What I Learned in Week 20

Overall:

• Reduce Computer Eye Strain & Fatigue

• What are Custom Orthotics?

My Health in Week 20

• Overall:  Refitted with Sole Support orthotics on 6/4 (will get them next week), ibuprofen regiment change, travelling to Venice / Sarasota, and more mobility at night (some nights are better than others).
• Sleep:  As with many other previous weeks, I am still waking up twice a night.  I go to bed at 10pm, get up around 1am (take 1 ibuprofen), then around 4am (take 1 ibuprofen, 1 probiotic, and fish oil), then finally get up at 6:30-7:30am.
•  Ibuprofen regiment change:  I normally take as needed, but have been suggested to take at specific times per day (started this on 6/5).  My times are: 2 throughout the night (read above), one when I wake up / 8am, one at noon, one before dinner / 4-5pm, and one before I go to bed.  Taking 6 ibuprofen a day has worked for others in the NSD forums and should cut down on the slowness / tiredness / body aches I get every day.  Keep in mind that the exact times & (sometimes) dosage increases depending on the day’s activities.
• More Mobility at Night:  During my “good days” of the week, I am able (with ibuprofen) to stay more mobile than I was last week.  I still don’t walk as fast as everyone else + I still limp some, but there is progression.  An example was Friday night (6/1), I went to dinner, walked around a 1/2 mile and then watched a movie at the nearby theater.  After the movie was done around 10pm, I was able to walk faster than I ever have at night.  This was a much needed “win” on my battles as my patience is tested everyday with this this auto-immune disease.
• Travelling to Sarasota:  Long day on 6/6.  Driving from Naples to Venice to Sarasota & back started around 3pm and got back around 11pm – 3 hours of which were driving.  I was surprised the next morning that I felt pretty good (usually all that driving wipes me out the next day).  Again, another “win” on my many battles.
  This is Why I Went to Sarasota on 6/6
  

  Little Brayan Graduates the 5th Grade (2nd kid, right side)

• Current Areas of Concern:  Right side of neck (still improving but not there yet), still limping and getting out of the chair to walk is the hardest, feeling lethargic in the mornings / nighttime, I still cannot get a full night of sleep, and get body aches all over (the pain areas change all the time), need to gain more weight, but my body doesn’t feel good enough yet to risk a major flare-up.
• Areas of Improvement:  Ibuprofen regiment to reduce inflammation & pain helping, overall mobility improving.
• Enbrel:  It has been 15 1/2 weeks since my last shot.
• My lowest weight was 131 lbs. and a BMI of 18.36.