Monday

Started my new job today......it seems kinda odd learning something new at the moment, with everything else going on, but at least it is keeping me occupied and busy. I seem to be coping okay with the health side of things at the moment, well certianly today, and I think I should be fine over the next few weeks. I am not sure the job is really me, but I will give it my all while I am there and make the best of it......and the very least it is paying some bills and filling in a gap in my CV.

We also have to make the decision about work.......do we start looking further afield than the Manawatu, I mean Si's job at the moment is only part time/casual and there is actually no guarantee that it will go fulltime or not stop alltogether, so do we safeguard ourselves and try and to look for work in other areas as well? Could we go back to Wellington - especially if it was on one income? I am not sure about so much at the moment, and I know it seems like I am putting too much focus on this right now, but the reality is that this is a fixed term contract and it will come to an end. Should we also even consider just selling everything and going overseas? Probably not while my health is up in the air for both points.......I mean I am getting such fabulous treatment with the medical team up here.

Anyway - things to ponder and things to face as they come up. So if anyone still hears of a fabulous opportunity that will start in about 3 months......or could be held for 3 months, I am all ears!!!

Weightwise - things are stable.....I am sitting at 98.2 at the moment, so a little higher than my lowest, but still nothing to worry about. Happy at least about one thing.

Adjusting

I guess this week has been a really full on one and now I am just adjusting. I officially start my temp work assignment on Monday, it is for the Animal Health Board (I of course used to work for them in Wellington) in the Palmerston North office, and it is a short term contract of at this stage approx 12 weeks, although it might turn out to be a little longer. My official title is "Communications Advisor - Fixed Term" and will be very interesting getting to know another side of the business. I have always worked with the disease management side of the organisation whereas now it will be dealing more with those pesky possums.......thankfully not hands on though.

It is also going to be a pretty big learning curve in some aspects and I think it will be good for me to learn some more stuff, although it is a little scary at the same time, especially not knowing how things are progressing with my illness. On that front, I have been taking my pills and having my blood tests and have been feeling pretty good up until yesterday. Yesterday I got some more bumps on my legs and my joints were a little sore.....now I am not sure if that is just because we have been so busy with the moving and the cleaning, or if it is something to be expected. My bloods are looking good, they are coming down, they are still high, but definitely coming down.

I guess we are both still a bit unsettled getting used to sleeping in a new room with new noises and of course new routines which of course is part at parcel of staying with Si's parents.

Today we are thinking of going to the rock and mineral expo in Palmerston North, and I think we will also head to see Porsche as we are going to lend the lady who is looking after her our gas heater....which of course at the moment is just sitting in the storage unit.

Weight seems to be stable at the moment, hovering around 98 kgs, which doesn't seem too bad. I have been pretty slack on the water so I am not complaining, although I definitely seem a little puffy in the hands, feet and face and I know that this may be from the steroids......but I still don't like it!!!! If I can just keep it under 100kgs I will be happy for now.

Moving Day

Yup - today is the day we move to Si's parents house. The move intself should be reasonably quick, Truck should be here at 10am, and 95% of our stuff is just goingt o the storage unit 5 mins drive from here and there will be a quick stop off at Si's parents place to drop off the bed and the dresser at their house. We are doing the computers ourselves and that will be done later this afternoon/evening as I have to shoot into the "temp job" (still can't say anything as haven't signed any paperwork) for a couple of hours.

I am hoping that we can be done and dusted with the house tonight/tomorrow as we have a few things to do, cleaning, changing the drapes back to blinds and then final handover on Friday.

I am also menat to be at a meeting at the "temp job" on Thursday at 10am, so will make things a little trickier. It is actually lucky they didn't want me full time this week, it would have been far too hard adjusting to moving and a new job and the meds.

The meds seem to be going well, not getting too many side effects, although my weight is back to hovering around 100 kgs. Some of that I am sure is purely from not eating as well as I should have been with this moving lark, and some from the steroids processing things a bit differently. I have been lucky so far with the other drug, no feeling of nausea.

I have decided that during this time of adjustment to the treatment I am not going to beat myself up about what the scales say as long as I am being sensible........and they don't go out of control. It seems a bit weird, but since going on the steroids, it seems it has killed my "i'm full switch" and I seem to be able to eat more capacity.......lets hop the dr's wean me off them in the next few weeks. I know he wants to try me at 5 mgs in about 6 weeks time, depending on what my blood results (weekly) do.

Anyway - should hit the shower and get organised for the movers, less than 2 hours to go and I will "on the road again". hehe - god I am dork.

Oh the last thing, Porsche seems to be handling hte new foster home really really well, we will pop over and see her this weekend as we forgot to drop off a gas heater that we are lending the lady......and with Riddick, I decided to put him at the local cattery as he was too flighty and I really thought he was a bolter wanting to happen, so he is happy and safe and that is the main thing.

Auto Immune Hepatitis - Some facts

• Hepatitis is a general term that means inflammation of the liver. There are many forms and causes of hepatitis (such as viruses and certain drugs), including autoimmune hepatitis. In autoimmune hepatitis, the body's immune system attacks the cells of the liver, which causes the liver to become inflamed.

• CAUSES — It is not clear why autoimmune hepatitis develops. Researchers suspect that some people inherit a genetic disposition that could make them more likely to develop it. Sometimes drugs or infections trigger the development of the disease. (IE this is NOT something I have Contracted by needles or sexually transmitted and nor can I give it to anyone else)

• SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS — The most common symptom is fatigue. Some people also have symptoms of hepatitis, including an enlarged liver, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes), itching, skin rashes, joint pain, abdominal discomfort, abnormal blood vessels in the skin, nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, dark urine, and pale or gray colored stools. (I had the bold ones)

• DIAGNOSIS — Autoimmune hepatitis is diagnosed with blood tests and a liver biopsy. During a liver biopsy, a small sample of liver tissue is removed and examined under a microscope. The biopsy can help to confirm the diagnosis and determine its severity while excluding other potential causes of liver disease.

