Happy Mother's day!

While I was at the hospital May 2nd, from where I was sitting in the ER, I spotted these 2 mothers from my line of sight. 

The closer one, was holding a 5 year old who seemed to have a vomiting issue. As she held him she rocked him softly.

The one in the background, is holding a 2 year old with a sprained or broken arm/hand. She held him in her arms 6-7 hours trying to keep him calm. 

So I wish all mom's out there a happy mother's day. This photo symbolic of the love mom's have for their offspring. 

Edit: on this mother's day 2021, neither one of my daughters acknowledged it was mother's day or messaged me. I spent the night crying.  It hurt very much. 

Hospital visit Friday night.

 Went back to hospital Friday night as was still experiencing breathing problems and was worried. I tested negative for covid Sunday, Wednesday and Friday.

I was checked completely both lungs and heart. They did electrocardiogram, blood tests to check for blood clots in lungs and heart and xray. 

Pneumonia is clearing as it should. I suspect my shortness of breath is pollen allergy related. At home I get phlegmy cough. After 8 hours in AC at hospital waiting... no phlegmy cough. 

I ended up talking to a Sacre-Coeur hospital cleaning lady. She works in the ER cleaning exam rooms between patients and had broken a rib doing so. She got COVID-19 March 2020 at the same time I did. She was also born in 1962. We talked about our symptoms and the ones that remained. 

I've been saying my arthritis is 10 times worse. She said same exact thing. More problems sleeping. Extra fatigue and unexplained shortness of breath. All the things I've been saying for the past year. 

The doctor I saw Friday thought I was fine... my oxigen saturation was 'better than his'. Meaning it was 99% ... I mean i'm always told how in poor shape my lungs are in. But apparently they still do an ok job. 

I'm taking next week off work to regain strength. After 3 weeks being sick in bed... I need to get back healthy. Want to do 2 daily walks and get my body back in shape. 

 

Feel like I've been hit by a truck.

 Between the medication and the pneumonia I feel like I've been hit by a runaway train. Between the epic nausea, there's the epic hunger, the sore tummy and runny stools. 

I feel good mid afternoon onwards but as soon as I try to sleep then the coughing starts and I feel I can't breathe and I can't tell if it's my anxiety fucking with me or I'm really experiencing breathing difficulties. The ER doctor said to come back if I experience breathing difficulties and I know if it is covid, you can deteriorate rapidly. 

I also seem to still have fluctuating low grade fever. Up to 37.5 again... anywhere higher than 37.1 and I get the cold shivers constantly. 

Because May fourth was not with me, and could not get my COVID-19 vaccination, I joked that there's an Epic battle going on inside of me... all episodes of star wars.. 

Going for 2nd Covid test today. Did not take my nasal steroids yet just in case it helps give false negatives.

Budesonide - my friend

 I've been taking budesonide under it's various forms now for over 30 years.  Until 5 years ago, I took it mostly during allergy season or if I had breathing problems. Since the pneumonia of 2016, after seeing respiratologist, I've been taking it as pulmicort all year round and symbicort during allergy season (May- October). But since March 2020 been taking symbicort exclusively. 

When I was talking to ER doctor Sunday night, he picked up my Symicort inhaler and said, you know budesonide is excellent for treating COVID-19. 

Told him that when I suspected getting covid March 2020, that I has doubled up on my inhalations when I started feeling my lungs heavy and am still taking 2 inhalations twice a day since. 

After looking at my  Xray he said I have a spot of pneumonia in my  lower right lung but the spot in my upper right lung that was concerning them in December is gone. 

He also said I don't currently have covid lungs and even if I tested negative on the test they gave me at hospital, I should get another test on the 5th. 

He had my blood tested for CRP (C-reactive protein). High levels of CRP with patient spitting yellow-green sputum, is a sign of pneumonia. My CRP was extremely elevated which could mean I have covid but also just plain pneumonia. That's why he wants me to have 2 negative covid tests. 

