My Disabilities....And What They Mean

Let me just start by explaining that I am not "disabled". I understand that alot of people use this description, and I have nothing against them for doing that. I prefer to be referred to as 'mobility, sight and hearing challenged'.

For starters, I have what is referred to as Degenerative Disc Disease (which isn't a disease at all). It has affected my entire spine, which has led to Spinal Stenosis. There are really good (and some really bad) information sites available for descriptions, explanations and so on, on the net. Below are some that I visit and/or send people with questions to.

As we age, the water and protein content of the body's cartilage changes. This change results in weaker, more fragile and thin cartilage. Because both the discs and the joints that stack the vertebrae (facet joints) are partly composed of cartilage, these areas are subject to wear and tear over time (degenerative changes). The gradual deterioration of the disc between the vertebrae is referred to as degenerative disc disease.

While many people have expressed that the chronic, intense pain, that is felt early on in the disease, will decrease, and many have even said that it goes away, I have not had that pleasure. I am in constant pain and because to the degree of my degeneration, I am reliant on a wheelchair and scooter for my mobility. Esp. when outside of the house.

Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of spaces in the spine (backbone) that results in pressure on the spinal cord and/or nerve roots. This disorder usually involves the narrowing of one or more of three areas of the spine: (1) the canal in the center of the column of bones (vertebral or spinal column) through which the spinal cord and nerve roots run, (2) the canals at the base or roots of nerves branching out from the spinal cord, or (3) the openings between vertebrae (bones of the spine) through which nerves leave the spine and go to other parts of the body. The narrowing may involve a small or large area of the spine. Pressure on the lower part of the spinal cord or on nerve roots branching out from that area may give rise to pain or numbness in the legs. Pressure on the upper part of the spinal cord (that is, the neck area) may produce similar symptoms in the shoulders, or even the legs.

Below are links to some of my favorite sites dealing with American Sign Language and Signed English. At Deafbase.com you can find everything from a personal email addy, to chat groups. Talk with other deaf/hoh people.

And the last of all, I'm 'legally' blind with a sight rating of 20/200 (right eye~ which just means that what people with 20/20 vision can see at 200 ft., I have to be within 20 ft. to see the same) and 20/100 (left eye~100 for others, 20 for me)

I hope I haven't been to direct in my explanations of my 'ailments'. I want people to understand that even tho they may have problems with their bodies, we can still make a difference in our World, and how the World sees us.

I have my webpages that I enjoy building (and maintaining), all my hobbies that 'keep me sane' and so much more. My family owns/operates a Native American Crafts business, that I am actively involved in the making of beaded products.

Oh yeah, did I mention that I'm a diabetic on top of all this....while I don't consider this to be a 'disability', many people (including some members of my family) do. The things that I find cause me the most problems are those that no-one can see. The scars left behind from my life before my life-mate 'saved' me. And he did save me, he saved me from myself, my lifestyle and the damage I was causing to my own body. If anyone has specific questions they would like answered...all you have to do is ask. I will NOT go into details of that part of my life here on this site. But I am at a place in my life where I feel a responsibility to help anyone I can. Even if sharing my life is the way to help. <SMILE>

a condition characterized by hyperglycemia resulting from the body's inability to use blood glucose for energy. In Type 1 diabetes, the pancreas no longer makes insulin and therefore blood glucose cannot enter the cells to be used for energy. In Type 2 diabetes, either the pancreas does not make enough insulin or the body is unable to use insulin correctly.

Peripheral Neuropathy: I have a rare, often undiagnosed form of PN. In layman's terms refered to as 'fiber neuropathy', it affects not only the major nerves of the limbs, but also the small fiber nerves located within the body.

