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Friday, June 28, 2013

June 28, 2013 Friday Afternoon

Went to the bed around 8 PM to watch TV in bed for the rest of the night.  I think we both fell asleep shortly after our heads hit the pillow since I don't remember anything we watched and the TV was off later on when I woke up to go to the bathroom.

This morning I was up by 6:30 AM.  Fed the dogs, gave Vito his shot and got Tony off to work.  Spent the morning trying to read the morning newspapers.  Still have the entire USA Today to read since it hurts too much to read on my eyes.  Just can not focus on the print.  Did little things around the house in the morning and soon it was time to shower and go have lunch with the guys.  Tony picked me up since I try to avoid driving with my eyes not working very good to light and the head pain.  Had a nice lunch since I loaded up on pills an hour prior.  Came home from lunch and took a nice two hour nap with the dogs.  Honestly could have just stayed in bed and slept the rest of the day away.  It feels so much nicer just having my eyes closed and sleeping.  I do go back to the eye doctor on Monday which I am happy to do since my nose has actually lost it's feeling.  Yes, I have lost the feeling in my nose.  Can't feel any sensation on the outside of my nose or between my eyes.  Took a pain pill when I got up from my nap and it better kick in soon since my head is pounding.  Will most likely spend the weekend watching movies or TV from the DVR.  Still have True Blood's episodes to watch this weekend.  No other plans this weekend which is fine with me considering the head and eye pain I am having from the Shingles.  Just happy to get through each day.  I wish these pills wouldn't make it so hard to have a bowel movement.  That's just another story for another day.  I sure hope there will be a day when I wake up and ....   no pain?

Thursday, June 27, 2013

June 27, 2013 Thursday Afternoon

Spent last night watching reruns on TV, mostly in bed, before going to sleep around 10 PM.  Pain pain pain, all night.

This morning I was up by 6:30 AM.  Fed the dogs, gave Vito his shot, and got Tony off to work.  Made it though the morning without throwing up.  Funny, I forgot to take my ant acid last night off all nights, and no throwing up?  Read a little of the morning newspaper until I threw it on the coffee table in frustration because it hurts my eyes to much to try to focus on the typing of the print.  Took a round of pain pills with a bowl of cereal and about a half hour later I was outside vacuuming out the pond.  The water has gotten very cloudy and I vacuumed a little yesterday.  Vacuumed more today and then emptied the pond half way and refilled with fresh water.  Put more Algae killer in the water to stop the growth.  Was in the house and done by 11 AM, head in hands, in pain.  Made a peanut butter and honey sandwich for lunch and then went to take a nap.  Just as my head hit the pillow the phone rang.  The CEO of Batteries Plus had seen my review on their website and wanted to talk about it and get it straightened out.  Ended up with him telling me they would send me a check for the remainder of the money I spent to fix the scooter battery and apologized.   Told the CEO that when I get the check I would be happy to put that out there on the website also.  I honestly think he believed me, but I am just happy to put it behind me and not be out any money.  I stand by my statement that they never even opened the battery pack.  Took a two hour nap with the dogs.  Spent most of the time just laying here and there with my eyes closed to relieve the pain.  Got up to late and should have gotten up sooner to take another pain pill.  My head and eye are pounding as I type this post and just wish it would stop.  Going to make chili mac hamburger helper for supper tonight with some salads.  Rain is on the way and we will most likely spend the night at home, ice pack on my head to relieve pain, watching True Blood.  Never got around to watching it last night.  I just want this head and eye pain to stop.  This is horrible.  Closing the eye only helps a bit.

I keep forgetting to mention that my Wrens have anther three babies in the nest as of last Sunday.  Seems just yesterday the other three babies left the nest.  These sure are busy parents and hungry babies.

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

June 26, 2013 Wednesday Afternoon

Spent last night in bed watching America's Got Talent with Tony and the dogs.  Just easier to lay in bed and hold an ice pack to my head as anywhere else.  It is also very soothing to just be in the dark bedroom and watch the big 110 inch projection TV.  Much easier on the eyes.  Was happy when the show was over and turned off the TV and went to sleep at 10 PM.

Got up in the middle of the night a couple times to pee.  Ate a cracker the second time to maybe help with the stomach in the morning.  Got up at 6:30 AM.  Fed the dogs, gave Vito his shot, and threw up the crackers I had just eaten a couple minutes before.  My stomach must be a mess from all the pain pills I am taking.  Showered and just as I was about to head out the door to go grocery shopping the Supreme Court ruling came down on Proposition 8 and DOMA.  Very happy with the decision but I think they could have gone farther.  We still will need to go back to the Supreme Court to make EVERY state recognize a gay marriage and not just the one that choose to recognize them.  We still can not get legally married here in Wisconsin even with these two decisions.  So the decisions help going forward, but don't help us right now.  Went grocery shopping and came home to an argument with the neighbor and how he parks his car.  We are all tired of him parking behind the garage and inconveniencing everyone else.  The neighbor across the alley and I yelled up to his window and gave him an earful again today.  His dad, who is such a good example, does the same and tried to pull him back in the house as he tried to explain 'he has no other place to park'.  Not our problem I told him.  I should have taken a picture of him and his father.  That is what White Trash looks like and acts like.  If all three neighbors on all sides of you have asked you nicely many many times to not park where he is illegally parking, it should have been a done deal after that?  Why are people such assholes?  Took a nice two hour nap with the dogs but should have taken my noon pain pill first.  I am now waiting in pain for it to kick in.  My head still hurts a lot.  My eye is so sensitive to light and I have an ice pack to my head more than not.  I have to just stick to my breakfast, lunch, supper and bed time pain pill and not skip one yet or I pay the price,  head pain, bad head pain.   Making left over spaghetti and salads for supper tonight.  Will most likely watch TV from the DVR or the past two episodes of True Blood I have downloaded and have yet to watch.  I just wish this pain would go away.  I am ready to rip my left eye out at times the pain is so bad.

