Because its important - Stinging Nettle Benefits.

Very intelligent, concise and full explanation of the many benefits and uses of Stinging Nettle Tea as well as information on a couple of ways to use it.

Hair (including thinning and Male Pattern Baldness), Skin, Thyroid, Weight Loss, Liver and plenty more.

Just in case anyone should be interested and also for me so I have easy access to the info in future.

Video length: 18 minutes

Butterfly gland flies again

Thyroid Gland (AKA Butterfly Gland)

The Doctor called for Brad's appointment today. When Brad was finished I jumped on the line to give him the heads up that I wanted to get off the pills in lieu of Stinging Nettle Tea. 

He actually agreed....!

My numbers are such that he agrees my thyroid appears to be working well. He is willing to test me again in 2 months to see how its going and he has sent a prescription for 25mg to the pharmacy so that I have it just in case I find that I need it as it can take 2 weeks to get an appt with him. 

Although he did say that if I started experiencing any symptoms that I am to call the office immediately and they will get me booked fast.

My new question is: Do I even need the Stinging Nettle Tea? Perhaps my thyroid has completely fixed itself. I will assume I need the Stinging Nettle Tea for the foreseeable future and cross that bridge once I've stabilized my numbers.

Garden and Thyroid progresss

I wasn't thinking yesterday when I said I'd get a pic of the floating platform. Obviously, I didn't take my iPhone with me to ensure I didn't lose it to Poseidon - God of the Sea. He can buy his own iPhone, they're not cheap! :D

I did get pics of the garden though.

Everything is getting big now that the sun has arrived

Brad is left of center for scale

Rogue Turnips

Waaay back when I planted turnips but they didn't take so I planted something else in their place. Apparently these 2 went rogue.

Garlic is beginning to die back in preparation for harvesting

Brussel Sprouts are growing absolutely fantastic!

Many many brussels on each stem

Thyroid update:

The last reduction the Dr gave me put me on a 50mg dosage of Synthroid medication in hopes to bring my TSH up into 'normal' range... this sure has been a looongg process. On Friday I went for bloodwork ( several days earlier than planned) because I got fed up with being tired all the time.

I am able to check the results of my lab work online, so I did.

My new TSH level is .13 a vast improvement from a year below .001 and my last bloodwork count of actually being right on .001. However, I need to reach .32 because the 'normal range' is 0.32 - 5.04. 

As I suspected its looking like my thyroid is actually working and the Synthroid is giving me too much (his words not mine which is why he keeps reducing my medication). Too much synthroid can make you feel tired all the time which is what is happening to me. 

I'm hoping the Dr will let me off of this stuff and I can just drink Stinging Nettle Tea which makes all the difference in the world! Ideally, he will allow me to do this while still monitoring my bloodwork to ensure everything is working properly.

 

Watch, Forage & Thyroid

Not a lot happening here this week. 

Stacey and her husband are away for a few days so we are keeping an eye on their boat.

On the right.

Look closely at this pic and you will see a guy walking his goats along the beach.... I have no explanation for this, it just is.

We've been busy picking daisies and dandelions to feed Betty* for use throughout the winter in teas as well as tinctures. Yes, I'm becoming quite the herbalist I know. Who is this woman?... No one knows. ;)

Dinner for Betty*

I put up a post on FaceBook asking where to find stinging nettles and a few people have responded with 'come and get em', so that's great and we shall be doing that in the coming days. (replacement for thyroid medication which is effective for Hypo AND Hyper - BUT, I am not a doctor, do your own research! )

However, I did do a test..... and, not expecting any noticeable difference....

I will tell you that I had 1 cup of stinging nettle tea on June 4,5,6,7 and I was full of energy - kicked butt on the Pickleball courts and didn't have a nap at all. However, because I have my next bloodwork at the end of the month, I decided to stop drinking the tea so my Doctor can get a true idea of where I am at before I go rogue on him -- and I will go rogue, if he doesn't cooperate. 

It wasn't until the 11th (4 days later) that I started to feel like I was dragging again. Back to napping by the 11th and 12th.... so tempted to just drink the damn tea but I'm going to attempt to do this under doctor supervision and I can't get a call with him until the 24th, so.... struggling through. (too much medication can cause fatigue which is what I'm feeling which dissipates with every reduction in medication - for a short while, anyway).