The good thing is despite having pneumonia and feeling miserable, my oxygen levels were at 99% So my crappy bronchiectasis damaged lungs are still able to keep my blood well oxygenated.

The antibiotic-steroid cocktail I'm on is keeping me agitated, unable to sleep, nauseous and with upset stomach and runny stool. Prednisone, 30mg a day for 5 days. Amoxi-Clav  875+125 mg for 7 days, and azithromicyn 250mg for 5 days. 

I've been having low grade fever again. Early this morning  I was at 37.5. It sucks because it gives me nasty shivers.

Hello pneumonia my old friend

 One of the features of being autistic is often missing the words to explain what's wrong with you, especially physical ailments. When you seek medical treatment, your face and body language often do not match what you're feeling or what you are trying to put into words. 

 This is the third time I have pneumonia. The two times prior, though I felt 'off', I had to cough up blood to seek medical help. This time I was able to notice it before it got that bad. When asked by triage nurse why I thought I had pneumonia I said... it felt like it and I didn't want to wait till I was coughing blood. Got a strange look.

 Another thing I've noticed is... I'm so used to coughing, hurting myself coughing that I really don't pay that much attention to my coughing. Eighty percent of the time I end up seeing a doctor because a family member or friend tells me my cough is worse and I should get it looked at. 

 It's more or less what I told ER doctor. Cough worse bf insisted I be seen. It also never helps that when I get pneumonia, I don't register high fevers. The past 2 weeks I had low grade fever that peaked at 37.6. It's also what clued me in because I never 'look' like someone with pneumonia.

The sucky part? I had to cancel my COVID-19 vaccine. ER doctor said to wait till I'm better. 

May the 4rth be with me!

 I booked my appointment for my COVID-19 vaccine for May 4rth.

I posted it as a status on Facebook and some young woke white chick came to spew a whole paragraph of antivaxx garbage, ending with a sarcastic "Good luck".

Deleted the comment and the person. 

I might not have wanted the AstraZeneca vaccine for myself but certainly didnt go make any of my friends and folks in my age group who made the decision to get it feel bad about it. I cheered them on for being vaccinated. 

May the 4rth be with me! 

Vaccine time soon!

 The only COVID-19 vaccine available to me at the moment is the AstraZeneca and I just don't feel comfortable with it. From experience I know to follow my gut. 

But starting on the 28th I can register for my vaccination as an autistic and be offered either Pfizer or Moderna. I'm looking forward to it as so many variants of concern are driving the pandemic with a new force. 

Guilty!

 

Thoughts about COVID-19

Since being sick last March I've never been quite the same. 

First there's the insomnia..I don't think I've slept more than 4 hours continuous in the past year more than a few times. Most nights are a series of one or two hours, where I'm exhausted when I wake up. I've always had disordered sleep but it's gotten far worse. 

Then there's the herpes outbreaks. I usually get cold sores in my nose at the peak of my allergies usually late june/early july. In a bad year I might get 2 more outbreaks either from having a virus or fighting one. 

Until 2020 I'd never even taken antivirals for my outbreaks. But the one I had July 2020 was so bad I thought I had shingles. I was prescribed valacyclovir. Since then I had 7 other outbreaks all treated with valacyclovir. 

The other fun thing... migraines. Other than always having been prone to light induced migraines, and allergy induced migraines... i just get more of them, more often. Some mornings just looking outdoors to see if it's a sunny day is enough to trigger a migraine. Then it goes downhill. I become more sound sensitive and just sensitive to sensory input. 

With the migraines seems to travel arthritis. I've had it to varying degrees for some time but since I was sick March 2020 it's far worse far more often. Some days it hurts to cut a vegetable or open a juice container. My hands are clumsier and I have no strength in them.  I've almost dropped glasses. Suddenly the pain is unbearable and I have no strength. 