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

June 25, 2013 Tuesday Afternoon

Left the scooter battery on the charger all night hoping that when we awake it would be green telling us the battery charged and is fully charged.  Spent the night watching a couple episodes of Long Island Medium and then watched the TV show Under The Dome in bed.  Went to sleep a little after the show was over.  We were up the second half of the night telling Vito to 'go back to bed' as he barked at the thunder.  Rained and thundered until morning. 

Got up this morning at 6:30 AM.  Of course the battery light was still red and was not charging or fixed.  Fed the dogs and gave Vito his shot.  Said goodbye to Tony as I threw up my usual morning bile into the sink.  Tony said he would come home around 9 AM so we could drive to the Battery Plus store and get our money back.  Showered and right before Tony got here to pick me up (I can not drive because my eye is so sensitive to light and it tears up when I go outside or in the light), I decided to open up the battery pack.  Even though it says in big writing not to open.  LOL.  Got the cover off and right away I noticed the problem.  One of the wires was not connected to one of the two batteries.  Connected the wire and put the battery pack back together.  Put the battery in the charger and the scooter worked fine.  Unbelievable.  This means Batteries Plus charged me $95 for two new batteries when they did not even open up the battery pack, or they would have seen and fixed the disconnected wire.  We drove to Batteries Plus and of course they kept telling us they would never 'say they changed out a battery if they didn't'.   Told them I thought they were lying to me and then the clerk made out a new receipt showing me getting $19 for my inconvenience.  As I counted the money I notice it was only $18.  The clerk then had to reopen the cash register to get me the other dollar.  Unbelievable.  They even tried to rip me off when giving me money back for my inconvenience.  Since I had no way of proving whether they put new batteries in or not I had no choice but to take my $19 and a receipt showing I had a year guarantee on the batteries and go.  Figure I got screwed out of $76, but learned a good lesson.  Batteries Plus will rip you off.  I feel like calling the local TV stations so they can do a bust on them.  I bet they do this to retired people all the time with their scooter batteries.  By this time my head was pounding and we took the money, told them to their face I still thought they were lying to me and left.  Tony dropped me off at home and I have spent most of the day just trying to get through the day with the curtains closed and the less light as possible coming into the house to make my eye water and head pound.  The scabs on my face have mostly cleared.  The ones on my head and scalp just keep getting bigger and the top of my head feels all scabbed up when you touch it.  Also hurts to just touch my head on the left side so I can not sleep with a pillow on my left side.  Just take another pain pill and get through the pain.  Took a nice two hour nap with the dogs this afternoon.  I could sleep all day I am so tired from the pain pills, but have no choice but to take them for this pounding head pain.  Making some salads and a pizza for supper tonight.  Will most likely spend the night watching a little from the DVR and then America's Got Talent in bed.  Kali is getting better with her skin condition now that she has been on her pills for 3 days now.  So, scooter is fixed, dogs are healing or doing good, and my Shingles is about the same ....  painful, but not worse.  At times it feels like someone is stabbing my eye with an ice pick or something.  Closing my eye doesn't make the pain stop.  Time for another pain pill.  Good news,  it has now been three weeks without a cigarette.  I am very proud of that.  My eye is throbbing so bad I just want to tear it out of my head.

Monday, June 24, 2013

June 24, 2013 Monday Afternoon

Spent Friday night watching the movie What To Expect When You're Expecting.  It was a good movie and glad we watched it.  Went to bed around 10 PM.

Saturday we were up by 7 AM.  Fed the dogs and gave Vito his shot.  After I threw up I started taking my Shingles and pain pills.  Tony went and got breakfast at McDonalds.  Spent most of the morning on the couch trying to control the head pain.  Decided to try to go to a block party Saturday afternoon.  Took my scooter and soon had to wear two pairs of sun glasses just to keep the sun light out of my eyes and keep them from watering.  Became to hard to be out in the sun and after about an hour we went home.  Took another round of pain pills and took a nice nap with Tony and the dogs.  After we fed the dogs supper we decided at sunset to go back to the festival.  Two blocks down the street with my scooter and it decides to stop working.  Pushed it back to the car and told Tony we can walk one time around the festival and then go home.  Walked around a little bit and then went home since my head and eyes were killing me.  Any light in my eye hurts.  Spent the night watching the movie The Expendables 2.  Went to bed around 10 PM after another round of pain pills.

Sunday we were up by 7 AM.  I made breakfast and we spent most of the day just laying around the house watching TV or movies.  Watched the movies Paperboy and Beverly Hills Chihuahua.  Paperboy was ok,  BHC was bad and we turned it off half way through.  Went to bed around 10 PM Sunday night.

Today I was up at 7 AM.  Fed the dogs, gave Vito his shot and Tony off to work.  Spent the morning doing things around the house.  Tony came home to drive me to my doctor for my 1 PM appointment.  It was my HIV doctor and got my new blood test results.  Not good, but considering I got the blood test the day of the Shingles emergency visit, the results are expected.  My CD4 count dropped  from 546 to 333.  Dropped off my scooter battery at Batteries Plus because it stopped working Sunday and won't take a charge.  They just called to say I can come get it.  Of course now I have to drive back to the south side of town to get it.   Have to get out before rush hour traffic.   My face has cleared up pretty good.  The pain in my head is the same..............bad and horrible. 

Just got back from Batteries Plus and they charged my $100 for a new battery.  Of course it doesn't work in the scooter and is being charged right now.  Was told there should be a small charge in the battery so I am afraid it might be a bigger problem than just the battery.  If it is not one thing it's another.  Getting pretty tired of life's challenges.  My head is killing me.  Time for the couch and a pain pill.