The weatherman said it was going to be torrential rain on Saturday and sporadic rain on Sunday so I cancelled out of the Saturday market only to wake to a bright blue sky which lasted until bedtime. This morning.... full cloud and tons of rain... 

The thing with the Sunday market is there is music, so more people come out just for that and the picnic tables with umbrellas allow for mingling so there is a much more vibrant energy about the place which makes sitting there for 4 hours far more pleasant - like going to a free concert and making a few bucks at the same time.

* Betty is our Freeze Dryer for any new readers.

Tidbits

The government replaced a temporary covid sign of the same message with a permanent one. This tells me they don't anticipate this being over anytime anywhere near soon. Apparently in Saskatchewan they are already talking about August, which (to my mind) means maybe next spring.

Permanent Covid sign

The garden is coming up vegetables.

I put the lettuce in yesterday because they will be under the row covers. The tomatoes and peppers are still waiting their turn in the greenhouse.

The ferry passing by in the night - from our dining room window

Who said Quail are small... the quail on this orchard are large. This feeder, you may recall, is about 12 inches high.

My Dr called on Monday to discuss my bloodwork results. He is very surprised, but in agreement, that my thyroid is definitely giving out something. My medication was 75 (I thought it was 50) and he has now reduced it to 50 and we will check it again in 2 months.

 

FoodSaver, 1st Harvest, Row Covers and Thyroid

 I'm sure I mentioned ages ago that my FoodSaver broke. I contacted the company because the little pokey bit on the accessory broke off in my jar sealer so I haven't been able to run Betty (FD) much the last 2 months waiting for a replacement. I cannot reseal the Oxygen Absorbers without the vacuum of the machine or seal jars without the attachment. So I have only been running foraging items like Daisies, Sisal, Blackberry leaves, etc. 

Although I had provided my address, somehow it was shipped to the correct address and postal code but in a different community... I dunno man, I just work here! Anyway, I advised them right away but they didn't bother to notify the shipper I guess and I then received a notice that it was delivered - but I didn't get it. I notified FoodSaver again that I hadn't received it - this was Thursday I think. FoodSaver then sent me an email that they had arranged to send me another.

Yesterday, I checked the mail just because I was passing by and there was a parcel notice. Sure enough... So I emailed my guy at FoodSaver to advise that the original was received and he could cancel the 2nd replacement.

New FoodSaver FM5200

This morning I received an email that the 2nd replacement has shipped.... eyeroll. 

1st harvest from the Greenhouse. Radish. 

It's not much, I get it but its exciting because I grew this baby from seed.

Slugs ate my radishes in the garden. This means WAR! Time for some row covers (crop covers). I realize this makes our already Martian garden look all the more sci-fi but if it works..... (our landlord said our garden looked like it was on Mars weeks ago). Yes, sun and rain go through the cover and it essentially acts like a greenhouse effect.

The row covers 'should' keep the birds AND slugs off

We just remove the logs and roll the cover to one side

Half moon version. Up the side and the trellis' and over the plants on that side.

So I went for bloodwork yesterday.

I recently wrote a post about my thyroid and sandy water, if you haven't read that I recommend it for info purposes should it potentially relate to you...

As you know my thyroid conked out a year ago (literally last April) and they have been trying to sort out my synthroid medication since.... He cut my dose significantly (60%) last time as my TSH has been constantly below 0.01 and he needed to bring it up. Well I have access to my lab results (I speak to Dr on May 3 (Monday), he brought it up alright - My TSH should be between 0.32-5.04, yesterdays bloodwork came in at 0.01 (so up from below 0.01). Seems like maybe, just maybe my thyroid HAS fixed itself. I can't even believe these results I thought this number would have been much higher honestly.

Now normally I wouldn't have this information but I do, so now I must decide do I cut these pills in half for the next week or continue as is until I talk to said Dr... being too low is not healthy or I wouldn't even consider it, however I've been this low this long so another week shouldn't be a deal breaker.... I will have to discuss this with Brad.

More Hypothyroid Intel

 

You may recall when we were still in our RV we were very fortunate to find a lovely spot in the woods to park after leaving the campground we had been running in November of 2019... and then my thyroid went wonky and I almost died in April of 2020....

