Sumi Saga today 7-11-09

Last night I had a really bad night of side effects....I think that maybe all the stress of Sumi's injury and very slow recovery process has contributed to me having some negative reactions. I know I haven't slept much in general in the last couple of weeks, and the pain in my body is much more intense. So last night around 2:30 a.m. I woke up in excrutiating pain everywhere, then I threw up, then I was so cold with chills that I had to get fully dressed and put on a robe and an extra blanket and crawled under my comforter to try to shiver back to sleep.

Needless to say, we got up this morning at 9:30, gave Sumi her morning pills, ate breakfast, watched some tv, and then went back to bed for a couple more hours. I'm still in tremendous pain....this disease would be a hell of a lot easier to deal with if it wasn't for the pain.

So today was pretty much a wash, as Saturdays tend to be when no one is here to motivate me to push through the pain. I mostly just sat with Sumi. She's eating more, but I still have to add some chicken or ground beef or canned food to the dry to get her to eat. Turns out she lost a couple of pounds during the course of her injury. In February when she had her regular checkup she was close to 22 pounds, and on Thursday at the neurologist she weighed 19.8 pounds. Tiny victory today - she finally pooped. I had been worried because she hadn't pooped since Wednesday, so that's a good sign. She also walked about 75 feet during that walk.

Of course now she's back to being doped because I just gave her her evening medications, so she's kind of wobbly again. I definitely am doing everything I can to make her heal, but she's not miraculously fixed yet, which I had sort of hoped she would be.....

I know that I am sore from carrying her up and down the stairs ever so carefully for days now, but the pain I am in is just so much. I am going to get my 3 month bloodwork done on Monday (a little late, but oh well), and then make an appointment with my regular doctor to talk about the pain and everything else. I haven't had a regular physician checkup since February, so it'll be good to check in. I don't know if I am going to need to see the neurologist too, but first things first - bloodwork and regular doctor.

Steve lost a tooth this week - talk about bad luck. It was one he had a root canal on years ago where they didn't do a very good job - now he has to try to get to a dentist that accepts our dental insurance and have a bridge or something done...poor guy.

So shitty luck here and in Minnesota!

Went up north for the 4th, and it was great, but the weather was not swimming weather. We did get a boat ride and spent some time outside, so that was good other than Sumi being hurt.

Finally saw Sleeping Bear Dunes - climbed up the big spot where everyone climbs and then leaped down with my sister and Philly Mike - it was so much fun! We also watched part of the Woodstock 40th anniversary director's cut with Dad. So awesome. On Saturday morning we went to Cheboygan's parade - got to see Amber and Marcus and the boys, Cooper and my Godson Noah, Sarah (Kosanke) Engelter and her kids, and a huge portion of the LaHaie clan! Cassie was there with her fiance Schuyler, and Kellie brought Maizie and her bun in her oven, Kim was there with her kids, Kevin and Carrie were there with their kids, Carmen was there, and Ralph showed up! It was wonderful - these are people I grew up with and have loved always and I got to see their beautiful babies - lots of redheads!

Anyway, it hurts too much to type but I hope you are all enjoying your summer....
lots of love,
kate