Well I'm off to Vancouver for a few days to see a specialist

[canadian gardener]

Please pray that she can help me with this thyroid thing

Tomorrow I do a greyhound bus trip for hours and hours to get to Vancouver then

I see her on Wednesday, and hoping she can help.

On Saturday there is the one year anniversary service for mother in laws memory at the Russian Orthodox church or at the graveside depending on the weather. Dh is driving down and back in same day on Sat in order to attend the service and come pick me up and take me back home.

I won't be able to check in very often from here on in till next week due to fil's house is full of company (told you all that sil and bil are living there due to their house burning partly down, and it's a few more months yet before the rebuilding is over)

so computer time is severely limited there and I am likely going to be quite tired.

So see you in a week ladies, and pray (or send good thoughts) that this endocrinologist will have some answers for me.

I'm braced that even if she doesn't that I can just accept it and carry on like I have been. But I just want to know totally and for sure that there isn't anything else that I can be doing to improve to the point that if I had to take a part time job for example (and that is NOT in my future) that I could do it without getting sick. Like I do when I go out in the evenings now or do too much (normal efforts for a healthy person) in a day.

And that is how I want to present it too her.

I've been really good at adapting to fit my energy level and I'm thankful I have the skills to do so, but still I couldn't do a part time job, I can't even go out to visit someone in the evening without paying for it the next day.

I can't do a normal full day of regular activity, and it's not normal to have to take naps a lot, and break your activity into 5 minute bursts and 20 minute rests.

Yes I get a lot done that way but..... I'm hoping I can get this across to her.

[KKCondrey]

Margery

I'll be thinking of you this week, and praying that all goes well. I also hope that the weather cooperates for the service for your MIL.

Safe travels and we will see you when you get back.

[paelthom]

Margery,
I hope that everything, and I do mean everything, works out and that there is good news and improvement for you. Sending prayers and hugs for all things to be good. Take extra good care of yourself while you are away.

[guest2]

Praying for you!!!

[BlessedMommy]

(((HUGS))) and prayers Margery!
You are often in my thoughts and prayers. Four years ago I went throught much the same thing with complete exhaustion. My body just shut down. The dr. I had then thought it was a post partum thing. WRONG!! When we moved across country I found a new doctor who finally figured things out! PTL! I pray that you will come home with the answers you need and not too exhausted from your trip and all that you'll be doing (I've travelled from MI to WA by Greyhound and even for a healthy person that can be exhausting!)

[canadian gardener]

Oh I couldn't live without the vitamins. When I miss a day or two I really pay for it.

Thanks Ladies, I really appreciate the prayers. Here is what I've typed up for my one page handout to show the specialist. It'll help her I hope. 12 point Times New Roman for easy reading.

the bolded bits are in the original:

The Problem:

I have a reduced energy level which began about 5 years ago: I have to break up my daily tasks into 5 minute bursts on my worst days with 20 minute rests in between. I get basic housekeeping and cooking done by working like that all day.

Even on good days, I still can’t do what I used to and if I try I pay for it with a migraine or extreme exhaustion the next day. So I pace myself on good days and get the heavier things like vacuuming done in little bursts with lots of rests.

I can’t go out after dinner, even when I’m home by 9. If I do, I have a migraine the next day or extreme exhaustion that lasts up to 2 or even 3 days.

I only go out grocery shopping once a week, can’t handle more. I teach a lady’s bible study on Tuesday mornings and that is a real stretch for me some weeks. I go to church on Sunday and that is it. Sometimes I go see my friends but mostly they come to me.

If I had to go out to work part time even, I couldn’t handle it. I used to be an RN, before I quit 10 yrs back to homeschool my kids. That finished 5 years back, but I still couldn’t work if I had to even a day job, even part time. I can’t even volunteer part time, I’ve tried and I get sick.

Related Symptoms:
Enlarged Thyroid for the past 4 years. Goes up and down.
Difficulty losing weight and MIGRAINE HEADACHES.
Had total hysterectomy with removal of ovaries last summer due to bleeding, pain, fibroids and endometriosis.

POSSIBLY related Symptoms:
My heart races sometimes and feels irregular. When that happens I feel even more tired and simply rest all day long. I can’t move much at all then.

Annoying Symptoms:
My thyroid hormone levels stay within the norm, which is immensely frustrating because it’s swollen a lot of the time, uncomfortably so at times, and my energy is non existent.

I’ve heard that the lab values were recently changed but that not all labs have reflected that. I don’t know if that would help but it’s certainly been frustrating for me.

On The PLUS side:
Fortunately I’m blessed with good organizational skills, and a sense of humour. And since the hysterectomy, I’ve been on a low dose estrogen patch which brought me out of the brain fog, and has improved the energy level slightly I think.

A patient husband who is willing to let me stay home and rest helps too, and great kids! A good and patient family doctor is another asset.

[FarmLady]

Margey I hope the specialist can help you get all of this sorted out so you can get to feeling better son.

[Julia Kimber]

Prayers for you Margery, hope everything gets sorted out for you.
Julia

[Darlene]

You've got my well wishes Margery. They just have to have answers that will work for you. Take good care friend.

[SewCrafty]

Here's hoping they find out what is wrong so you can have your life back!

[voodidit]

Good luck with the dr. Margery I am hopefully seeing an endocrinologist next week too, I'll post that later, so mayb we can both get straightened out soon.

[Sara Noel]

I'm thinking about you and sure hope you can find a dr that can find some answers. Have a safe trip.

[dolphin]

Saying a prayer for you Margery. I pray that the specialist will find "something" that can help you to be more active and lead a more "normal" life. God Bless and safe travel prayers for you and your dh.

[PrairieRose]

Margery I hope she is able to help you. I know how frustrating it can be to have issues that you can't seem to get help with. Let us know what you find out.

[Guest1]

Originally posted by SewCrafty
Here's hoping they find out what is wrong so you can have your life back!