You may also recall that I thought the other day to check for medicinals for thyroid troubles.... I have HYPOthyroid and so it is that to which I am referring in this post and cannot speak to HYPERthyroid. I came across some info in researching any local medicinals which could help my thyroid should I not be able to obtain the western traditional medicine (Synthroid) which keeps my thyroid operating and thereby keeping me alive (for you die without the thyroid).

The information I found was an article about Traditional Chinese Medicine and in that article when discussing causes of hypothyroid issues it states:

"sand in the water of springs and rivers, especially in the mountainous regions."

That sure got my attention! The spot we were at had pretty good water but every so often I had to remove the little filter on the end of the tap and remove a blockage of sand............  So now it makes sense why I was perfectly fine and then suddenly within such a short time was on deaths door. 

Since moving here, my thyroid seems to be working. The Dr. keeps having to reduce my medication because it appears that my thyroid is putting out something at least.

My question now is: IF I ingested sand and it caused my thyroid to wonk out on me - and I have now moved from that source of sandy water -- is my thyroid hooped from that or can that grain (granules) somehow be removed by my body and my thyroid will repair itself?! 

I know I was told  a year ago that my thyroid was absolutely dead and could not be saved. I also know that on rare occassion thyroids do resolve themselves.... so I'm wondering if those whose thyroids resolved themselves are people who moved away from bad (sandy) water....

I know there is absolutely no reason to ask the Dr, as he is only legally allowed to tell me what 'they' say and I'm laying good odds that 'they' don't have a clue anymore than the weatherman. 

All I know is that my thyroid has begun generating and my medication has been and is still being reduced rather drastically as I mentioned in previous blogs. I will be getting another dose of bloodletting done next week... I'll be very interested to see those results. Very interested.

Still trying to find the right dosage

Since it has been 3 months since my last bloodletting, I dropped by the vampires on Thursday on my way to the ferry as I had a Dentist appt that day as well.

It only took literally 2 minutes (small island, small lab) and I was able to head to the ferry line to await the next ferry, except somehow I was in the line within the 'current load' parameters, I wasn't quite sure if I'd make it on -- but I did, 2nd last. Now I had an extra hour on top of my already extra hour before my Dentist appt. What to do?.... Spend money, of course.

I decided that since we're so close to Xmas, this would be a good opportunity to get my shopping done for His Lordship and Robbie. So I headed off to make the pennies scream... 

I also picked up a few things for gift baskets as I've sold a couple already (someone in Ontario even ordered one as well as a banana bag and spent twice as much shipping it - no it isn't anyone I know).

Friday morning just as Brad was walking out the door to get the ferry to his massage, our Doctor called. Well, that wasn't right since my follow up with him was booked for Monday... 

I knew right away something was off. Sure enough my TSH which should be between 2-5 is reading .001 still. This is the same reason that I was reduced 3 months ago from 125g to 112g, and now he has reduced me again to 100g. I'm thinking I won't wait the full 3 months next time... 2 should suffice to have my body regulate to the new medication level before I get it checked again.

Just a side note here: I write about this stuff more for me than for you guys. I have a terrible memory since my stroke in 2002 and so this is a great way to keep those memories and details easily accessible and it could help someone else who is completely unaware that the thyroid problem is so serious, as it regulates every organ and without it -- well, you die, like I almost did in April.

Enough of that....

So about business... Well, its going great guns. In my first week (Thursday to this past Thursday), I sold about $250 which is pretty good since items are $7-$9 each. And, of all the things I sell I would have thought the candy would be the hot ticket item at Xmas but what has been selling like crazy ---- BRUSSEL SPROUTS! Can you believe that?! I'm out of them already. I have to go to town today and get some more, it was just an item that was in the discount bin as it was expiring so I picked it up thinking it would be something unusual just to have on the list for the odd person... turns out Brussel Sprouts ( and Asparagus) are a popular thing. Who knew.?!

Today, I am trading 4 Unicorn Poop with a local woman who makes Chocolate Bombs and I get 5 of those in the trade... I'd never heard of them but damn do they look good. 

