Taking Lupus on Vacation

Well, I think I have done it! I have taken Lupus along on Vacation, enjoyed myself, and survived with only mild symptoms. Yay me! I feel pretty proud of myself, actually. While I'd like to take all the credit, there is a little bit of luck to it as well.  I'll take it.

As some of my followers know, my Dear Husband and myself have a tradition in our marriage that began on our first wedding anniversary.  We didn't want our anniversary to be a hardship on one person more than the other, or have it be something that we would forget about.  So My Dear Husband arranged for a "Mystery Trip" for our first wedding anniversary.  It was just a long weekend away, a nice dinner out and some romance. I didn't know where I was going, I only new what to pack and what time off to arrange for at work. It was lovely and I was challenged to do the same for my Dear Husband the next year. We have been doing this for each other for the last 30 years and it's been great. We have, stayed in a tree house, bed and breakfasts, taken trips on trains, driven to exciting locations and had grand adventures. Some of our early adventures were very humble but fun for us anyway. Well this year was our 30th anniversary and it was my turn to plan the Mystery Trip.  However, I put it to my Dear Husband, I could plan the Mystery Trip and I would be happy to do it. Or, since its our 30th, we could do a BIG trip and plan it together.  We opted for the BIG trip and the planning commenced.

With a big trip there are a few big concerns for a person with Lupus. I have to be very regular with my medications, apply sunscreen daily, watch my diet, get plenty of rest, avoid stress ..... this is not easy when traveling.

Our fist step was to choose where and how to travel.  In the past, before Lupus, we were fine with flying to a location, renting a car, getting a map and following our nose.  However, that type of travel is a little more uncertain, and sometimes stressful, and never on schedule. So for this trip we decided to choose an "at leisure tour" where we would stay in one location for 3 days, then move on to the next location and settle in for 3 days, etc. This kind of traveling is a little less stressful as we didn't have to drive in a country where the rules of the road are different and we don't know our way around. There would be a little more down time every few days where we would have half a day on our own and would be able to explore or rest, as opportunity or needs arise. Choosing a leisurely tour narrowed our choices of destination down a bit and we whitttled it down further to three destinations. Since it was my turn to plan and I should choose something that my Dear Husband would like, I let him make the final choice.  He was thrilled. We chose a tour that started in Amsterdam and continued on to Luxembourg and Belgium. Because my Dear Husband is a home brewer, he really looked forward to drinking Belgian beer and I don't mind a beer now and again myself. It was a great choice. Unlike my Dear Husband, I had been to Amsterdam before, but neither of us had been to the other destinations, so it was a real adventure for both of us.

One of the first things I did was start a few months in advance and start walking every day to build up  my stamina a little more each day.  I wanted to be able to keep up and avoid flares. As the departure date got closer, I started resting up, declining social functions and doing a lot of self care. I wanted to start out in my best shape with my batteries charged and ready to go.

Another thing I did was pack very well.  We only took our 21 inch carry on rolling suit case.  This was such a good thing, because I didn't have to carry anything except my purse (which I clean out to be light and manageable). If I was going to have a flare and muscle weakness during the trip, I didn't want to have to carry anything heavy. The trick to packing light was something I learned by doing it wrong and learning the hard way.  I'm getting good at this these days. You need two pairs of really good comfortable walking shoes. Use tried and true shoes, don't take a brand new pair of shoes and don't bring heels. We walked 5 to 10 miles per day and you don't want to break in new shoes with that kind of
mileage. Trust me, you don't need the red stilettos, save them for a dinner out when you get home. We went to Amsterdam in mid September, so we checked the weather for about a month prior to get a feel for the weather. They were having rain, not to cold, but very wet. So we needed a rain coat and layers. I did not pack a pair of underpants and socks for every day of the trip. It takes up too much room. So I packed a tiny bottle of Woolite, to wash out our underthings. The first day at each location we hand washed our under and socks and hung them out to dry in our hotel room.  Ladies, stick to light weight lacy panties, they dry faster. Gents, the microfiber shorts dry fast too. It worked very well.


Packing medication worried me.  So I packed my week at a time pill box in my suit case and I also had a small bottle of meds in my purse.  I figured if one or the other is lost or stolen, I'd still be able to keep up with my medication regimen.  I normally take my meds in the morning as soon as I wake up, however with the time change and traveling, I didn't want to mess up my body with changing the time I take my medication. My solution once we landed, was to take my meds before bedtime, it would be close to the same time to when I normally took my medication when I was home.  It worked out well and I was able to keep things consistent.

I think the location and the time of year helped me with my challenges as well. It is not a tropical location, so there was not a lot of skin showing.  We were in overcast and rainy weather with bits of blue sky. While I was careful to apply sunscreen everyday, I didn't need to wear a sun hat or hide from the sun.  It was quite freeing actually.

