Well this turned into a long, data-filled day. I hope I can remember the important parts when I need to. I had two doctor visits, a big blood draw, an unskippable nap, and gaming all evening. I'm wiped out, but things seem to be heading in the right trajectory.
My botox appointment first thing was quick and efficient as always. I did get nicked on the second stick, and blood ran all down my hairline. I'm just lucky it didn't reach my light blue shirt. I thought it might be fun to look all badass, but it was probably the wrong vibe for my first meeting with a new rheumatologist, so I cleaned up before heading to the next appointment.
None of my records were already transferred from the old doctor to the new, which might actually have worked in my favor. I had to struggle a little to remember the evolution of my disease over years, but she could hear things I didn't realize I was imparting. Having fresh eyes on my autoimmunity may help overall. I went in with decades of medical trauma and gaslightling weighing on my anxiety, and when she proved very reluctant to blame everything on lupus, I worried greatly. But she came through for me, saying she won't be trying to take my plaquenil away, nor will she be trying to suppress my immune system further. Once she gets all the results from the 8 vials of blood they took, we can ponder increasing dosage on fibromyalgia treatment, a less stomach-damaging NSAID, and maybe something new. For the first time I had a complete conversation about Sjogren's, a disease that causes dry eyes, mouth, skin, and other stuff. She strongly believes it is a big part of my complex pain issues, and may recommend a new medication for it. So really, this is movement forward that I didn't expect going in.
As always, blood tests made me take a hard nap in the afternoon, and I was still pretty goofy for all of our D&D game. I hope I participated enough to move the story forward. It seemed like fun, even if it was hard to fight an encounter when I was suddenly engulfed in magical darkness halfway through. At least the fellow adventurers on the other side of the room could still see what was going on.
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