The next chapter, entry 2, 10/13/12

Pain is still bad, but not as bad as others here. This support group helps in so many ways, but one is that it grounds me, helps me not feel down about my own limits and pain, because others have it so much worse. I have felt low energy and kind of spacy since injection. It may be unrelated, but sometimes I feel like I'm on a pain med or muscle relaxer when I haven't taken any. Last night, I took a hydrocodone, skipped dinner, went out on the town with a friend to an art walk with wine samples. I needed a nitroglycerine tab, which isn't that unusual for me. The narcotic can cause a spasm in my liver that causes severe pain but the nitro removes it. Well, last thing i remember i was looking at rings. When I woke up on the floor, I wondered how I got there. No warning or aura or any sign i was about to go down. Luckily, my friend saw me take the nitro, knew i hadn't eaten since lunch, and is an RN. She settled everyone down, cancelled the 911 brigade, and took me home. Today, I discovered what body part hit the floor first. ha ha. So a wake up call again. I need to pace myself, feed myself, lay down when I take nitro, and stay hydrated. I am not taking nice weather and warm temps for granted, ever. I've researched the effects of taking mtx, mobic, and enbrel together, and I need to make sure that my blood levels are normal via dr. ordered tests periodically. I am grateful for everything I am and have (and don't have). So that's my day.