This type of neuropathy damages nerves in the arms and legs. The feet and legs are likely to be affected before the hands and arms. Many people with diabetes have signs of neuropathy upon examination but have no symptoms at all. Symptoms of peripheral neuropathy may include:

Turns out that for so many years I have been told I suffered from Osteoarthritis. And I guess in the beginning, I did. But I have now received a revised diagnosis...I have been informed that it is in fact Rhuematoid Arthritis with Fibromyalgia thrown in for good measure. SHEESH!

How old am I? For years my 'glue' has been wearing out. No, I am not very old. But as I tell my Doctor, "there are miles of bad road my body has seen." It just doesn't seem to end, what the doctors are finding wrong with me. I'm almost to the point that I don't want to go see them even for the most mundane issues....afraid of what they will come up with next. I can imagine that this list sounds far fetched to some, I assure you, I am NOT A HYPERCONDRIAC. I have decided that my seemingly never ending list of 'ailments' is a gift from the Creator. YES, I DID SAY GIFT! It shows me what I am capable of handling. It shows me that I AM A STRONG WOMAN. And in this light I will continue. ~SH

FMS is not a catchall, "wastebasket" diagnosis. FMS is a state of central sensitization. This means that your central nervous system may be unusually sensitive to pain (hyperalgesia) and you also may find certain sounds, vibrations, light, and other sensations (even smells) to be translated by your body into discomfort or pain. Certain types of sound, such as staccato music or talk, or certain pitches, may be unendurable and promote increased sensitivity to other stimuli. The same may be true of the pattern of shadow and light by trees passing along in a car, or even being stuck in an elevator or car with a woman with heavy perfume. Diffuse, body-wide pain is part of FMS, but not all of it by any means.

Fibromyalgia is not yet considered a disease. Diseases have known causes and well-understood mechanisms for producing symptoms. FMS is a syndrome, which means it is a specific set of signs and symptoms that occur together. Syndromes are no less serious or potentially disabling than diseases. Rheumatoid arthritis and lupus are also classified as syndromes. Lab tests for FMS do not exist right now. Lab tests are valid only to check for co-existing conditions. You can have other conditions and also have FMS.

Flu-like achiness is frequently the most prominent symptom of FMS, but there are many others. For example, your eyes may be too dry, but at other times they will water. Your thermal regulatory system may be out of whack. You may notice this when you get out of bed (which may be often, due to bladder irritability) during the night. You may have to wait for your temperature to cool down after getting back in bed before you can pull the bedcover up. You may experience confusional states, memory dysfunction, and an inability to do more than one thing at once. You may be able to focus on a specific skill and function at a high level in you field, yet be unable to balance your checkbook or remember appointments. You may experience skin mottling. Your finger and toe nails may have vertical ridges — a typical sign of endocrine imbalance. Fingernails may break off, often in crescent-shaped pieces. If nails do grow, some may start to curve under (beaking).

People with FMS can be sensitive to changes in barometric pressure and temperature. Rain beating on the windowpane may feel as if it were beating on the walls of your cells. The noise emitted by fluorescent lights can drive you crazy, and you may have to avoid overcrowded areas such as malls or cities. FMS sensitizes nerve endings as well as the rest of the autonomic nervous system. The actual ends of the nerve receptors may have changed shape, turning touch and other receptors into pain receptors. Pain signals then bombard your brain. Your brain knows pain is a danger signal — an indication that something is wrong and needs attention — so it mobilizes its defenses. Then, when those defenses aren't used, it becomes anxious. Overstimulation is a major perpetuating factor of FMS.

Restorative sleep plays a crucial role in FMS. Perhaps you aren't getting enough sleep, or the right kind of sleep. You may have insomnia or a host of other sleep-related problems. You may have sleep apnea, or your heightened sensitivity does not allow you to sleep deeply. Our body heals and many neurotransmitters are balanced during deep sleep, and without it we soon suffer from the effects of sleep deprivation. It isn’t enough that you spend eight hours in bed. When you wake, you must feel refreshed and restored. Lack of restorative sleep is a major perpetuating factor of FMS, and you may need to work with your doctor to find medications that can help. You may also need to adjust your diet and life style to avoid stimulants such as sugar and caffeine. You may need help learning how to handle stress. You may also need to adjust your bedroom environment including the bed and pillows.