I'm actually thinking about cutting back because my Corporate brain has done it again. I have the Etsy shop, I'm on the local online market and the Salt Spring online market and I also opened a FaceBook site and paid to promote it. So now I'm monitoring to see which one I can close because I refuse to get overwhelmed by this. It is supposed to be something fun I can do as a hobby, not a full blown business. And I ordered a banner so I can set up a table and sell on the road by the shopping area where I have seen others selling their wares - I expect this to arrive early next week.

I am not going to open to the U.S. market, simply because it will just become too much. Should anyone I know wish to purchase, I can make those arrangements. Just contact me through the Etsy Shop

I was contacted by the woman who created the Salt Spring Online Market and asked to participate, I had decided not to participate as it wasn't functional to be going down there on 4 ferries (return trip) to sell 1 $7 item. But then she offered that I could bring a bunch of stuff down to her and she would dole them out as they sell. How could I refuse that? I couldn't. So I drove a bunch of stuff down to her several days ago. Also, another woman there had ordered 2 Unicorn Poop and 2 Reindeer Poop so I delivered that and she took a 3rd Unicorn Poop when she saw them because they looked soooo good. And a friend bought a Brussel Sprout while I was there, so it was a productive trip.

The local market here opens every Thursday and already I have 5 items sold in this weeks rotation, so things are definitely going well on the business front. When it closes late Monday night, I should have several purchases lined up. 

The system is that items are purchased Thursday morning - Monday night. On Tuesday sellers package up the orders and on Wednesday they are delivered to a central location where the market then takes them out for delivery to the buyers. Good system, I must say. Some people have contacted me directly to buy, either because they want the item before the delivery day or they don't want to pay the delivery fee.

Thyroid meds adjusted

 I had a call with our Dr several days ago now and my numbers had gone slightly askew. 

FT4 s/b 7-15 was at 23

TSH s/b 2-5 was at 0.01

So he has adjusted my Synthroid from 125mg down to 112mg.... doesn't seem like much to me, but he's the Dr...

There has been a lot of canning going on around here, tomatoes coming out of our yingyang... Bell peppers are coming in now and tomorrow I will likely process about 6 butternut squash.

We have also been very busy getting organized for our newest family member (its an appliance - don't get weird on me) which should be (s/b) arriving Friday/Saturday this week.

However, people give names to these appliances (I just work here) .... so I'm open to suggestions from you -- my peeps. 

I'm thinking Betty (for Betty Boop)... 

If someone comes up with a better one, I'm open. Seems everyone gives them girl names -- perhaps I should 'go rogue'? Hmmm...

It is Brad's birthday Tuesday 29th, his Mum sent prezzies and almost always includes a treat for Robbie (dog)... I made a video of Robbie getting excited when he smelled Grandma's house on the package but its too big to upload without YouTube. Trust me, its cute.

Interesting side note here: I just drag and dropped those pic above... hmmm, didn't know that was an option. I do know several bloggers who have trouble uploading pics so maybe that will help them. Specifically - Al. ;)

Doctors, Critters and Projects

So, since this thyroid issue popped up I have put on what can only be described as -- well, fat. I've gained about 10 lbs that won't go away, mostly around the middle. Because the thyroid controls the metabolism, when the thyroid stopped working the weight added up, and quarantine didn't help. Well, I think they have me more or less back to 'normal' now but the metabolism is still too low and the weight is still on.

Last friday we went to Salt Spring for Brad's 1st weekly massage for months and while there, I went to the hospital to give some blood for the Endocrinologist that I have an appointment with this coming Friday...

Today we both have appointments with our family doctor, great kid (LOL - he's my oldest son's age). I have a lot of things to tell him about, all of which I assume are related to the thyroid issue but since I do not generally make good medical decisions - I will let him be the judge, however I know there is a painful squeezy machine in my future. Perhaps its just old age and my body is falling apart - that is an option, not one I like to consider, but an option nonetheless.

A couple of days ago I pulled out the sewing machine. Some curtains I put up a few weeks ago were too long and it was making me crazy in the head -- okay, so I was already crazy in the head -- but that is beside the point. I shortened the curtains and then went to my closet.