Friday, June 21, 2013

June 21, 2013 Friday Afternoon

Spent last night watching this week's two episodes of One Life To Live on Hulu.com.  Then watched the movie Mama.  It was a horror movie and was actually pretty good.  Kept Tony awake all night watching which means it must have been entertaining enough or he would have been sleeping on the couch soon after it started.  Went to bed around 10 PM after the movie.

This morning I was up by 6:30 AM.  Fed the dogs, gave Vito his shot and took my first round of pain pills and such for the day.  I took one of my new pain pills last night and I honestly think they are too strong.  Would rather take the 5.0 than the 10 in the oxycodone.  I can't think because they are too strong.  So I will cut them in half and will call for a less strong pain pill next week.  Saw that a big storm was coming so I showered and then went to Walgreen's to return a foot insert I bought the day prior, then go to the bank to order more checks, then went to Piggly Wiggly grocery store for some fruit and stuff for the weekend.  Got it all done before the pouring rain came.  Killed an hour around the house doing things and then went to have lunch with the guys.  Had a great lunch and brought my pictures of my face and what it looked like last week to now.  My face looks even better today and the scabs keep getting smaller.  By Monday my face might even be back to normal.  No one would believe me without the pictures of what I looked like just a week prior.  Of course now the pain just needs to end because the migraine pain is not going away.  Came home from lunch and decided too take a nap with the dogs listening to the rain fall.  My eyes, especially my left eye, is very sensitive today to light.  Having a hard time keeping it open and it is a cloudy day and raining.  The pain is mostly coming from behind the eye today and has me a bit worried.  Actually typing this now with just my right eye open.  Not much going on this weekend so we will stay close to home.  It is suppose to be very hot and humid and I even turned on the air conditioning today.  Will most likely be on through the weekend and the beginning of next week.  In the 80s and then 90s next week.  Hot and humid.  I don't do hot and humid.  Going to close this post and go rest my eye with an ice pack.  Thanks for all your support this week.  It has been a rough couple weeks and I have you all to thank for getting me through it.

Thursday, June 20, 2013

June 20, 2013 Thursday Afternoon

Spent last night watching some TV from the DVR.  Went to bed around 9 PM to watch an hour of TV and then lights out.   Got up once during the night to pee, but didn't take a pain pill. 

This morning I was up at 6:30 AM.  Did the usual routine and got Tony off to work.  Took my morning meds including the pain pill which by now was needed.  Damn the head just throbs if I wait to long in between pills.  Went to Walgreen's to deliver my prescriptions and wait for them to be filled.  For some reason my doctor had not called in the meds.  Thankfully I had the copies of the prescriptions on me and the pharmacist was able to fill them with the hard copies.  Got another 10 days of Valacyclovir 1GM tablets for the Shingles, a prescription of Acylclovir 5% ointment for the sores and painful spots on my head.  And another 90 Oxycodone 10s for the pain, to get me through the next few weeks.  So I am well medicated and I sure can feel it.  Having problems remembering anything and days just fly by.  As much as it is fun to be 'high' all the time, I don't want my life going by like this and no memory of each day.  So the pain better go away soon.  I feel like I am walking around like a zombie at times.  On my way to Walgreen's this morning, sitting at the stop light, I watched a car go right through the light and hit another car head on.  As it was happening I was saying 'buddy, what the hell are you doing' and then smash.  It all happened right in front of me in slow motion.  After Walgreen's I came home and left about an hour later to go to my board meeting this ARCW.  Took another pain pill on my way out the door.  Went there also to pick up my monthly prescriptions of HIV meds and my monthly food from the pantry.  Of course my meds were not ready and I had to complain because this was not the first, or second time this has happened.  I talked to them a week earlier about what day I would pick up all five prescriptions.  So there was no excuse and I didn't need the stress.  Went to my meeting and by the time I got out of the meeting the head guy at the place had straightened it all out for me and they just filled my meds so I would not have to come back.  Got my food and came home.  Stopped off at Tony's shop to see if he wanted anything we wouldn't eat in the bags of food.  Since I have been home my head is just pounding.  After I post this I am going to the couch.  Here is a picture of what I looked like this morning.  As you can see the scabs are healing well and each day I look a little better.  Now the pain needs to stop.

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

June 19, 2013 Wednesday Afternoon

Spent last night watching the movie Treasure Buddies.   It was a kids movie and I liked it.  Went to bed around 9 PM and did the lovin thing.  Haven't in weeks.  I could have gone longer without it but poor Tony needed a release.  Was honestly happy when it was over since my head was pounding.  Took a pain pill and turned off the TV.  Slept all night without having to get up and take a pain pill during the night.  Did get up once to pee, but didn't take a pill.  Trying to ween myself off them slowly.  Only taking 5 a day right now which is not a problem.

This morning I was up by 7 AM.  Could have stayed in bed and just slept the day away.  Fed the dogs, gave Vito his shot (opening a fresh Insulin), and got Tony off to work.  Took a round of pills and read a little of the morning newspaper.  Went to my eye doctor appointment at 10 AM and picked up some soup on the way home for lunch.  Eye doctor says my eye is looking good and suggested I make sure I fill another round of the Shingles anti viral drug for another week or ten days.  I only have three days left of the 10 day prescription.  Will deal with that at 5 PM when I see my regular doctor.  Ate the soup and took a nice two hour nap with the dogs.  I could just sleep all day.  Still waking up with sweating and dripping wet sheets and pillow case.  Will address this with the doctor tonight also.  I think I have a sinus infection along with the Shingles to be honest.  The sweating means there is something in my body trying to fight it's way out.  Soon I will feed the dogs early and go to the 5 PM doctor appointment.  Will pick up two subs on the way home for supper.  Will most likely be at the doctor for hours like every appointment with her in the past.  She is never on time and another reason I take one of the last appointments for the day.  I am usually left in the office with the cleaning crew.  Will then just spend the night watching TV from the DVR.  Was in the 70s and sunny in Milwaukee today.  Perfect weather if you wanted to be outside.  Because the eye doctor dilated my eyes today it has been hell on the eyes with the sun.  They still are sensitive to the light.