Rheumatoid arthritis (rue-ma-TOYD arth-write-tis) involves inflammation in the lining of the joints and/or other internal organs. RA typically affects many different joints. It is typically chronic, which means it lasts a long time, and can be a disease of flare-ups.

RA is a systemic disease that affects the entire body and is one of the most common forms of arthritis. It is characterized by the inflammation of the membrane lining the joint, which causes pain, stiffness, warmth, redness and swelling. The inflamed joint lining, the synovium, can invade and damage bone and cartilage. Inflammatory cells release enzymes that may digest bone and cartilage. The involved joint can lose its shape and alignment, resulting in pain and loss of movement.

Early in the disease, people may notice general fatigue, soreness, stiffness and aching. Pain and swelling may occur in the same joints on both sides of the body and will usually start in the hands or feet. RA affects the wrist and many of the hand joints, but usually not the joints that are closest to the fingernails (except the thumb). RA also can affect elbows, shoulders, neck, knees, hips and ankles. It tends to persist over prolonged periods of time, and over time, inflamed joints may become damaged. Other features include lumps, called rheumatoid nodules, under the skin in areas that receive pressure, such as the back of the elbows.

//Well, we have had a time of it. We are in the process of moving. Turns out that my Doctor has ordered me a motorized wheelchair. Due to the RA and the FMS, I am not able to navigate in a manual w/c any longer. I thought I was doing rather well..<sigh> but I suppose the Doctor knows better. It was putting too much strain on my shoulders, causing more pain and stress than what I needed. It is my prayer that everyone should have a Doctor that is as understanding and loving as the one I have. She is ONE-OF-A-KIND! I hate to leave her.

I won't recieve my new w/c till after we get to TEXAS (see explaination on 'about me' page) so I'm doing a little at a time, as not to over-work my body. I want to enjoy my last few weeks with my family here.\\

As far as new diagnosis...I really don't have any...SHOCK ISN'T IT?! After all the things that have happened medically just this year alone, it is a relief to be able to say, nothing new. I am still waiting on conclusive results to explain why my ANA results are so high. 1:640, But I guess it will come with time and a new doctor. I also found out that I have a questionable x-ray of my chest. Sheesh. I guess I do have some new news.

I had, had another bout of swelling (you know, like I get off-and-on) and went to hospital ER to see why I was running fever and not able to keep anything down. Along with the swelling. So the ER Doctor thought I might be having congestive heart failure. X-rays were ordered of my chest. Turns out there wasn't anything wrong with/around my heart, but I did have enlarged lymph nodes. It is something called SARCOID/SARCOIDOSIS. It is not definite, I have to see a pulmanoligist <sic> when I get settled in Tx. I will try to get some info about this disease posted,asap*.

I have been told that I now have a 'ruptured disc' in my back. Am doing all I can to find out just what that pertains to. Surgery is an option, depending on the condition of my other ailments and the structure of the bones (vertebrae)in my back. The various Doctors have came up with different avenues to take, as far as my treatment goes. If my 'bones' in my back can't take the equipment for stabilization, then an implanted stimulator will work to 'kill/mask' the pain I'm having. Not good news for my legs that already 'feel' out of sorts, but. Well, we do what we must don't we?