The Jet Lag is always a challenge, however staying hydrated and trying to sleep as much as you can on the flight will help. Earplugs are your friend. We actually brought some melatonin and took it just before take off, I think we may have nodded off a bit or at least rested.  Once we landed, the key was to stay awake and not to nap, we just waited until bedtime in the new time zone and the next day we were pretty good. Coffee helps.

For me Lupus does not like it when I drink very much alcohol, I usually get muscle weakness and skin issues. However when you are in the Netherlands and Belgium, it would be a shame not to partake of their lovely beer.  My husband is a home brewer so trying beer while we travel is a given.  That said, I do have to limit my intake, but I did not miss out.  I can have one now and again and I am glad I did. I limited my beer to one every few days and would take a sip of my Dear Husband's when I didn't get a glass of my own, so I could taste a few beers but without the Lupus symptoms. It worked, mostly.

The nice thing about being on a tour is that you don't have to drive, navigate or waist time getting lost.  The bad part is that you have to be on a bus with a lot of other people, and their germs.  I made sure I had hand sanitizer and used it often. Gloves also help, especially when visiting ancient buildings with ancient handrails with generations of germs on them. Then when you stop for lunch and take your gloves off, your hands are clean when you pick up that sandwich or stroopwaffle. There  were a couple of people in our tour that got a nasty bug and my Dear Husband and I did not. So the hand sanitizer paid off.  I did come home with a very mild cold, but not the "nasty" that was going around our tour group.

There are a few things I wish I would have done a little differently. One of my Lupus symptoms is that it attacks my skin.  I will develop red, itchy, scaly patches on my hands, elbows, and face that can sometimes develop open wounds. They can start quickly and in a matter of hours and I have very uncomfortable patches.  At home I would slather with the ointment prescribed by my doctor and also with a fragrance free lotion that helps with keeping this under control when I have a break out.  I brought my ointment with me but neglected to bring my lotion. The lotion that is provided in hotels are perfumed and irritate my skin further. My hands were a mess for most of the trip. I would have done better had I brought a bit of my own lotion. Also, I would have brought a better under eye concealer, because I look really tired in many of our photos. Apparently the medication that I am on also contributes to the dark circles and of course jet lag doesn't help. The other thing I would have done is bring formal leggings, the kind that look like slacks but have some stretch to them and don't have buttons and zippers at the waist. I had some black jeans that had some stretch to them but they did not hold their shape well and did not dry well when we got wet while walking in a down pour. They worked well enough but I think I would have been more comfortable with sturdy leggings, especially when were were at the big dinner at the German winery or to accommodate the Frietes with mayonnaise and Belgian chocolates!

The best things about traveling is meeting new people, opening your mind, seeing how other countries operate, taste new things, participate in local events and bring home amazing memories.  So to all of you, I wish you healthy travels and amazing adventures!






And of course, there are the joys of coming home.....

Good things, Good People, and Lupus Fall Out

Gwenyth and Lizzette

As many of you know, I participate in an outdoor event every year where I volunteer with an amazing group of people who make up the Alter Abled Access Advocacy crew. We advocate for equal access for those who may be differently abled, providing wheelchairs, access to alter abled potties, deaf interpreters, event information in braille, resting areas, and much more.

It's a three day event held in the woods, where we camp for the event and for a day before and after to do the set up and take down. Its work, but it's fun and rewarding in a way that's hard to express. I've included some pictures of my crew to give you a feel for these lovely people. It is good for my soul and well being. It's one of the things I look forward to every year. However, it is also a challenge to participate and stay healthy, Lupus doesn't like camping. This event happened one month ago and I have to say, I am just now beginning to recover from the Lupus fall out.

Camping, sun, port-a-potties, lots of human contact, germs and heat are difficult to navigate for a Lupie. I have tools for trying to stay healthy during this event that help but I usually have some level of fall out after this event. 

Tamra and Kenny

For example, one year there was the "Fernando" incident, which refers to

the swollen growth that showed up on the right side of my neck (please see previous blog post for details). This year, I thought I was doing pretty well, I had my sun screen, my parasol, my hand sanitizer, my wide brimmed hats, my medications and vitamins, earplugs ( to help with sleeping)... it just wasn't enough. 

With all of the people, the hugs, the sharing of snacks, I came down with a nasty summer cold including the deep cough, runny nose, etc. That in itself would have enough, however my body's immune systems's response is to attack the lungs and sinuses. This caused my lungs to hold onto all of that mucus and not let go. My husband also got this nasty bug, but only missed one day of work and was over it in about 4 days. Lucky guy. I, on the other hand, was extremely sick for several weeks, had a late night trip to UrgentCare, got four prescriptions, and missed several days of work. It's been exactly one month and I am still using an inhaler and still coughing up Smurfs. I'm so much better and very close to being finished with this

adventure. 

