Peace...

I feel great!
I ended my 4 times a day antibiotics on Friday and have been taking my bedtime dose like a "good girl" religiously
The temp job is going good (even though their computer programs are absolutely terrible...I don't know how anyone can stay awake while the dumb thing keeps timing out...but I'm there to get a project done and that's what I will do) it is messing with my lower back - a trip to the chiropractor fixed it yesterday and today when I went in for PT, Jeanne told me to do my "push-ups" more often until my back gets used to sitting in an upright straight position again...It's almost been a year (April 28th) since I last worked in an office...heck, since I last worked!
But my muscles are good-PT was short and sweet this afternoon! Jeanne let me "graduate" again!!!

Well, it's been 1 week on the new antibiotics and I can finally say I feel normal again!

I was telling my parents on Easter that it seems that this is the worst I have ever felt since being diagnosed with IC.

I get the IC under control with the installations then infections decide to bring me down...it 's like I'm damned if I do and I'm damned if I don't...but I HAVE to move forward...

I start a new job tomorrow and I need to be in the mind set that I'm going to be ok!!!

I was right!

I knew it and for once I was actually right!

I have another infection and it just is killing me! There's nothing worse than the burning and stinging feeling I've been putting up with since Saturday morning...but I can't let it get me down and won't-even though I want to stay in bed curled up in that perfect position where it doesn't hurt anymore.

So this morning I went to my scheduled appointment with Gina and she decided to put me on a 4X a day dose of Macrodantin for 10 days instead of the Bactrum. And...then I have to take it once a day indefinitely.
I think this is the first time I could decipher the difference between my IC and an infection (pat myself on the back)

I will say when there isn't an infection lingering in there, I have felt great~like a real human being again and Life Is Good...but when stuff like this happens...well I don't want to do anything, go anywhere, see anyone...I'm sure a lot of people can relate to this.

Another?

So physical therapy has been going great! We've been concentrating on that superficial pelvic muscle which seems to be my problem spot.
But...Thursday night something started again...

I think I have another UTI...all of the symptoms add up. I have some antibiotics so instead of going to Urgent Care and dealing with physicians that do not know my history I'll take the ones I have and try to wait it out until Tuesday morning when I go in for my follow-up with Gina.

Hopefully my plan will help some as I have an interview on Monday afternoon! My 3rd one in a week!!! And on top of it, I have laryngitis!!!

So stay tuned, Tuesday will be here sooner than we know!

Have a great weekend!

Very perplexing

The first week of PT went great! I felt much better and my symptoms were almost non-existent. The second week (last week) it didn't seem to help as much so my therapist had me place the electrodes in a different spot to see if it could help more. Well Friday I decided that since I was still symptomatic, I needed to call Gina...
The triage nurse called in "cocktail" Rx to my pharmacy in case it would be decided to do another series of installations.
Saturday, Sunday, Monday and today my symptoms are again non-existent...go figure since I went to see Gina today!
But it seems I do have some kind of infection so I am on Bactram for 10 days and she upped my Elmiron to 3 times a day and if needed take it 4 times.
She also said to stick with PT for now

I go back to see Gina at the end of the month to see how things progress :)

My Ah-ha moment

So this past Monday I decided that maybe my problem could be muscles...
I was using my muscle stim and it seemed to help, so I decided to call and make an appointment to get in to see my therapist...
I have to tell you...it has helped so much!
I feel almost back to "normal" again after going twice this week...

It's amazing how your mood lifts when you feel better!

Post treatment

Well, I had 10 days of no symptoms!


I managed to survive a bus trip to the wineries at the end of Janurary without any problems and or symptoms and a few nights of warming up with my much loved Manhattan's...I know that I cannot consume alcohol on a daily basis without "paying the consequences" and I also know and practice making sure I drink enough water in addition to drinking "triggers".

You shouldn't have to deprive yourself of the things in life that you enjoy. But knowing that at anytime my IC will be triggered and I may eventually have a flair, I know that everything in moderation is how I can prolong the inevitable.

Or so that's what I thought until it snuck back up on me little by little...making it's presence known, and eventually it wasn't just a little "pinch" anymore...the discomfort came back and I was back to denying myself of things that make me happy. And trust me, I crave my coffee, I can't give up my chocolate, and I deserve a glass of wine or a good drink once in a while-doesn't everyone?

Today I'm feeling the worst that I have since before my treatment. All I wanted to do is stay in bed all day-but that's letting this "thing" take over my life...so I jumped in a hot shower and finally got out of bed. I've been keeping track of how I am doing in a notebook and when I realized I only had 10 days with absolutely NO symptoms, I almost cried.

Maybe I overindulged too much??? Maybe being depressed isn't helping??? Or maybe this monster that has taken over my bladder hates me and doesn't want me to go back to having a normal life...Yes, I called it a monster because that is what it is! Monsters don't go away and don't show any compassion. I've had enough problems over the years and although I have managed to get rid of one of the major monsters in my life, another has taken over...Why???

I've lived with a disability all my life that I've made plenty of sacrafices and adjustments for and now I have an additional one, a bigger one, that makes me not want to do anything, see anyone or even just live life. I'm trying to find a new job as I've been out of work for almost a year now and how will this monster affect my job performance?

I'm angry, I'm sad, I'm depressed...I honestly wanted my 6 weeks of treatment to at least give me more than just a measly 10 days of relief. Is that too much to ask?