I am more wheelchair than person, it seems now. Battling all the ups and downs that come from admitting that things are not as they once were and won't ever be again. The battle rages over skin ailments, ie. pressure sores, heat rash and the like. But I will not be over-thrown by something that can be controlled. :-)


	Spirit Hawk's Nest \| home About Me \| Contact Me \| Disclaimer \| My Favorites \| Favorite Links \| Favorites Links Pg. 2 \| Dwellings \| My Favorite Actors/Actresses \| Index of Photo Albums \| My Disabilities....And What They Mean \| Leonard Peltier Honor Page \| Thanks and more thanks. \| ~ I LOVE PSP !!! ~ \| WE HONOR OUR TROOPS \| Awards and Special Gifts \| WebRings \| "My Webrings" My Disabilities....And What They Mean To me and to others.....including my life at home, at work and at play. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Let me just start by explaining that I am not "disabled". I understand that alot of people use this description, and I have nothing against them for doing that. I prefer to be referred to as 'mobility, sight and hearing challenged'. For starters, I have what is referred to as Degenerative Disc Disease (which isn't a disease at all). It has affected my entire spine, which has led to Spinal Stenosis. There are really good (and some really bad) information sites available for descriptions, explanations and so on, on the net. Below are some that I visit and/or send people with questions to. As we age, the water and protein content of the body's cartilage changes. This change results in weaker, more fragile and thin cartilage. Because both the discs and the joints that stack the vertebrae (facet joints) are partly composed of cartilage, these areas are subject to wear and tear over time (degenerative changes). The gradual deterioration of the disc between the vertebrae is referred to as degenerative disc disease. While many people have expressed that the chronic, intense pain, that is felt early on in the disease, will decrease, and many have even said that it goes away, I have not had that pleasure. I am in constant pain and because to the degree of my degeneration, I am reliant on a wheelchair and scooter for my mobility. Esp. when outside of the house. an x-ray of spine with DDD Emedicine.com (good site, if you are used to the terminology) Spine-Health.com Another reason for the intense pain, is the Spinal Stenosis..... Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of spaces in the spine (backbone) that results in pressure on the spinal cord and/or nerve roots. This disorder usually involves the narrowing of one or more of three areas of the spine: (1) the canal in the center of the column of bones (vertebral or spinal column) through which the spinal cord and nerve roots run, (2) the canals at the base or roots of nerves branching out from the spinal cord, or (3) the openings between vertebrae (bones of the spine) through which nerves leave the spine and go to other parts of the body. The narrowing may involve a small or large area of the spine. Pressure on the lower part of the spinal cord or on nerve roots branching out from that area may give rise to pain or numbness in the legs. Pressure on the upper part of the spinal cord (that is, the neck area) may produce similar symptoms in the shoulders, or even the legs. Spinal Stenosis Information and Research Center Spinal Stenosis: An Overview ==================================== As for my being HOH (hard of hearing), well, lets just leave it as "I'm legally deaf," as set forth by guidelines at: National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders Below are links to some of my favorite sites dealing with American Sign Language and Signed English. At Deafbase.com you can find everything from a personal email addy, to chat groups. Talk with other deaf/hoh people. We use ASL at my house, but I don't have anything against anyone using SE either. ASL Fingerspelling ASL/SE Lesson TutorDeafbase.com Deafbase.com Lifeprint.com (ASL University) Dr. Bill Vicars And the last of all, I'm 'legally' blind with a sight rating of 20/200 (right eye~ which just means that what people with 20/20 vision can see at 200 ft., I have to be within 20 ft. to see the same) and 20/100 (left eye~100 for others, 20 for me) This is if I understand the Doctor correctly. :-) All I really know, is that I don't see well, hear well or walk well. But I strive on! I have been blessed with a loving husband, children that have always understood that 'Mom was different than the other Moms' and grandchildren that think the scooter is 'COOL!'