Brad has many, many old grubby T-shirts that he refuses to get rid of (he is a T-shirt hoarder ;D) so I convinced him to part with one and proceeded to cut it up in to 2 inch strips. I then gathered a bunch of my T-shirts and proceeded to cut the seams and sew in a 2 inch strip on each side. This will give me something to wear that will be a little more comfortable in the short term and WHEN this weight comes off, I can just cut out the strips and sew the shirt closed, no one will know the difference.

I then went online and ordered some (hopefully) better fitting clothes. No indication as to when they will arrive. Never bought clothes online before and I'm very concerned about the fit.

Our garden is coming along well, although the slugs out here are a significant problem. Sage green with black spots and solid black slugs are everywhere. They love my romaine and broccoli especially. I have found a solution though - COFFEE. I make a spray bottle of instant coffee and spray it on all the leaves after each rain (still raining a lot out here). I didn't spray the potatoes the first night because they hadn't been near them but when they couldn't get at anything else they attacked the potatoes and so now everything gets a spritz of coffee and they are leaving the garden alone.

We had something else attacking our garden and I was sure it was rabbits but the landlord assures us there haven't been any rabbits around here since he ate the last one a long time ago... Then we discovered the Otters, yup Otters. I was sitting on the deck one day and this massive rat ran across the orchard. I only caught a quick look at it and having never seen an otter out of water before I didn't know what the hell it was. Brad thought it was a rat when I described it to him and I assured him that if that was a rat - we were moving! Then a quick google search and I recognized the culprit, however they (family of 4 - we have since learned) don't seem to be bothering the garden. I saw one climb into the cherry tree in the garden once but that was it.

The zipper I ordered for Robbie's bed cover finally arrived (4 weeks from Guelph Ontario) so I also did that while I had the sewing machine out.

Yesterday, the magnet screen I had ordered for the french door arrived and I promptly set about putting that up, it is ordered to measure and this one (unlike a previous one I picked up) not only fits precisely but is a sturdy good quality one. We also replaced the door handle and deadbolt on the back door as it completely failed the other day.

Our neighbour and newest friend, Kane, gave us a housewarming gift, as we had mentioned that we like the one he has on his cabin. So Brad set about setting it up at the front door.

Because we are on a cistern, and this is new to us, we check our water level each Monday. Our cistern is pretty big, 30ft x 10ft and 63in deep. This allows for a total of 9810.42 Gallons (yes, I have a spread sheet so we can follow it and know what to expect next year). When we moved in the water level was 42.5 inches, and this past Monday it was sitting at 42 inches (6540.28 Gallons). We've had a lot of rain since we moved here so the water catchment has been keeping us in water, however the sun will eventually come out... so we are taking precautions (I think I explained this in another post) but essentially and especially because we have a lot of flowers to keep watered we are using water preservation methods...

My bath water is pumped from the upstairs bathroom via this green garden hose in to this 55 Gal bucket between the house and the wood shed using a pump we purchased. This water is then used in the front garden. Because my bath ritual is for relaxation and not cleansing (I shower in the mornings for that), there is no soap in this water and it can also be pumped back in to the cistern and recycled through the 3 filters on the system allowing us to reuse it - should that become necessary.

We also do this in the shower, we have a pail in the (very large) shower that we use to catch the water that would otherwise be wasted while setting the temperature of the water and getting ourselves wet. The bucket is then moved out of the way for the lather and rinse, it is strictly for fresh water. It sounds like a lot of effort, but it really isn't. If the shower was a standard shower stall it would be much more awkward but our shower is about 6ft deep and 3ft wide so there is plenty of room. This water is then taken out the back door where I have another 55 Gallon bucket for watering the flowers along the side of the house and the garden we have on the deck.

Because the weather has been so bad and the slugs were such a problem and given that the romaine is generally not doing so well in the garden (Quail have also pulled it out of the ground while 'dusting' themselves - don't ask me, I've no idea)... we decided to plant the rest of our romaine, carrot and dill starts in planters on the deck where we can better monitor and control it. We also have 4 strawberry pots and a massive tomatoe plant that I think I mentioned before in a previous post.

