No Joy in Skydivingville and Pills, Acupuncture, and Doctoring

A disappointing start to the day as Maytown called around 7:00AM and told us they were cancelling the jumps for the day again due to the weather - deja vu from three weeks ago.  Hopefully the third try will be successful.

I take a lot more pills these days than I used to.  I have been on high blood pressure meds for 15 years.  I have a prescription for omeprazole for when my acid reflux kicks up.  I take one loratadine tablet in the morning for my allergies and a baby aspirin for my blood pressure.

ALS added a lot more pills to my daily regimen.  I take a Riluzole tablet in the morning and the evening.  I have started taking half of a Glycopyrrolate tablet morning and evenings for my excess saliva.  In addition, the ALS Clinic suggested antioxidants Vitamin E, Vitamin C, CoQ10, and Beta Carotene that may help to slow the progress of the disease.  I made the mistake of buying some large 300 mg CoQ10 capsules, which I am having trouble swallowing, and I have started breaking the Vitamin C tablets in half to make them easier to swallow also.  I also have a prescription for Lorazepam, which they instructed me to take in the morning if my jaw spasms/tremors are bad or at night to help with muscle spasms if they keep me awake.

I had my third acupuncture treatment on Tuesday this week.  This week Dr. Williams didn't do the three needles in both of my hands between  my four fingers and the three in both thighs this week (yes, they hurt), and after I started working out again on Wednesday my spasms got worse again.  I go again Tuesday and will ask her to make sure our primary focus is on reducing the spasms.  My chronic sinusitis and TMJ are secondary concerns.

With the goldenrod now in full bloom my right sinus is completely blocked most of the time, so sleeping is more challenging.  Dr. Williams also wanted me to ask my ALS doctor (Dr. Simmons) about the possibility of taking some Chinese herbs to help my sinus condition, so I took a picture of the back of the box and emailed it to my primary nurse contact at Hershey, Maureen R.  I go back to my next acupuncture appointment on Tuesday afternoon and hope to get some more control over my spasms even though I am continuing to walk on the treadmill.  She should also have the results of my bloodwork from this past Monday.

I go back to the Hershey ALS Clinic on 9/3, the afternoon before I leave for Colorado.  We didn't get to meet the social worker last time, so I hope she is there this visit.  Dr. Simmons will be on vacation, so we'll get to meet the other primary ALS doctor, Dr. Raheja.

When I was in the doctor's office on Monday to sign in before going to the lab, there was a letter indicating that my internal medicine doctor was leaving the practice, so I will have to choose a new primary care doctor.

My boss at work has been very understanding about taking time off and charging sick time for my medical appointments, lab work, and other related meetings that take me away from work.  I am very grateful to Dave and the rest of my colleagues and Harrisburg managers.

My work friend Pat G. has offered to take me fishing some evenings when I get back from Colorado and also invited Kim and me over to shoot some of his guns.  Kim and I have been arguing for years who is the better shot, as both of us receiver our NRA Sharpshooter certificates when we were younger.  We may finally get to find out. :)