. See p hotos pg. 2 for insight into the fun we have. I hope I haven't been to direct in my explanations of my 'ailments'. I want people to understand that even tho they may have problems with their bodies, we can still make a difference in our World, and how the World sees us. My "challenges" have not stopped me from enjoying the times I have with my family. Oh, I will admit, I have "bad" days just like anyone else. But I make the "good" ones count. I have my webpages that I enjoy building (and maintaining), all my hobbies that 'keep me sane' and so much more. My family owns/operates a Native American Crafts business, that I am actively involved in the making of beaded products. And we still make the rounds to Pow-wows as time and money present themselves. As I tell my children and gr-children, "Let me be an example of: YOU CAN BE ANTHING YOU WANT TO BE; WITH LOVE, HARD WORK AND PERSISTANCE!" Oh yeah, did I mention that I'm a diabetic on top of all this....while I don't consider this to be a 'disability', many people (including some members of my family) do. The things that I find cause me the most problems are those that no-one can see. The scars left behind from my life before my life-mate 'saved' me. And he did save me, he saved me from myself, my lifestyle and the damage I was causing to my own body. If anyone has specific questions they would like answered...all you have to do is ask. I will NOT go into details of that part of my life here on this site. But I am at a place in my life where I feel a responsibility to help anyone I can. Even if sharing my life is the way to help. <SMILE> +++++++++++++++++++++++++ Diabetes: diabetes mellitus~ a condition characterized by hyperglycemia resulting from the body's inability to use blood glucose for energy. In Type 1 diabetes, the pancreas no longer makes insulin and therefore blood glucose cannot enter the cells to be used for energy. In Type 2 diabetes, either the pancreas does not make enough insulin or the body is unable to use insulin correctly. Peripheral Neuropathy: I have a rare, often undiagnosed form of PN. In layman's terms refered to as 'fiber neuropathy', it affects not only the major nerves of the limbs, but also the small fiber nerves located within the body. This type of neuropathy damages nerves in the arms and legs. The feet and legs are likely to be affected before the hands and arms. Many people with diabetes have signs of neuropathy upon examination but have no symptoms at all. Symptoms of peripheral neuropathy may include: numbness or insensitivity to pain or temperature a tingling, burning, or prickling sensation sharp pains or cramps extreme sensitivity to touch, even a light touch loss of balance and coordination These symptoms are often worse at night. Below are some links that may be helpful in understanding diabetes and PN: American Diabetes Association Home Page Diabetes.com Diabetes online CDC Diabetes Public Health Resource Diabetic Neuropathies: The Nerve Damage of Diabetes NINDS Diabetic Neuropathy Information Page ****************************** UPDATES: PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE SOME WILL REMAIN IN ORDER, SOME WILL COME AND GO TIMES, AS WELL AS CONDITIONS OF HEALTH, DO CHANGE. Well it just never seems to end.....it is 03 June 04, and I had an appt. with my Doctor yesterday.....Seems an update is needed yet again. Turns out that for so many years I have been told I suffered from Osteoarthritis. And I guess in the beginning, I did. But I have now received a revised diagnosis...I have been informed that it is in fact Rhuematoid Arthritis with Fibromyalgia thrown in for good measure. SHEESH! How old am I? For years my 'glue' has been wearing out. No, I am not very old. But as I tell my Doctor, "there are miles of bad road my body has seen." It just doesn't seem to end, what the doctors are finding wrong with me. I'm almost to the point that I don't want to go see them even for the most mundane issues....afraid of what they will come up with next. I can imagine that this list sounds far fetched to some, I assure you, I am NOT A HYPERCONDRIAC. I have decided that my seemingly never ending list of 'ailments' is a gift from the Creator. YES, I DID SAY GIFT! It shows me what I am capable of handling. It shows me that I AM A STRONG WOMAN. And in this light I will continue. ~SH **************************** ~FYI~ Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS) FMS is not a catchall, "wastebasket" diagnosis. FMS is a state of central sensitization. This means that your central nervous system may be unusually sensitive to pain (hyperalgesia) and you also may find certain sounds, vibrations, light, and other sensations (even smells) to be translated by your body into discomfort or pain. Certain types of sound, such as staccato music or talk, or certain pitches, may be unendurable and promote increased sensitivity