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

June 18, 2013 Tuesday Afternoon

Spent last night watching the movie The Pact.  It was a thriller movie and dragged for over and hour and a half.  Would have been mad if I had spent movie theater prices to see the movie.  Was entertaining enough as a free download.   Turned off the TV and took the dogs and Tony to bed around 9 PM.  Watched an hour of TV in bed and went to sleep around 10 PM.   Not easy to sleep when you head hurts to the touch on your left side and top of the head.  Have to sleep on my right side of my face on the pillow.  Of course we all know you can only sleep that way for so long and then you roll over, and the pain wakes you up.  Got up as usual at 3 AM for another pain pill.

This morning I was up by 6:30 AM.  Fed the dogs and gave Vito his shot.  Took the first round of Shingles pills and pain pills right away.  Almost threw them up but was able to keep them down.  Spent the morning doing things around the house or just laying on the couch holding my head in pain.  It feels like my brain has swelled and if I move to quickly or think to hard, it feels like my brain gets a burn or something.  Hard to explain, but oh so real.  Tony came home around 11 AM so we could take Vito to the vet for his scheduled appointment.  Of course the vet wanted to do unneeded blood work and we just left it as the office visit and nail trim.  He is doing great, doesn't need a blood test right now, much less it hurts my head right now to even think about it.  Made an appointment for Kali on Saturday as we walked out the door.  Kali's skin condition must be addressed again.  I gave her a bath today , but that only does so much for the leaking and scabs she gets.  Had some cherries for lunch and then took a nice two hour nap with the dogs.  I could sleep all day.  Not sure if it is the Shingles, pain pills or pot making me so tired.  Yah, I said pot.  Would have died without it these last few weeks.  I feel like I could just lay in bed all day.  Trust me, its not the pot.  I have smoked that for over 30 years daily.  Thankfully it now helps with this head pounding pain.  Making some sweet and sour chicken and rice tonight with a salad.  Will most likely spend the night watching another movie I have downloaded.   Tomorrow I see my eye doctor in the morning and regular doctor at supper time.  Here is a picture of what I look like today.  Took it about an hour ago.  The swelling under the eye seems to be going down a little each day.  The scabs don't look worse?  That about all the good news I can think of.

Monday, June 17, 2013

June 17, 2013 Monday Afternoon

Saturday night we made hamburgers and beans for supper.  Spent the night watching the past weeks Falling Sky's episodes and then went to bed around 9 PM, head pounding.

Sunday morning we got up by 7 AM.  Fed the dogs and gave Vito his shot.  Spent the morning reading the newspaper as my eye watered.  Not easy to read with your eye watering.  Made eggs, bacon and toast for breakfast since I didn't think it fair to leave the house to go out to eat and ruin everyone else breakfast by the look of my face.    Was happy after breakfast I finally pooped.  Had not pooped for 8 days, since the pain and pain pills started.  Even though I had not ate much in the past week, a person needs to go before the eighth day.  Was not as painful as I was thinking it was going to be and was just happy to have this problem crossed off my list of problems.  It was very nice outside, sunny and in the 70s.   Decided not to go to my parents house for Father's Day since the head hurts so much, the face looks so horrible, and people talking to me is like knives being tossed at my face, the pain is so bad.   Around 1 PM we decided to load up the scooter and check out a car show on the south side of town.  Was glad we brought the scooter since it turned out to be a bigger car show than I thought and walking around the whole thing would not have been an option.  Was happy to be on my scooter with my big floppy hat and huge sun glasses so no one could see me or recognize me if we ran into anyone we knew.  Stopped off at Sonic for some late lunch and then came home.  Was exhausted by the time we got home.  I am amazed at how draining physically this Shingles thing is also.  Spent Sunday night watching the movie OZ The Great And Powerfull and went to bed around 9 PM.  The movie was good enough.  I was happy we watched it.  Tony slept through most of it.  Took another round of pain pills and went to sleep around 10 PM.

This morning I was up by 7 AM.  Fed the dogs, gave Vito his shot and got Tony off to work.  Here is what my face looks like today.  The picture does not show the pulsing pain in my head.

The swelling under my eye has me worried.  I did make a doctor appointment for Wednesday with my regular doctor so she can check me out and see if I am healing as I should or something more needs to be done.  I counted today and I have taken 22 pain pills since Thursday.   Of course in the beginning they were every hour and now I can at least wait four hours until the next round of thunder in the brain and pounding begins.  Any loud noise or fast movement is horribly painful.  It is like my brain moves in my head and hurts, if that makes sense.   Took another pain pill at 11 AM and then at 11:30 AM I decided to take my scooter three blocks down the street to Pick N Save.  Today has been the first day since I bought the damn thing that I even considered going with it to the grocery store.   Made it to the grocery store and back with minimal problems.  I did forget my coin change in the change machine, which I remembered halve way home.  Looked at the receipt to see it would have been 54 cents.  Oh well, I can get over that.  Made the next customers day I am sure when they got their change from paying.  Feeling itchy and tired of the head pounding pain.  Bought some ribs for supper tonight already baked and just need heating.  Will make some salads and a side to go with the ribs.   Will most likely spend the night watching a movie, not going out anywhere and subjecting them to my ugly mug.  Felt sorry for the Pick N Save clerk having to look at my scabby face.  I do have to take Vito tomorrow for a vet appointment.  Depending on my head pain, I might have to have Tony help.  Even bending over just makes the head THROB.

