Tuesday, 24 Mach 2022
What a night! I was so tired from the massage, I turned out the light at 9:30. Around midnight, I woke to itching. Either I am allergic to something or there’s some strange thing going on with me physically, but for several months I periodically start itching all over.
I keep some anti-itch creams and stuff near and so I smeared some cream on the area itching under my arms. That just seemed to start everything itching – from my ankles, to forearms, to the groin area, my chest, and even my back. I gave up around 1 am and popped a Benadryl. It didn’t really kick in until around 3 am and until that time I was dousing myself with anything I could find to stop the itching. I had welts on my forearms than ran from my wrist all the way up to my elbow. Around 3 am I dozed off and waked around 8 am. At the least Benadryl worked.
I was dragging all morning from the after effects of the Benadryl and didn’t do my morning walk, nor yoga, nor laps in the pool. At least I was able to make coffee and eat breakfast.
I had my six month eye check up today at 2 pm. Since I’m diabetic, my endocrinologist wants me to keep on top of glaucoma. Strangely, my ocular pressure is always normal but the six month check ups have caught two conditions. The first was an extra retinal membrane, which in itself is not so much a problem except when it detaches, it can pull the lining of the retina with it. The ophthalmologist sent me to a specialist and they monitored it for two years until it finally detached with no problems.
The second condition they found was the vitreous humor that fills the chamber of the eye with the retina is shrinking and liquifying with – guess – old age. Again, not a problem but sometimes as the vitreous shrinks, it can also detach the retina. In most cases, it doesn’t affect the retina but I have to be careful if I see more floaters or start seeing flashes of light in my left eye. The right eye seems fine.
There was no change in prescription so I was happy not having to change glasses. The worst part is the dilation of the pupils so the ophthalmologist can examine the inside of the eye. The other tedious part is the checking of peripheral vision. I hate that part where you have to click every time you spot a speck of light. It takes the rest of the afternoon for my eyes to get back to normal.
I’ve pretty much reconciled myself that I will always have some specialist wanting to check up on me every 6 months. So far, my endocrinologist wants me every 6 months, the ophthalmologist every 6 months, and my cardiologist every 3 months. Then I usually go to the orthopedic doctor for arthritis in my hands every 4 – 6 months. It’s a good thing my GP only wants to see me once a year.
The latest news about monkeypox is that most of the outbreaks are in the gay community. It now makes sense that Fort Lauderdale is reporting two cases since there is a large gay population in Broward county. The other news is that people who have been vaccinated for smallpox probably have some immunity from monkeypox. I’ve been vaccinated three times for smallpox and the vaccine produced a reaction two of the three. The last time was while I was 1970 in the Coast Guard and I didn’t get a reaction. Even vaccination immunity wanes over time, but I hope that I still retain some immunity from the three vaccinations although the last vaccination was 52 years ago. The Department of Health, New York State says immunity for smallpox lasts 3-5 years and if revaccinated, it extends the 3-5 year period even more. Maybe, just maybe, I still have a small bit of immunity.
I’ll be taking Benadryl a little earlier tonight. I’ve already started with another rash this afternoon.
Stay tuned!