to other stimuli. The same may be true of the pattern of shadow and light by trees passing along in a car, or even being stuck in an elevator or car with a woman with heavy perfume. Diffuse, body-wide pain is part of FMS, but not all of it by any means. Fibromyalgia is not yet considered a disease. Diseases have known causes and well-understood mechanisms for producing symptoms. FMS is a syndrome, which means it is a specific set of signs and symptoms that occur together. Syndromes are no less serious or potentially disabling than diseases. Rheumatoid arthritis and lupus are also classified as syndromes. Lab tests for FMS do not exist right now. Lab tests are valid only to check for co-existing conditions. You can have other conditions and also have FMS. FMS can occur at any age. Flu-like achiness is frequently the most prominent symptom of FMS, but there are many others. For example, your eyes may be too dry, but at other times they will water. Your thermal regulatory system may be out of whack. You may notice this when you get out of bed (which may be often, due to bladder irritability) during the night. You may have to wait for your temperature to cool down after getting back in bed before you can pull the bedcover up. You may experience confusional states, memory dysfunction, and an inability to do more than one thing at once. You may be able to focus on a specific skill and function at a high level in you field, yet be unable to balance your checkbook or remember appointments. You may experience skin mottling. Your finger and toe nails may have vertical ridges — a typical sign of endocrine imbalance. Fingernails may break off, often in crescent-shaped pieces. If nails do grow, some may start to curve under (beaking). People with FMS can be sensitive to changes in barometric pressure and temperature. Rain beating on the windowpane may feel as if it were beating on the walls of your cells. The noise emitted by fluorescent lights can drive you crazy, and you may have to avoid overcrowded areas such as malls or cities. FMS sensitizes nerve endings as well as the rest of the autonomic nervous system. The actual ends of the nerve receptors may have changed shape, turning touch and other receptors into pain receptors. Pain signals then bombard your brain. Your brain knows pain is a danger signal — an indication that something is wrong and needs attention — so it mobilizes its defenses. Then, when those defenses aren't used, it becomes anxious. Overstimulation is a major perpetuating factor of FMS. Restorative sleep plays a crucial role in FMS. Perhaps you aren't getting enough sleep, or the right kind of sleep. You may have insomnia or a host of other sleep-related problems. You may have sleep apnea, or your heightened sensitivity does not allow you to sleep deeply. Our body heals and many neurotransmitters are balanced during deep sleep, and without it we soon suffer from the effects of sleep deprivation. It isn’t enough that you spend eight hours in bed. When you wake, you must feel refreshed and restored. Lack of restorative sleep is a major perpetuating factor of FMS, and you may need to work with your doctor to find medications that can help. You may also need to adjust your diet and life style to avoid stimulants such as sugar and caffeine. You may need help learning how to handle stress. You may also need to adjust your bedroom environment including the bed and pillows. http://my.webmd.com/condition_center/fms http://www.fmnetnews.com http://fmaware.org http://www.muhealth.org/fibro http://www.immunesupport.com ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) Rheumatoid arthritis (rue-ma-TOYD arth-write-tis) involves inflammation in the lining of the joints and/or other internal organs. RA typically affects many different joints. It is typically chronic, which means it lasts a long time, and can be a disease of flare-ups. RA is a systemic disease that affects the entire body and is one of the most common forms of arthritis. It is characterized by the inflammation of the membrane lining the joint, which causes pain, stiffness, warmth, redness and swelling. The inflamed joint lining, the synovium, can invade and damage bone and cartilage. Inflammatory cells release enzymes that may digest bone and cartilage. The involved joint can lose its shape and alignment, resulting in pain and loss of movement. Symptoms include inflammation of joints, swelling, difficulty moving and pain. Other symptoms include: Loss of appetite Fever Loss of energy Anemia Can affect other parts of the body. Other features include lumps (rheumatoid nodules) under the skin in areas subject to pressure (e.g., back of elbows). Rheumatoid arthritis affects 2.1 million Americans, mostly