Saturday, June 15, 2013

June 15, 2013 Saturday Afternoon

I don't usually post on the weekend but thought I would since I am doing so little else.  Friday night I actually felt like I was feeling a bit better.  My eye started opening to the point where I could actually use it to watch TV.  Put some cold compresses on the eye for a while to take down the swelling.  Stayed up watching TV until around 9 PM, before we went to the bedroom to watch a final hour of 20 / 20 on TV before going to sleep.  Took my anti viral and pain pill before going to sleep and for the first time in a week sleep until 3 AM, getting up to go to the bathroom and take another pain pill because of the head pain. 

Slept in until 7 AM, waking up feeling I was on my way to recovery.  When I say this, it is only because I have gotten to the point where I can control the pain enough to wait four hour in between each pain pill rather than just an hour or two like in the beginning.  Spent all day today doing very little.  Tony went to the shop to cut the grass and go to the bank afterwards.  I took a nap.  Very tired and could just sleep.  Having to put ice under my left eye now to get rid of the swelling where before yesterday the swelling was always behind or above the eye.  So, I slept almost all night and feel like I am controlling the pain for once, rather than the pain controlling me.   Take a deep breath.  Here is what the Shingles virus looks like on my shoulder and face today.  I won't be able to leave the house for months, if ever looking like this.  Looks like I had a motorcycle accident and road rash.

Friday, June 14, 2013

June 14, 2013 Friday Afternoon

Went to my eye doctor appointment only to have to wait almost an hour to see him.  By the time he came in the room I told him we have to do this fast and get me out of here.  Checked my eyes with his machines and said there is no damage so far to the eye, which is good, since now we are on the antibiotic Valacyclovir.   Got home around 5:30 PM and sat in pain wondering what Tony was planning for supper.  Of course, nothing.  After a little arguing, he went to McDonald's.  If I have to tell him one more time to 'look at my face' when he things I am going to serve him or take care of HIM like it is any other day and I don't have Shingles.  Ate a half a burger and little by little drank the strawberry shake, taking it out of the freezer to eat a little all night.  I swear the cold shake was the best just letting the ice cream melt in my mouth.   Spent the night in bed watching old reruns of Everybody Loves Ramond.  Really more listening then watching since the eyes don't focus to good. Not easy to type this either, if you were wondering, with one eye open.  Actually only got up every two hours to take my Oxycodone / Acetaminophen 5-325MG, which is an improvement from every hour. 

Was out of bed by 6 AM and got the dogs fed.  Tony left for work around 7 AM.  I told him to have fun at work today since I am sorry to say home life sucks.  Spent all day doing very little.  I did manage to eat a half a bowl of soup this afternoon.   Weighed myself and was so surprised to see I have lost 10 lbs since last week.  I know this isn't good, but you all know loosing 10 lbs, is loosing 10 lbs, no matter how we do it.  Plus since I quite smoking almost 2 weeks ago I should have gained 10 lbs rather than lost them.  So ..... silver lining?   I now have scabs and pimples all over my body, here and there.  Mostly in the back of my head and neck now.  They itch like hell.  My eye is getting slightly better and I am trying to keep it open as much as possible with drops.   I was able to wait 4 hours in between pain pills all day today, so this is good also.  Most likely will do very little this weekend, poor Tony.  But he always does just want to lay around and do nothing, so here is his time.  Hell, he could do projects around the house but that would be like  ....  work?   Doesn't look like I will be out much this Summer anyway since the scabs and marks on my face will not make me want to go out in public.   Thanks for all your well wishes.  Honestly, they mean more than you would imagine.  Here is a picture of what my face looks like today.  Please do not pass this around the Internet.  LOL.  This is what it looks like to have Shingles in your head and eye.  Not sure you can see the pain?

                                                           Not very pretty, hey?

Thursday, June 13, 2013

June 13, 2013 Thursday Morning

Shingles!

Around 2:30 AM last night I packed my bag and drove to Emergency.  My head was hurting so much and my left eye can hardly open.  Plus I am getting scabs and sores around my head, forehead, top of my scalp and my eye burns and waters if I open it.  Got to emergency and was put in a room pretty quick because of how horrible I looked.  Nurse checked me out and soon the doctor came in the room.  She walked up to me and put her hands on my cheeks and looked me in the eye and said, 'Oh, my dear, I am so sorry, you have shingles'.   Soon I was given a shot or morphine for the pain and another shot for ..... I am not sure.  Both in the butt.  Was also given 2 anti viral pills and 2 pain pills.   Called Tony at home and told him to come get me since the doctor didn't want me driving home even though I am only a mile away from the hospital.  I have to call an eye doctor because of all the swelling and the fact the shingles has gone into my left eye, burning like hell and I can not open it.  Waters if I do.  Tony soon showed up and about a half hour later I was released and told to go home and sleep.  I did drive home with Tony following me.  Typing this with my eye closed which is not easy.   So today I have to get my meds from Walgreen's and set and appointment with the eye doctor they gave me the number for on this side of town.  Would hate to loose my eye sight over this.   So, that is it,  I honestly am not happy to hear I have shingles but I must say I am happy I was diagnosed with something they knew so I can fix it.  So best to know even though it sucks what I got.  Going to the couch and will be doing very little today but getting meds and the eye doctor.  Wanted to let you guys all know what was going on.  I should have gone to emergency sooner.  Glad I finally just did.

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

June 12, 2013 Wednesday Afternoon

Ate a half a slice of pizza for supper and that was it.  Spent the night in bed watching America's Got Talent with an ice pack on my head.  Was up every hour on the hour all night long in pain.  Getting up to take another pill or switch out the ice pack.

