Wednesday, November 26, 2014

I'm OUT!

Heheh, no, not thaaat type of "out", (and yay to all who make that step), but I mean out of this latest prednisone weaning hole!  (From 4 to 3 mg's this time.)

It accounts for my lack of posting this past while and as much as I know it and try to reason my way out of it each time I go down, this process of tapering, measly milligram by milligram is not only hard on the body, it's just plain soul-sucking. 

But for the last few blessed days, I have been smiling again, even laughing and squeaking out crazy voices again, (as is the tradition, most often in the mornings only), and the usual spring in my spiritual step has been restored, so I haaaad to blog about it.

Just in time too as next week, I'm back at the hospital for the last infusion of Rituximab, (of the 18 month trial I'm in), so I'll be in good shape for that IV-process, which is always a major plus.

F#$% YOUUUUUU, PREDNISONE! 

Ahem.

<--Me, (with my new Chihuahua friend, Roxy), taken just before this last taper.

And I must note well that this last wean went MUCH better than the preceding one and I'm seemingly over the worst of it in less time than the last and that's really sayin' suMm.  

Looking VERY forward to the next couple of months, as I plan to NOT wean again until the new year.

To go at that prickly process consecutively, (as previously and most foolhardily planned), is just plan nonsense and I will have no part of it, thankmeverymucho. 

So with good vibes and restored mojo, I bid you all a smooth day,

Smilin' J once more


Friday, November 7, 2014

It Actually Works!

G'Day, Readers,

Today, I share with vous a wee experiment adventure I recently had.  One that might be of use to many of you as well.

It is about a lowly mole of the seborrheic kind, which rudely decided to invade the space of my neck about three years ago. 

It slowly made its way up in the mole-world from a tiny dot, to in the end, a good two to three mm in diameter and rather tall-ish presence, that after too many close encounters of the necklace kind, lead to my to finally taking matters into my own hands.

That and I just hated the thing.

I saw a skin specialist about it last year and she confirmed that it was indeed harmless.

I did not see her this year to have it removed a la freezing/laser etc., as I was not terribly keen to cause any possible infection situations with an intrusive procedure considering my compromised immune system.

So, remembering fondly the magic of how simple ole duct tape got rid of a wee wart on a wee toe most effectively, (and passively), last year, off I went to google the many online rumors I've read about so often, touting that apple cider vinegar, (ACV), will kill these types of moles.

After just two measly weeks of treatment, check OUT the magnificent results, (click to enlarge).

The "before" pic is more than half a year old when it was smaller but it's the best one I could find as I didn't get a photo of it the day before treatment started.

(I was clearly a bit of a keener to commence with the potential miracle, heheh.)

The process:  Basically, I spent much of week one with it under ACV wraps 24 hrs a day, using some pretty impressive medical tape to ensure the seal was tight.

After just four days, the first layer of Mr. Mole came off easily when brushed gently with a tissue.

By then though, the skin around the mole was starting to get rather irritated by the constant vinegar, (in hindsight, I should've used smaller bits of cotton so the ACV remained solely on the mole).

From that point on, I only left the air-tight poultice on it at night while sleeping, giving the surrounding skin a break during the day and helping it recover with some intense medical-grade moisturizer.

I still can't believe how very WELL it worked.

And likely, I'll have zero scarring from the whole gentle affair, too.

So there it is--a do-it-yourself, natural and passive remedy that for me at least, worked like a charm.

Note: It stung a little, but that's a small price to pay for freedom, I say.  ;)

+++vibes to you All,

: J

EDIT: It is now the beginning of November '15 and the thing came back--just like the research said it probably would.  But this time, I noticed it in an infancy stage and have been back at the vinegar-ing for a few days already.

Sneaky lil bugger...