Other than that my memory has gotten worse. I still remember what happen 30 years ago but not what I did yesterday or last week. My cognitive skills are worst. It takes a huge effort to write a text like this whereas in the past I could write double in half the time. 

Matching gardening aprons for daughter & granddaughter.

 Samantha asked me to make her a gardening apron sometime last fall. I found some thick cotton canvas at Fabricville and used a 1940's kitchen apron pattern to make Samantha's apron.  I basically made it as long as the pocket and used the extra length to double it to make it more solid so that garden shears, and other assorted items don't feel too heavy.

For Mado I used a normal apron pattern that I shortened and added a pocket.  I didn't make hers as sturdy as I figured she would mostly use it to carry garden pickings like cherry tomatoes...

 I like working with patterns because my sense of size varies. I'm not good at figuring out the base size for anything. At least with a pattern it's a starting point and I modify around it accordingly. You could argue I should use a measuring tape and measure. Sure. I can. BUT I mix numbers in my head so often that it's best if I don't do that. I can forget halfway that I meant to use a 1/2" seam but then realized I did a 5/8" seam. Never fails .So I don't trust my brain to size things properly.

Gardening Apron for Mado

Gardening apron for Sam

I modified B to make the Apron

Sporting the aprons

More things I sewed for Mado

Here are some things I made for Mado recently. Sadly the hats did not fit. 

Dino hat made with Butterick B5019

Simplicity 1453

Simplicity 1453

Simplicity 1571

The Kelty bug and kitchen shelter.

I found this posts in the drafts. This has been an amazing addition to my camping equipment.

 

 It's great to protect you against bugs at night, rain when it's pissing rain as you can see from my first photo. The mesh is fine enough that even in heavy rain, it prevents from raining inside or on the picnic table. Only downside, unless you put a stick on top of your picnic table to hold the roof taunt, water will accumulate. But a few pokes and it will slip off to the sides. 

It's also good to protect me against the midday sun where I tend to cook and burn. During the day, if you're out with no shade, you'll want both doors open to let air through, as it gets warm. This is great for spring & fall camping. 

It fits a traditional size picnic table with room to walk around. You build the shelter and with the help of a friend put it over the table, and picket it in place. I found it easy to assemble. 

The biggest downside, it almost became airborn at Parlee Beach provincial park. The ground was hard as rock so the pickets didn't hold very well. One gust of wind and the Kelty bug Shelter was ready to saunter down the path. Luckily one of our neighbours used a mallet to put in 2 pickets for us as we had wandered off when it happened.

I'm really happy so far with my purchase of Kelty's medium bug blocker shelter.

Kelty bug shelter in the rain

Kelty bug shelter at Parlee Beach Provincial Park NB

Bug Shelter and tent at The Islands Provincial Park NS

Photos of Buddy et al

 

BUT BUT I don't want you to go to work

Reactive Hypoglycemia

 At some point in my early 30's I was given a 5 hour Glucose Tolerance Test after which my family dr at the time told me I had 'episodes' of hypoglycemia. His suggestions was to eat every 3 hours, first thing when I wake up, last thing before going to.sleep 

It made sense. As an infant I was also a 3 hour baby. I did research and adapted my diet so my sugar were more consistent as opposed to going up & down drastically. I realized the sugar highs and  lows really affect my mood. 

I'd never taken sugar readings because after a few years of experimenting with food I found carbs bring my sugars up quickly whereas protein help keeping my sugars more constant. 

A few months ago my current family doctor wanted me to get a fasting blood sugar test as the one she had me do in 2019 showed slightly high fasting sugar in the high 5's which fasting can be a prediabetic sugar level. 

I talked to a diabetic co worker and picked up a contour next One glucose meter. My doctor was concerned that my 'reactive hypoglycemia' had turned to diabetes. Personally I argued that it didn't feel different. 