This morning I was out of bed by 6 AM since I could not just lay there in pain anymore.  Fed the dogs, gave Vito his shot and Tony soon left for work.   Tony has been very good helping a bit more with feeding them and doing things around the house.  I appreciate it so much because listening to teh dogs bark as I get their food ready is painful to the head.  This morning I called my regular general practice doctor to be told she thinks I should go to emergency for the pain since she can not fit me in for over a week.  I just can not see going to emergency and spending the huge dollars to do that if this is just a sinus thing.  Since I still had not eaten anything by 9 AM this morning I decided to go get my 6 month blood test which I had planned on doing tomorrow morning anyway.  I figure if I go to emergency at any time I can always tell them I just had my round of blood tests and hopefully some results.  Plus who knows if I will be dead by tomorrow from the pain, so I better get the blood test today rather than tomorrow.  Not that the blood test will matter much if I am dead.  Stopped off at Pick N Save to buy some fruit and milk for Tony just in case I end up in the hospital.  Not good for me to be out when my mind isn't working because as I grabbed my bags out of the cart and headed to the car I could not find my car and house keys.  Back tracked through the store and finally went to customer service to first be told no keys were found and then as I was walking away she got a call and yelled for me that my keys were found.  Guess I set them down near the cherries.  Wow, I would never do that.  Really didn't need all this problems when my head hurts, pounding in pain.  Came home and spent the day mostly in bed with ice.  Called my HIV doctor this afternoon and he just called me back.  He agreed that if the pain is that bad I need to go to emergency.  So there it is.  Both my doctors telling me to go to emergency and spend a ton of money.  Not very happy right now.  So, the plan I told my HIV doctor is that if this pain is still here in the morning I will go to emergency first thing.  HIV doctor thinks it might be a migraine thing and maybe a scan would be needed.  Sounds like a lot of money out the pocket.  So that is the plan.  I will try to make it thought the night hoping for a break.  If by morning or sometime before that I can no longer take the pain, I will be in emergency.  Guess I have no choice at this point.  My left eye only opens half way because of the pain and for some reason I have two scabs forming, one on my forehead and one on my nose right between my eyes.  Might be a fever thing from all the sweating?  Making some salads and beef ribs for supper along with some potatoes.  I will not eat much or anything but I have not cooked all week and Tony needs at least one good meal.  I haven't eaten much in the past week.  I honestly should weigh myself.  I think that might be uplifting seeing how much weight I have lost not eating in the past week.  Thanks for all your comments.  I read every one and appreciate all and any advice.  I promise, by tomorrow at this time I will either be better or in emergency finding out what the hell is wrong with me.  What a waste of almost a week.  Damn, if I had a job, I'd be fired.

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

June 11, 2013 Tuesday Afternoon

Had Tony pick up Wendy's food for supper last night.  Ate about half the chili hoping it would open my sinus's before I just wasn't hungry any more.  Went to bed around 7 PM with ice packs on my forehead and moving them around my head to relieve the pain.  I get these sinus infections about once a year which is why I stay an antibiotic ahead in the medicine cabinet so I have them ready to take.  I also have all the pain meds and sinus meds a person could have without being arrested.  In the past if I went to the doctor half way through these sinus episodes I am usually told to continue the antibiotic and sooner or later it just breaks and I am better.  Honestly it has never lasted this long and I am half way through my antibiotic of Levoquin.  Took an 800 mg ibuprofen an hour ago which seems to be giving me some relief.  I can only take them for so long until they rot out my stomach and I start throwing up again.  At least I am not typing and holding my head at the same time right now.  Spent all day today just trying to survive the head pain.  I did get laundry again done today because I woke up dripping wet again this morning.  Vacuumed and did a little dusting before the throbbing in my head began again and soon I was on the bed with ice packs.    I do feel sorry for Tony and the dogs because I have had no love to share with any of them this past week the way I feel.   Making a frozen pizza and a salad for Tony tonight.  Will most likely spend the night on the couch or in bed watching America's Got Talent with ice packs on my head.   I pray this pain ends soon or I will have to call my regular doctor.  That's another thing with having HIV.  Which fricken doctor do you call for things like this?  Only good thing I can think of is the fact it has been one week today that I had my last cigarette.  Made it a week.

Monday, June 10, 2013

June 10, 2013 Monday Afternoon

Had one of the worst weekends of my life last weekend and it just continues.

Went to my 4 PM foot therapy appointment on Friday only to get there with my head pounding.  Looked at the therapist and told him I simply can not do the therapy and I am going home.  Got home and soon got a phone call from my HIV doctor about my Neuropathy and he said he will take me off Truvada and put me on Epzicom with my next refills.  Great, another round of new side effects to have to deal with.  I did look it up on the Internet and Truvada does cause Neuropathy in some people.  Not many though.  Oh well, was in too much pain to ask much more.  Tony got home from work and I put in a TV dinner for him for supper.  We spent the night watching the movie A Good Day To Die Hard, with ice packs on my forehead.  Went to the bed around 9 PM and started taking pills, any pills, sinus pills, pain pills, anything that might stop this sinus pain.  I was up all night.  Didn't sleep even an hour from all the pain.

Got up Saturday morning and after I fed the dogs I went back to bed.  Got up to throw up and then the fun began.  Spent all day Saturday going from the bed to the sink to throw up.  Couldn't even keep down water or crackers.  Of course Saturday was Pridefest here in Milwaukee and I was so mad.  Never in all my years have I missed Pridefest here in Milwaukee.  I kept on apologizing to Tony and told him if he wanted to go he could.  Of course he did not and would would not have either if the tables were turned.  Never ate more than 3 crackers all day Saturday and spent the entire day in bed.

Sunday I was up holding my head in the living room when Tony got up with the dogs.  Fed the dogs and went back to bed for a while.  Not only is this Pridefest, but today is the big Locust Street block party.  Two blocks away and best block party of Milwaukee.  I took a shower around 10:30 AM and loaded up with pills, meds, anything.  I simply could not ruin any more of Tony's weekend so I got the strength to go up to Locust Street, me in my scooter, and watch the beginning beer run around the neighborhood.  I still have not had a thing to eat since Friday lunch and my head still shooting pain.  Stayed for an hour and headed home.  Loaded up on my pills and went to the Pridefest parade on 2nd Street in the Third Ward.  Half way through the parade my feet hurt so bad I was shifting from foot to foot and my head was pounding.  I finally just sat down off to the side not caring about the parade.  We left before it ended I simply could not take the pain in my feet and head.  The pain in my head is like your worst hang over ever.  When you just hold your head and rub the temples hoping for any relief.   I did start an antibiotic on Friday but threw it up on Saturday morning.  I also have not had a cigarette in almost a week now and I am coughing which then feels like my head is going to explode.  Went to the bedroom around 7 PM and just watching TV with an ice pack on my temples.  Was up all night in pain and got less than a couple hours of sleep.

