Warm Regards,

You are among the best Myositis people in the world who are very knowledgeable and offer great advice and comfort.

Y'all, come on in and feel at home.

I had many problems at work, due to my heart but now they think it's because of my muscles, etc... and of course, the people at work don't ever have any consideration... they just compare you to what THEY would do if they were sick, and they would come to work, and they would.. you know what I mean! I'm not a mean person and I guess I let all the stress of the situation get to me. I had to take nerve pills.. informed the Superintendent of what was going on, and he turned everything around (I was on a team with 2 younger males) saying I wasn't there to answer the phone so the other two couldn't do their jobs. I quit.. I have been unemployed for 1 year without any income. I am waiting for this specialist to tell me what I definitely have since I understand disability is very hard to come by (?). Are you exerienced in the "filing disability" part? I couldn't even get it with my heart problems so I do worry about this one.
Of course if I can work I'd do it... but the absences from work speak for themselves... it's a "no no" for anyone else but when it happens to the higher up execs, well now, that's a totally different situation. HELP!

I'm sure that I speak for everyone when I say that we're glad that you found us, too. I was diagnosed with DM in '97. We didn't have a computer at home at the time, and I thought that I was the only one who knew what I was going through. My husband started printing me information off of the internet, on his computer at work. Only then, did I realize that I wasn't alone. Please don't ever feel like you're complaining here. This is a wonderful place to share our joys and sorrows, or just commiserate.

We are glad you found us, too. Welcome to the friendliest Myositis support groups of the Internet.

Just make yourself at home, knowing you are among caring friends.

It used to be that when you clicked on a message, all the replies to the message would appear at the bottom of that message so you could follow the thread without having to pop up to the main screen. I am not seeing that any longer, just the message I selected. Are other people seeing this, or is it just me? Jim? Kelly?

I have been up all night trying to figure out why it's not listing the original thread with the links below like it used to. I'm going to e-mail the board software company later today to try and figure it out. I've also taken off the indent command somehow but my eyes are crossed at this point so I'll fix that later today also.

I'll post another message when I get it figured out.

I asked the same thing in message 478. I used to be able to click on "View All" which appeared between "Recommend" and "Refresh" in that box below a post that starts with selections for /Author Profile/ Edit/ etc. Now there is nothing there, and no responses below. Last time that it was working right was in Frankie's post regarding "liver biopsy". I thought that perhaps it was just me. I hate having to keep hitting my "back" toolbar thingie.

This past weekend we noticed the first Texas paintbrush blooming in the pasture, right where we plan to build our new horse barn. I'm taking it as a sign from God. We've had so much rain...over 8 inches already this year, and most of farm is pretty soggy. I was pretty sure that this was the best place for the barn...now I'm definitely sure of it! Anyone passing through Central Texas during the months of April and May must come visit my farm. We have 40 acres. Most of it covered with bluebonnets, sprinkled with many, many other varieties of wildflowers. Our front pasture is usually a sea of blue during this time. While we were building our house, I tried taking a picture of each variety of wildflower...used 2 rolls of film and still didn't get 'em all.

You're so blessed...I can't wait to be a grandmother! But I guess I'll have to be patient. My children are just 13 and 15 years old. There was a time that I didn't think that I'd live long enough to see my children grow up, yet alone grandchildren. Things are definitely looking up!

The fruit trees have lost their blooms and now leaves are forming. The redbuds and dogwood trees will be in all their glory about two weeks before Easter. It is good to see the squirrels running around the lawn and hearing the birds singing, and the doves cooing.

I hope mother and child will be fine. To shop for two teen age grandchildren nearly puts us into bankruptcy at birthdays and Christmas. But to have to buy for six grandchildren must be mind-boggling to you.

My wrist have gotten so weak I can barely pick up the lightest thing.Spilling things is a given and I can only manage about a quarter cup of liquid in a paper cup with a straw.Anyone else this weak? I cannot get my strength back since the flu and bronchitis.

Any chance that it might not be related to PM, but possibly carpal tunnel syndrome in your wrist. My hand doesn't get weak, but does go numb if I've spent too much time at the computer.

I know that with DM, weakness is usually proximal to distal, with weakness usually more in trunk and shoulders, hips, etc. With PM, are your hands and feet affected? The only problem that I ever had in my feet was due to "foot drop" from being bedridden for so long. The DM has never affected my hands.

Is there anyway that you can prop up a sport bottle with a straw nearby, so that all you would have to do is move your head to get a drink of water? Promise me that you aren't drinking hot coffee!

I have slowly become weak all over my body.I also have drop foot on my left foot.I was fitted for a brace but I was not strong enough to walk with it.I suspected it would be to heavy but a persistent salesman talked me into it.

I also have sjogren's, osteoporsis,psorasis,and I suspect run of the mill arthritis because of joint pain.

I'm sorry about your weak wrists, but that seems to happen to most of us. I can't lift a pot of coffee with one hand. So far, my typing hasn't been affected. In driving, my left arm and wrist are the weakest even with power steering.

As for braces - When I was in the hospital, the doctor insisted that molded braces be made for me. One came up to my knee. The other up past my ankles. After nearly killing myself trying to wear those things, I guess my wife threw them away because I said I would never try that again.

It's been awfully quiet in here lately (guilty). I hope everyone is doing well.

Julia just dropped her Methotrexate dose from 20 to 17.5 mg/week via subcutaneous injection (which we administer at home). I expect that we will be transitioning back to oral MTX next month instead of taking another dose drop. If not, then certainly in the following month or two. Has anyone had anything unexpected happen because of the transition from injected to oral MTX?

Ralph

Yes, 1cc = 1ml = 10 2.5mg pills = 25mg of Methotrexate. You are right that oral MTX is not quite as potent as injected. Julia's doctors consider switching from injections to oral as a tapering step, so she's going form 17.5mg injected to 17.5mg oral after this week's and next week's injections.

Julia took oral MTX for over a year before we switched to injections. She didn't have any problems with it then, and we are hopeful that we will not now.

Thanks for your advice,

Who's the happiest? Julia or her dad about changing to oral MTX? It sounds like Julia is coming along well. Her picture is sitting next to my grandchildren on the lowest shelf next to the computer. Give her our regards.

We just got back from Children's Hospital a little while ago, and it is confirmed: after this week's and next week's injections, we are going back to oral MTX!! Woo hoo! I think Julia is happiest, of course, because she's been the one getting the needles, but we are happy about it, too.

Jim, it is very touching to hear that you keep Julia's picture in such an honored place on your desk. Thank you for sharing that with me (and the rest of us!)

Oh, my, yes, Thank The Lord, I am finally feeling better again. That virus was truly insidious and made me miserable for far too long. My wife still has it, she got is alost exactly a week after I did, so she still has a few days of misery ahead of her, if history hold sway.