicotine addiction and lean on the amazing support you can find here on EX,
With all my love and thanks,
Sky