women Onset is usually in middle-age, appears more frequently in older people, but also affects children and young adults 1.5 million women have rheumatoid arthritis compared to 600,000 men Early in the disease, people may notice general fatigue, soreness, stiffness and aching. Pain and swelling may occur in the same joints on both sides of the body and will usually start in the hands or feet. RA affects the wrist and many of the hand joints, but usually not the joints that are closest to the fingernails (except the thumb). RA also can affect elbows, shoulders, neck, knees, hips and ankles. It tends to persist over prolonged periods of time, and over time, inflamed joints may become damaged. Other features include lumps, called rheumatoid nodules, under the skin in areas that receive pressure, such as the back of the elbows. http://arthritis.about.com/cs/ra http://www.allaboutarthritis.com http://www.allaboutarthritis.com ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ //Well, we have had a time of it. We are in the process of moving. Turns out that my Doctor has ordered me a motorized wheelchair. Due to the RA and the FMS, I am not able to navigate in a manual w/c any longer. I thought I was doing rather well..<sigh> but I suppose the Doctor knows better. It was putting too much strain on my shoulders, causing more pain and stress than what I needed. It is my prayer that everyone should have a Doctor that is as understanding and loving as the one I have. She is ONE-OF-A-KIND! I hate to leave her. I have had some good days, that have allowed me to get some packing done, but not many. I pack for 2 days, stay in bed for 3-4. LOL I won't recieve my new w/c till after we get to TEXAS (see explaination on 'about me' page) so I'm doing a little at a time, as not to over-work my body. I want to enjoy my last few weeks with my family here.\\ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ As far as new diagnosis...I really don't have any...SHOCK ISN'T IT?! After all the things that have happened medically just this year alone, it is a relief to be able to say, nothing new. I am still waiting on conclusive results to explain why my ANA results are so high. 1:640, But I guess it will come with time and a new doctor. I also found out that I have a questionable x-ray of my chest. Sheesh. I guess I do have some new news. Going back over what I have posted so far here, I realized I had not updated about the x-ray/ct-scan. It seems that I have 'enlarged lymph nodes' in my chest.** I had, had another bout of swelling (you know, like I get off-and-on) and went to hospital ER to see why I was running fever and not able to keep anything down. Along with the swelling. So the ER Doctor thought I might be having congestive heart failure. X-rays were ordered of my chest. Turns out there wasn't anything wrong with/around my heart, but I did have enlarged lymph nodes. It is something called SARCOID/SARCOIDOSIS. It is not definite, I have to see a pulmanoligist <sic> when I get settled in Tx. I will try to get some info about this disease posted,asap. I've been put on stronger doses of albuterol. I now use a nebulizer, and Doc. is considering putting me on Oxygen on a continous basis.* Well, here I am again. -July 2005- Not much has changed (THANK THE CREATOR). Atleast I'm really no worse, and that, to me, is a good thing. I have been told that I now have a 'ruptured disc' in my back. Am doing all I can to find out just what that pertains to. Surgery is an option, depending on the condition of my other ailments and the structure of the bones (vertebrae)in my back. The various Doctors have came up with different avenues to take, as far as my treatment goes. If my 'bones' in my back can't take the equipment for stabilization, then an implanted stimulator will work to 'kill/mask' the pain I'm having. Not good news for my legs that already 'feel' out of sorts, but. Well, we do what we must don't we? I am more wheelchair than person, it seems now. Battling all the ups and downs that come from admitting that things are not as they once were and won't ever be again. The battle rages over skin ailments, ie. pressure sores, heat rash and the like. But I will not be over-thrown by something that can be controlled. :-) I hope these updates find all better, the same, but prayerfully no worse than before. I'll return soon, I'm sure, with more woes in the life. *for those of you that don't know what asap means, it is simply AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Well, till next time. Everyone stay safe and as healthy as possible. Even tho I may not know your name, I will keep each of you in my thoughts and prayers. May Creator Bless You and Keep You From Harm. ~SH and SW~ 05 July 2005