Got up today to feed the dogs and have spent all day in bed.  Head feeling like it is going to split open.  I did get some chicken noodle soup to stay down this afternoon, but it did not help the head pain.  Going back to the couch.  This sinus thing better break soon or I am getting he gun. Will call Tony and tell him to just pick himself something up on the way home for supper.  Not cooking a thing and going back to bed after I spell check and post.  I honestly have taken enough pills to kill a small dog, done nothing for me though.  Forgot to even mention the sweating and having to change the sheets and pillow cases every day since Friday.  I have had this before.  It is an alergy sinus infection and it simply has to run it's course, making life horrible.  I honestly have never had it last this long or be this painful in the past.  I keep thinking every time I wake up dripping wet I might have broke the damn infection.  It better happen soon.

Friday, June 7, 2013

June 7, 2013 Friday Afternoon

Spent last night holding my head and watching the movie A Haunted House.  Seems a sinus infection has taken over and my head was pounding, and still is now as I type this blog post.  Took a bunch of pills and went to sleep around 9:30 PM feeling horrible.  Woke up at 3 AM with my head feeling like it was going to explode.  Took another round of pills and laid in bed, head pounding.

Got up this morning at 7 AM.  Took another round of sinus pills, fed the dogs, gave Vito his shot and got Tony off to work.   Read a little of the morning newspaper and then went back to bed.  Didn't really sleep, just laid there holding my head from the pain.  Can't even breath on the left side of my sinus's they are so clogged.  Got up again around 11 AM, showered and met the guy for lunch.  Seems all us guys are sick with this sinus infection.  Ate lunch and headed home.  Stopped off at Walgreen's to pick up some prescriptions and sinus meds on my way home.  Called my HIV doctor and left a message regarding my feet and if it might be the HIV meds.  Laid on the bed for an hour and soon my HIV doctor called back to talk to me about my feet problems.  He is going to change my HIV meds from the blue Truvada pill to a yellow pill with my next refill, just in case it is the Truvada causing the Neuropathy in my feet.  Didn't even ask what the yellow pill is, figured he knows best.  Will get the new meds in two weeks when I pick up my next months worth.  So I will keep taking the Truvada for another two weeks.  My left side of my head is pounding so bad I don't even know if I will go to my 4 PM foot therapy today.  Not a good weekend to be sick since this weekend is Pridefest and the big Locust Street block party on Sunday.  Will do what we can.  Thankfully Tony is just as sick as me.  Having a real hard time typing through this head pain so I am going end this post for the weekend.  Life just keeps getting more painful.  Between the feet and the head and sinus problems I just want to crawl in bed and sleep until it passes.

Thursday, June 6, 2013

June 6, 2013 Thursday Afternoon

Went out for supper with Tony's sister in law last night and had a great shrimp dinner and french fries as well as great conversation.  When we got home we spent the rest of the night watching the movie It's A Disaster.  About a group of friends together for a house party when the world is attacked and they have to tape up the house and stay indoors.  Of course all kinds of secrets and affairs come up and they cant leave the house.  It was OK.  Entertaining enough.  Went to bed around 9 PM to watch an hour of TV before going to sleep.

This morning I was up by 6:30 AM.  Did the usual morning routine of feeding the dogs and getting Tony out the door for work.  Decided to exchange a pair of shoes I bought a couple weeks ago at Kohl's but never wore yet.  Thought a half size smaller might be better and thought it better to take care of the exchange while I still could.  Drove to Kohl's and exchanged the shoes for a 9.5 instead of a size 10.  They will be my back up pair and stay in the box until needed.  Tried on about 10 pairs of shoes trying to find anything that felt good on my feet.  Finally put on a pair of Crocs and I loved them.  Bought them on sale and even got another 30% off because of my coupon and using my Kohl's charge.  Got the Crocs for $30 which seemed like a deal to me.  I figure I must have spent close to $400 on shoes and inserts in the past two months trying to find anything I can walk in without pain.  Still debating if I am going to return the inserts I bought yesterday.  Honestly I wish I could return the $60 inserts I bought there 2 months ago, or some of the other 10 inserts, since I used them once or twice, and now they are sitting on the shelf with the other 10 or more inserts I bought.  To bad I have had them too long.  Drove the truck so I could stop off at Home Depot to buy some 2 x 8 panels of lattice for under the scooter ramp.  Bought the lattice.  Stopped off for a steak egg and cheese bagel at McDonald's on my way home.  Spent an hour cutting the lattice to fit under the ramp.  Looks real nice.  I am very happy with this ramp project and how it looks and turned out.  Took a two hour nap with the dogs this afternoon since it is cloudy, drizzling and only in the 50s again today in Milwaukee.  Was a great day to take a nap.  My feet feel better today than they have in a long time.  I do think it is because I have not been on them much.  When I say 'better' it by no way means I could run down the street or take a walk around the block.  It simply means I haven't had to use my scooter today yet to get around the house.  It is early yet.  The construction on the apartment complex across the street is in full work mode.  There is a lot of activity as they dig the sewers and water lines as well as digging the foundations of the buildings.  Trucks coming and going all day and there is about 20 guys in my view that I see as I look out the window.  Unfortunately not one is very good looking playing in all the mud.  Today is my third day without a cigarette.  Actually didn't even remember I forgot to put the patch on until I was in Kohl's.  Still have not put one on and think I will make it thought the day not needing the patch.  Not a cig in the house so I will not fail.  Will wear the patch on days I need it, most likely this weekend at Pridefest and Locust Street festival as I see everyone smoking.  Talked with my mom this afternoon for a while.  Had a nice conversation and glad we are so close now.  Time to start supper.  Making a Hormel beef roast, noodles and a salad.  Will most likely spend the night watching another movie.

