Answers for Ladybug52

Hey!  Happy New Year!
     I was sitting in the airport that had wireless and saw that you had posted concerning your low grade temp.  I responded under that thread back to you wishing you to be well soon.....then I had to board the plane to continue flying.  I have FMLA, and will begin on the night of January 23 with my first shot.  Oh yes! I am very nervous as I read post after post of the things that could happen, but like yourself will be glad to begin.  I keep a check on you through this site to make sure that you're
still with me and that you doing as well as possible, my friend! :)  I have two weeks off in a row because of vacation to help me to get aclimated somewhat.  I will post definitely post to you all on my first shot.  How are you?  Your appetite?  Weight?  I decided not to take the steroid, Oxadrin, to get my weight higher, because my "other" meds shot my bilirubin way up as well as the AST and ALT.  My doctors all agree these will somewhat stablize once I begin tx though.  What have you experienced so far?  Check the thread that you posted on your temptature and you'll find me there!  I have already shaved my head. LOL.  And I have to say....not bad!!!!  My email is my Ameriboi2003@yahoo.  Would love to talk and help you if you need to.  Take care of yourself, OK?

In Him,
Rick

[AMAZED]

P.S.  Looks like you and I are cut from the same pattern about being a hyperchondriac (sp?).  I would have done the same thing!  I just so glad that you didn't mistake it for a cigarette and lite up. :)  Sending light and love.....

In Him,
Rick

[AMAZED]

The thermometer that is.....

[GrandOak]

Keep a stiff upper chin and good luck with tx.

As for the postings on sx's bear in mind that you are hearing mostly from the squeaky wheels.  There are many who do not have them or have them to the same degree as those you see posting.

This is not to belittle or cast dispersion upon those languishing in the sx's who are posting in the hope of finding relief or connect with others bearing the same anguish, only identifying that there are many who who do not suffer from the same sx's and one never knows what they will experience until they are deep in the poop of the tx.

[NYgirl]

I agree with Grand Oak whole heartidly.  The people who aren't in here posting would never think to because they are just out enjoying life and stuff.  A lot of people never have any of the huge problems so they don't come looking for a solution or anything.

I've worked straight thru the last 68 weeks - except for the anemia it wasn't really that hard (except for being tired all the time which is surmountable really).

I think in many ways it was a HUGE blessing that I did.  You said you are taking the two weeks to see HOW you make out with sides?  It might be better for you to wait and see and SAVE the weeks...I had no sides (flu symptoms) at ALL until about week 30 and the ANEMIA is what totally did me in and I think that was about week 4 or something.  THAT was BY FAR the most horrid thing, it devastated me.  And of course it doesn't happen to go away quickly.

Getting up every day and getting dressed and putting on makeup etc. has helped keep what little bit I have left of my self image intact. Had I stayed home on the couch the whole time...I would not nearly have made it this far.

Then later when I DID need to take a few days off I DID have the time left (i have FMLA available to me as well).  But I only used a few sick days - I didn't want my job to be in jeopardy and to me it was worth it. Definitely. Especially since I felt way worse later on than in the beginning.

[MissMiss]

I agree that you should try to hold those days off for when you may (or may not) need them.  I wish my job had been a little less strenuous because I probably would have worked a lot longer during tx and faired better too.  But I had a very physical job and had to stop about half way through.  I think I would have faired better during tx if I had been able to work, like NYG says.  It will help you keep "living with the living" so to speak rather than vegitating around feeling bad.  I mean, you're gonna feel bad more than likely anyway so why not spend your time productively if you can.

Feeling bad on tx isn't quite the same as feeling bad with the flu.  It's different in that we are inducing the bad feelings.  They are coming from the meds and not from an influenza virus, which can have serous consequences if not tx'd.  We do have a certain amount of control with attitude or helper drugs or whatever helps us get through tx.

Not sure you can follow what I mean here.  Guess what I am saying is you very well may need that time off later.  The beginning is just that, the beginning.  Most folks have harder times later on.  Just a thought.

miss

[SJL]

I am not sure what happened to my post regarding LTD vs. SSD. I found it but it is missing several posts? I am sorry but I have a pre-set appt. with a Neuro on 1/24. My appt. with Dr. J. is Monday, 1/29 at 1pm. I gave a pretty in-depth comment regarding my trip to Shands, but it has seemed to disappear?

I am sorry to interrupt this post, but I did not want to take up space with another.
Sandy(SJL)

[NYgirl]

You said it MUCH better than all my rambling words did.

Staying in the land of the living - PERFECT.  It would have been SO incredibly easy to not wouldn't it?  I look at myself now on the weekends after shot night and go WOW pathetic! But if I have to get up to go do something...at times I forget for a while if I feel poorly.

It helps us to forget and use that good attitude - I REALLY believe a LOT of how we handle it is just that.

[Pdilly]

I agree with them.   It is two or three months or more before most feel like you need to take some time off.  I too work and have done 13 weeks and have not missed a day.  No one else is going through this and quite a few have missed a day since I have started.   It just tells you have strong and determined we are.

[ladybug52]

Will reply to your e-mail address!