Been Awhile...

Hi Guys:
   Sorry it has been awhile since I last wrote. Due to complications from Celebrex, I have been too tired to be on the computer. It brought all of my Congestive Heart Failure symptoms back. The side effects were not good! I filled up with fluid, I'm talking serious weight gain from the fluid, I could only get into 1 pair of shorts and 1 pair of jeans, and really big shirts. I couldn't figure out why I was gaining weight when I wasn't eating any different! Then too, I had shortness of breath, I couldn't walk up the street without getting out of breath, and then there was the devastating tiredness I felt, I had no energy whatsoever. I just didn't feel like being on the computer, or doing anything. All of these are symptoms of Heart Failure. The only thing that had changed was the Celebrex in my medications. So I went and read the side effects and sure enough they all were listed. Now the doctor knew I had Heart Failure, so why would she put me on this? I was diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure in December of 2000, and I was really sick. My heart was only working at 10%!  My heart  function was up to 55 % in 2003 and 60% is considered normal, so I was considered to be pretty close to normal. I quit taking the Celebrex and called my arthritis doctor, it took her 2 days to get back to me! I had to increase my Lasix to get rid of the water weight, and fluid around my heart. I can now get into most of my clothes again after 3 weeks. She said usually Motrin would do that before Celebrex would cause those symptoms, well I have been on Motrin for several years for my arthritis, and never had anything like that.  It is a good thing that I recognized the symptoms, and knew what to do or I would have ended up in the hospital. I never want to feel like that again! I am still fighting the debilitating tiredness, and shortness of breath a little bit, but I am better! Needless to say, I was not very happy with the doctor since I haven't had any symptoms with my heart failure since 2003! I am still diagnosed with CHF, but it was considered medically controlled. This was a very scary reminder that I am still very likely to have the symptoms of it. I'll just have to be vigilant in monitoring myself more often. After not having any symptoms of congestive heart failure for 10 years, I guess I got really lax about monitoring myself. It was a really bad scare that I don't want to go through again, and it brought back really bad memories of when I was first diagnosed with heart failure, and how helpless, and alone I felt then. I didn't tell a lot of people I met about my heart failure because I didn't want to be treated so fragile. People do have a tendency to treat you different when they find out you have something like this. I worked really hard to be normal in every way so people wouldn't notice. Only a select few of my really close friends knew about my heart failure until a few years ago. I wasn't ashamed of it, I just didn't want to feel different and like I couldn't keep up with everyone else. I think it was because of going from a very active person running a day care to someone who wasn't allowed to do anything. It doesn't bother me anymore who knows about it now, as long as they don't treat me different and try to do everything for me! Well, just wanted to let you know why I hadn't done a blog for so long, and I am now ready to change the subject, cos I am better!

Trips:
   Now that I am feeling better we are planning several trips. I hope to make the reservations this week. I'll keep you posted on what they are.  The 3 older Grand Girls start school this coming Wednesday, and they are all actually excited about it! Little Miss Charli's 3rd birthday party is a week from today! She is so excited about it! Well I think I am going to get off of here and get this posted, so until next time, see ya's...