I did find that the longer I fast the higher my fasting blood sugar is. I've recorded it as high as 6.4 after close to 12 hours fasting. I'm also not exercising much since the beginning of the pandemic. 

I had a bad day earlier this week. Went to Costco to pick up medication and when I came back I felt like a sugar low. Was right meter said 4.4 I ate 2 slices of Domino's gluten free pacific veggie pizza. One hour later was at 8.3, 3 hours later was back at 4.6. Ate something high in protein, sugar levels stopped yoyoing. 

So I discovered that the way I had modified my diet, high in protein low in refined sugars & flours actually do keep my sugars constant. And i suspect if I had a daily walk even my fasting morning sugars might be a touch lower. When my sugars go from 5 to 6 between fasting and after meals I feel better overall. 

Amazing gnocchi

 I like gnocchi but boiling it made it too pasty for my taste. So today I tried something new. I first fried onions, garlic & peppers, added the gnocchi and fried it too. Then added tomato sauce. The finishing touch was the mozzarella cheese. It was perfect. The gnocchi was tasty. 

Never too many masks

 So since last March I've sewn a lot of masks. Apparently over 50 for myself 

Love making little dresses!

 Dresses I made for Mado so far in 2021. I just love the red/orange together 

Made with Simplicity 8522

Made with Simplicity 2943

FUCK COVID-19

 Today is my COVID-19 anniversary. At least I think so. 

March 3rd 2020, I took Terry to Sacre Coeur hospital for his followup colonoscopy. He had like 27 polyps removed the year before. I wanted to wear a mask but could not find any. 

March 9 & 10 I had stomach issues & sore throat but worked both days. March 11th I could not get out of bed. The fatigue was epic. I was running a low grade fever in the mid 37's. ( My normal temp is 36.5)   

The fever lasted for 4-5 days and my whole body hurt. I had no appetite and while I could not get out of bed, I could not sleep more than one hour at a time. 

Fever broke for a day then came back with intense chest tightness like I had bronchitis or pneumonia. I doubled up on asthma meds. 

I called the covid hotline and since I had not traveled they told me to stay home  unless I couldn't breathe at all. 

My fever finally broke on the 23rd, my energy levels improved and my breathing got better. But it took another 2 weeks before my cognitive skills improved. 

It's now a year later. I had some form of arthritis before covid but it's so much worse since. There are days it hurts just opening a container. I have no strength in my hands when they swell up. Or cutting a few vegetables. After which I'm in such  pain I can't even type on a phone. 

My cognitive skills are still not 100% I can't tell if it's age or still a side effect.

While I was bedridden, so was Terry. It was a week after colonoscopy so pain should have been receding from the 2 polyps they removed. But instead he spent those 2 weeks with horrible stomach and kidney & back pains. He's never felt that type of discomfort before or after. He's got sensitive kidneys due to 10 ICU 3 years ago. So the way it presented with him made sense to. 

We suspect Terry picked it up from the health professionals he saw for his colonoscopy. While we were home  with COVID-19, Sacre-Coeur had covid outbreak. So I'm sure Terry & I got it. Zoey too as she was unwell during the same period  

The first time I left home after 14 days bedridden, I got into car and Terry used hand sanitizer. The smell nearly knocked my socks off. He was puzzled, he'd been using it for weeks at the time and I'd never smelled it. That's when I realized I'd lost my sense of smell for a while but at home in bed, I had never noticed. I have allergies and I do lose sense of taste & smell sometimes so I didn't clue in until it came back. 

I can't wait to qualify for vaccination. Cutoff was 60 year olds born in 1961. I'm born in 1962. I hope being asthmatic and having bronchiectasis I will be getting vaccination soon

Nightshirts and Pyjama's for Mado

 Here is all the nightwear I sewed for Mado in 2020

Leggings, tops and other assorted things I sewed for Mado in 2020

 I made a few leggings, a hoodie  and a few tops. I used an old style pattern that I modified to make the zipped hoodie.  Here are photos.