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

June 5, 2013 Wednesday Afternoon

This morning I was up by 7 AM.  Fed the dogs, gave Vito his shot and got Tony out the door to go to work.  Spent the morning reading the newspaper and doing things around the house.  The morning went by so fast I could not believe it was time to leave for my foot therapy at 10:30 AM.  Discussed with the therapist how the massage of the feet seems to be the best thing and the ultra sound and electric current things are not doing much for me.  With that said the therapist spent most of the hour just massaging my feet, which felt great.  Stopped off at Pick N Save to do the weekly grocery shopping.  Mapped out the store in my head as I walked in and went down as few aisles as possible trying to be nice to my feet.  Got home with the groceries, put them away, and sat on the couch.  Damn, that felt good to get off my feet.  Thought about shoes again so I went to a shoe store for better shoes.  Was willing to spend any amount if I found a pair that fit good.  Didn't find a pair of shoes but did find an insert I liked.  Going to just relax on the couch for the next hour or so before Tony comes home.  We are then going out to eat at the Track's bar two blocks away to meet Tony's sister in law for supper.  I think if I get off my feet for the next hour I will be able to go from the car to the restaurant.  Will most likely have a drink or two with her and then come home.  Not much on TV again tonight so depending on when we get home we might watch a movie.  Was cloudy and in the 50s today in Milwaukee.  Cold, damp, and drizzled most of the day.  Guess we had our Summer last week when we had two nice days back to back in the 70s.

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

June 4, 2013 Tuesday Afternoon

Spent last night on the couch with my feet up, rubbing them here and there.  Watched a couple episodes of Operation Repo and then watched the movie 10 Years.  It was a slow moving movie about a 10 year reunion.  I would skip this movie unless you have nothing else to watch.  Went to bed around 9 PM and finished the night off watching a couple episodes of Everyone Loves Ramond before going to sleep.

This morning I was up at 6:30 AM.  Fed the dogs, gave Vito his shot and got Tony off to work.  Read a little of the newspaper and was outside working on the scooter ramp by 8:30 AM.  Thankfully by about 1 PM I was finished because my feet were killing me and I could not stand any more.  Took a quick shower hoping the entire time it would end sooner because standing in the shower was not fun and the pain on my feet was horrible.  Spent about an hour on the couch, which seemed to help a lot.  The ramp turned out better than I could have imagined and I am very happy.  Works great and even took the scooter up and down it a couple times.  It is very strong and could be used for a wheelchair ramp if that day ever should come.  Here is a picture of the scooter ramp I made these past few days.

Making some chicken corden blue and beef flavored rice with a salad for supper tonight.  Will most likely spend the night watching America's Got Talent.  I do like this show but could do without Howard Stern on the show.  He seems to think it is 'his' show.  Seems the Neuropathy is bothering me more than the Mortons Neuroma these days.  I go to my foot doctor in two weeks and then to my HIV doctor a week later.  Hopefully one of them will give me some relief or suggestions to help with the foot pain.  The only way I can explain it best is to have you think of the time you went to Disnew World or something like that and how your feet felt at the end of the day of walking.  That is how my feet feel by noon these days.   I once again have put the nicotine patch on to stop smoking.  I figure smoking can't be helping my circulation feet problems and I should have quit a long time ago.  Not a cig in the house and a full two weeks of patches to wear.  Wish me luck.  It is all part of the new life changes I seem to be going through lately.

Monday, June 3, 2013

June 3, 2013 Monday Afternoon

Spent Friday night watching the two episodes of One Life To Live and then the movie Identity Thief.  It was a great movie and recommend it.  Went to bed around 10 PM for a bit of lovin.

Saturday morning we were up by 7 AM.  Fed the dogs and gave Vito his Insulin shot.  Went to Kenosha which is about 45 minutes away to look at and eventually buy the scooter a lady on Craigslist was selling.  Loved it and paid the lady.  Drove home and spent the day doing thing around the house like fixing the gate and making the path in the back wider for my scooter.  By the time night came my feet were killing me.  Went out to eat and had a great bacon cheese hamburger.  Spent the night watching the movies Night Of The Living Dead Resurrection and Seven Psychopaths, as I massaged my feet.  Both were horrible movies and I wish I could get that four hour back and watch different movies.  Went to bed around 10:30 PM.

Sunday we were again up by 7 AM.  Made breakfast and spent the morning playing around the house on my scooter.  I love it.  Even took the scooter out two blocks in the afternoon with Tony to buy lottery tickets.  Around 4 PM we saw a mother bird feeding her baby out front and looked in the nature camera to see all three birds had left the nest during the day.  Ordered a pizza delivered for supper and spent the night watching Million Dollar Listing and then the movie The Falls.  Was a great gay themed movie.  Went to bed around 9:30 PM for some lovin.

This morning I was up by 7 AM.  Fed the dogs, gave Vito his shot and got Tony off to work.  My plan is to build a ramp in the side of the yard so I can go out with my scooter into the world.  Tony promised to buy the wood I need while I was at my 11 AM therapy appointment.  By the time I got home all the wood was in the back yard.  I wanted to buy the wood on Sunday but Tony was so lazy I made him promise to go buy it today.  Spent the entire afternoon making the frame for the ramp.  I will take some pictures.  Making TV dinners and salads for supper.  Will most likely spend the night watching a movie and staying off my feet.  My feet are killing me from working outside all day building the scooter ramp.