• Duration of treatment — As a general rule, treatment is continued until the disease is in remission, the treatment fails, or the person develops severe side effects from treatment.
  Remission is defined as a lack of symptoms, near normal levels of liver blood tests, and improvement in the appearance of liver tissue (based upon a biopsy). The initial period of remission generally occurs 12 or more months after treatment begins. Approximately 65 and 80 percent of patients achieve remission by 18 months and three years, respectively.
  Approximately 50 percent of patients remain in remission or have only mild disease activity for months to years after treatment is stopped. However, most patients must eventually restart treatment because the disease becomes active again (relapse). Relapse typically occurs within the first 15 to 20 months after treatment is stopped.

I am on two different types of drugs....one is a steroid, which is prednisone, and my doctor is going to try me on a 20 mg dose to start with and then pull me down to 5 mg after about 6 weeks if I respond well. The other is azathioprine which I may need to take forever.......we will see. I am working very closely with the team at Hamilton to ensure that this works with my gastric bypass and that we stay as healthy as we possible can.

Feel free to ask any questions at all - it will help me to learn about what is happening.

News & treatment Plan

Well it is like I thought, Auto immune liver disease (hepatitis) and we are starting the medicine this morning. The doctor gave me a very good link for a website that explains all about it. There are no nasty pictures or anything, just informative material. You can get to it HERE

I am feeling really good about where we are at, and that we can now move forward. I spoke to him about the possibility of working and he said if I feel up to it then no problem. He said I might feel nausea but it should be manageable. So depending on sign of from the CEO I might have work for the next 12 weeks or so, which hopefully will be a good foot in the door, and hopefully will lead to further work down the track. I will keep everyone updated as I learn more.

I am going to be working closely with my dietitian at Hamilton to try and combat the increased appetite that I might get from the steroids.

Anyway, off this morning to meet Porsche and Riddicks new foster mum (hopefully) and then to get a blood test and then to work. Pretty much just have today and tomorrow left in the office and then I am done with that. It has been quite nice to have this wind down week just getting things finalised.

Oops sorry

I have gotten a couple of reminder texts yesterday that I have not updated in a while and some people are worried about what is going on.......well, it has been busy with wrapping up work and packing to move and just hanging in there healthwise.

I am back to the team at the hospital today to hopefully get some results, although I also recevied a semi urgent referral for a US30 cardiac scan, so not sure what is going on now. I have had a very sore couple of days in my joints again over the last couple, and have been very very grumpy. I have also officially finishd at work, but I am helping htem out this week to make sure all the billing is done and everything is returned to where it should be returned.

We are moving most our our stuff to storage next Wednesday and then just our computers and bedroom stuff to Si's parents most likely on the Thursday/Friday. The landlord has people coming around tonight to take a look and again on Saturday. I know that it is an inconveince for them us leaving so quickly but as I pointed out last night, I didn't plan on any of this stuff happening, ie - me being sick, or losing my job.

Oh, depending on today, I might have 3 months temp work starting next week, but it really depends on what the doctors say today and if the company concerned is okay about my health situation. The people are known to me, and it still might be better for them to have me at 70% capacity than trying to train someone new for the 12 weeks........have to give them an answer by Friday, so I am going to ask the doctor today if he thinks I should be working or not, or at least at what level if I can work.

Anyway - lots to do today, getting keys cut for the new house, buying some thermals and warmer casual pants. Going to the GP, going to work for a little bit and then also going to the hospital at 4pm........long day. At least I won't get too nervous!!!

Biopsy Day.....

Yup - off to get a little bit of my liver sliced out today. It shouldn't be do bad as they do it under local and it is just a tiny hole through my side. I am really looking forward to getting some answers, although I think it will take a week or so to get any firm results.

I have been working part time - mainly mornings this week and this is officially my last week at work. I will however be doing a little for them next week and being paid per hour, so that is fine. I think there is probably only about 20-30 hours more work to do over the next two weeks, mainly collating stuff and organising things to come back to the office. Once it is there they can then ring me and I will arrange collection.

My weight has jumped back up over the last week and sitting at 99.8 kgs this morning.......I think most of that is to do with TOM and the meds I am on as I would have thought that I had eatedn almost less than 3 kgs of food in the past week........the body is such a strange animal ain't it.

Okay, so to the decisions, well we have given notice at our house and are moving in with Simon's parents in two weeks. We have had to find alternative arrangements for Porsche and Riddick and although it is not finalised, we think we may have found a family who will take them both together. They already have two cats, but we think Riddick will be okay with that as he spent the first year growing up with Leeloo and hopefully by having Porsche around it will make it a bit easier. The family lost their old rottie to old age last year and they can't afford to have a new dog, but have losts of love to give.......so we will cover the price of food and a little extra for their time, love and support.

I am not going to look for work at this point, until I have discovered "wellness" and am able to actually concentrate for more than 5 mins on any on task......LOL. Once I am well hopefully the right job will be there waiting.

We have managed to sell the motorbike and have a few things on trademe as well, which hopefully get some good prices and will help us declutter as we are pretty much just taking out bedroom furniture and the computers to Si's parents. My uncle has said he might be able to store our stuff in a shed out on his farm, but we are not 100% certain if it is suitable, otherwise the storage facility is $30 a week for the size we need. Anyway, off to do some work and to have a very light breakfast.