Good Day

I had a relaxing, boring day. That was okay, because I needed to rest. I read a book for a while, which I was doing for a friend--she asked me to read and summarize the first three chapters, so she could teach them to her students. It was an interesting book, and I was happy to help her.

Then I went to a neighborhood bakery and the grocery store BY MYSELF, walked all over that grocery store, and came back still functional. Yeah! I am having trouble getting my butt out of bed in the mornings, but once I am up, I have had more energy the last few days. The mornings have been particularly good.

Mornings have been pretty good for pain, as in not more than level 6/7. Unfortunately the pain increases in the afternoons and is pretty bad in the evenings. Today was no exception. I took half a Vicodin (250 mg) around 2:00, and I took a whole one at 7:00. I am still trying to decide how much it helps. Maybe some. But I wonder if it can give you back pain. Maybe that is coincidence.

I had the bad dry mouth again today, along with the sour taste. Yuck. I did see that on the amitriptyline side effect list. I also have pain on the roof of my mouth, like I scraped it. But I am pretty sure I did not. I guess I will have to see if it still hurts tomorrow.

Actually, my mouth is not the only thing that is dry. All of my mucous membranes are. I have not noticed my eyes getting dry, though, which I am grateful for.

That amitriptyline sure does make me tired. I was wide awake, but I took that medication about 45 minutes ago and am having trouble keeping my eyes open. It came on pretty suddenly.

After breakfast, I planned to see how long I could go without food, to see if I became hungry, but I ended up eating lunch with my friend. And dinner. Maybe I will try again tomorrow. I definitely had trouble feeling full. Reflux=full. Shortly after eating, I feel bloated, which stinks. But it is not a "full" feeling, more like a gassy feeling--big stomach.

Sensory:

-Pins and needles: 8
-Tingles: 0
-Dysesthetic pain: 9
-Paresthesias: 9, painful electricity, was bad sometimes in my lower body, and it was moderately severe in my tongue sometimes

-Numbness: 3, mouth issues--lips and tongue. Parts of feet, as always. And my left fingertips are getting worse.
-Vision: 3, it seems like my radius of clear vision has expanding--it was about 6 feet, but this morning it was more like 20 feet. It worsened again the afternoon but it still not as bad as it was at its worst. The same thing happened yesterday: better in the morning (even better than today) and worse later on.
-Nerve pain: 7
-Hearing: 1

Motor:
-Walking: 1
-Sore muscles: 7, gosh my upper arm really hurt sometimes. I got the shot yesterday in that area, but the shot was just under the skin. I do not see why that should cause pain. But it does not hurt now--thanks, Vicodin. My leg muscles also have been sore sometimes.
-Fine motor: 2
-Weak muscles: 4
-Spasticity: 5

Cognitive:
-Processing: 0
-Memory: 0, I remembered what I needed from the grocery store, without writing it down! I needed three things.
-Attention: 0
-Confusion: 0

General:
-Fatigue: 2
-Balance: 2
-Sleep: 0
-Bladder: 0, I am having some issues in the mornings, which I attribute to amitriptyline, but then I am fine all day.
-Proprioception: 1
-Swallowing: 0
-A: 2
-B: 0

Emotions: I think all the pain stresses me out sometimes. Severe pain is just so draining.