The Crew of Dragon's Head

With Lupus there are always trade offs, compromise and consequences. Lupus have to choose wisely. However, this event and these people are important to me and I will most likely keep doing it and each time I participate I learn how to better compensate for the Lupus, but its still a challenge each time. I have given up so many things already, I really don't want to give this up. So I keep trying and preparing ahead of time, and recovering after. This group of people renew my heart each year and I don't know what I would do without them. This is part of who I am. Thank you Alter Abled Access Advocacy, you make my heart happy and I love you.

Rick and Alea

The Dragon's Head - Home of Alter Able Access Advocacy

Morgan, Will,
Someone hiding behind glasses, and Jennifer

Inflammation is my Kryptonite

Inflammation is my Kryptonite, and it's difficult to say when or how it will attack.  Lupus is so very unpredictable and it seems to linger in the oddest way. It always makes pinpointing the problem, when it arises, a bit murky.  When a problem with my health or a ongoing pain or illness hits, I try to take an inventory of my body's workings and symptoms to determine if it is Lupus or if I have truly injured myself or if it is a different illness or disease. It takes time to figure it out, its like a game of clue that takes months to get the answer. 

The latest mystery is the "case of the left shoulder".  This shoulder has been painful and has limited range of motion. I have been unable to raise my arm past shoulder height, it simply binds and will not move higher and there are some movements that are very painful. This has been going on for about a month and a half, during which I have tried all of my Lupus tricks to get my body to calm itself and control the inflammation that may or may not be the cause. However, my tricks have not been working. I have gone to my Doctor and she thought it might be bursitis, but it's hard to tell. I have started physical therapy a week or two ago and have seen little improvement as of yet. My care providers say that if the therapy doesn't work the next step may be a cortisone shot and if that doesn't work the cause may be a rotator cuff tear. Diagnostic tests and surgery my be the final solution, but with that comes the risk of Lupus fall out caused by the trauma of surgery. I really hope it is just the inflammation that is the cause but its very difficult to predict and it's expensive to do so. Thankfully I have health coverage, but there is still a cost for my part.

If things do turn out to be more dire, there is a new treatment for a rotator cuff tear that could avoid surgery and I have a co-worker who has done it and is happy with the outcome. It's a process which uses the patient's own platelets to inject directly into the tear. It's very painful and the recovery is about the same time as surgery, however it is less intrusive and inflicts less trauma. This procedure may be a better choice for someone with Lupus as it is less likely to cause a Lupus flare and cascading symptoms that could cause more scary symptoms. There are only two doctors in the Rogue Valley who perform this procedure. So exercise, research, stress, and worry seem to be my current pastimes. Stress can cause inflammation, and inflammation is my Kryptonite. 

Lupus and Being the Ostrich

I had been doing so well. Effective medications, exercise, reducing stress, and eating a healthier diet had allowed me to live almost normally for several months and I was thinking this might be my "new normal," that maybe remission was within my reach. I try to be hopeful and positive. There is this balancing point between being trying to stay informed and trying to stay healthy. I've not been balancing very well lately and now I am being the ostrich. I have had to stick my proverbial head in the sand and partake in "avoidance measures".  

I find myself in a strange place, trying to stay informed v's trying to stay healthy. Whatever side of the political spectrum you may be, the time leading up to the election as well as the current situation in our country has been polarizing for most of us, especially in Social Media realm. I have stepped away form Social Media, giving myself a break from the vitriolic political arguments, and the lack of respect, civility, and compassion. I find that it is a waste of energy that I just don't have to give. I have much less nagging stresses now. So I have given it up for now and I find it a relief. I do miss some of the real postings of family's and friend's lives, and perhaps when I have a better handle on my health, I may try again. I have also limited my exposure to the news outlets, which for someone who is usually up to date on current events, it feels weird. 

Healthcare changes and the uncertain future of my personal well being. For those of us with chronic or pre-existing conditions, the potential changes of the repeal/replace of the Affordable Care Act are adding to the worry and stress. I know for me, I have already had to take a job for less money and less hours to try to stay working and stay healthy. The changes in health care could leave me without health care at all, or with such expensive health care that I would be working only to cover the cost of insurance. I also worry about my loved ones who have had cancer, like my sister Kathleen, and what these changes might do to them and their security. I also work in the health care industry, which means things will change there to accommodate the new laws, and less reimbursement from medicare and medicaid, makes my work life uncertain. These worries are added stress to an already compromised immune system. My immune system doesn't like it one bit.

On the positive side, I have a great husband who is caring and understanding. I have a passel of spoiled kitties who are highly entertaining. We have a good life here, even when I'm not at my healthiest. Looking forward, we are planning a big trip this year (it's going to be out 30th anniversary) and I will be using my Lupus travel techniques as best I can and hope we can take the trip without too much fall out. (I am buying the travel insurance.) 

I'm off to make another cup of tea and snuggle with a cat or two.