Because I know someone is likely to ask, yes we can have water delivered should our cistern run dry at a cost of about $300 for something like 4000Gal. However, no one wants to have to do that so we are challenging ourselves to see how much water we can conserve. We're retired and unemployed so its something to do... LOL

Slow week in Quarantine

Well people... much like everyone else its been a slow week around here. Sometimes I like that I have an excuse to be lazy - ie Brad won't let me exercise yet in order to allow my organs to heal properly... I know this is smart since I was in such a state so I am agreeing to this... however, this coming Tuesday will be 2 weeks.... and I intend to start my 'build it back to normal' bodily exercises at that 2 week mark.

Also on Tuesday I have a call appointment with the Endocrinologist - no idea what to expect from that.

Basically this week we have just been puttering with the garden - I got a few more things planted as they were eaten in house and sprouted in glasses - we sat in whatever sun the clouds graced us with, Brad has been walking Robbie and we had a couple of days stuck indoors during rain. We went for a 2 hour drive around the island one day just for a change of pace and saw a few areas we hadn't previous scoped out... found some interesting spots, too.

We stopped at a farm stand on our travels and picked up some ribs which turned out not to be what we expected and were really tough and chewy once we had them rubbed and cooked on the BBQ with some asparagus... It was good, just not what we had thought we were buying. A lot of meat though for the $20.

Realized yesterday that my bank card is missing. When I last went in to the hospital I gave it to Brad since I just keep it in my back pocket and didn't want to lose it.... not my brightest idea as now it is lost. We have to go to Duncan to get another because while I can order one I will still have to go to a Scotia bank machine (our island does not have a Scotiabank) to PIN it, so might just as well go across and do it all at once instead of waiting for the mail and then having to go across anyway.

Grateful that to our knowledge, so far at least, no one in our family has contracted the dreaded C-19.

I have returned my rings to my fingers, chubby though they are... although I notice today that the rings are spinning, which is always a good sign - if a whole lot of annoying.

Still drinking tons of water, making the effort to 'stretch' my bladder as per Dr instructions.... ie when you would normally go - wait 10 more minutes...

I think its working... yup let's go with that for now...

Wrinkles in time

Never expected to be happy to see wrinkles anywhere on my body yet here I am...

5 days since I was given my thyroid numbers... and my first dose of thyroid medication.

Giddy that my water intake has removed a large amount of water from my body and now the weighted fat suit has gone... or feels gone. I had had to remove my rings because I was soon to be unable and almost couldn't even then - get them off...  I managed - barely...

Today I will try to put them back on and then I will know if this progress known as wrinkles on my hands and fingers is enough...

I'm feeling sooo much better, the pills don't kick in for another week yet they say but .... the water is working! I find that because I don't want to get up and down all night going to the loo I stop drinking water about 6pm (for years now). So I've been drinking 3-4 cups of water in the am and 3-4 in the aft but by morning there is a hint of Charlie horses in my toes, calves and what I now understand to be my kidneys - not my back (as I had previously thought).

Given how bad those Charlie horse spasms were, I was clearly severely dehydrated... I didn't know then but -- okay understood! I shall now endeavour to do a better job of hydrating my body around the clock... by drinking a few ounces at a time throughout the evening and having a swig in the night if I'm up using the loo anyway...

I have a phone appointment with our Dr later this am as I have some questions I hadn't thought of on the last call...

My saggy eye sacks have all but vanished and I have feeling back to about half of my thyroid which became numb just as I began this medication... timed that right! Not a Dr - just observations of my own body - I do not know what any of it means....

No idea as yet if my thyroid can be saved or if I've screwed my kidneys... these things will all be answered in time I suppose... but what I drink is still coming out as per normal so this is promising. Doc had said my symptoms would get worse before they got better ( that was concerning because anyone who knows me knows I don't go to the Doc until I HAVE to) but fortunately that has not been the case - the water made a massive difference right from day one and has been getting better and better with every passing day.

In any event I am feeling much better and while I haven't tried walking any real distance yet I am sure I will eventually get back to it. Once in a while I lay on my yoga mat and 'ride my little bicycle' and do small stretches just to get blood flowing through my muscles...

Right now Doc just wants me to rest so my organs can recover from this self-inflicted stupidity I've put it through.

I get it -- I need to take better care of this vessel.

What's right with Katie? Not much as it happens.

So its been eventful around here....

As you know I've been struggling with something but didn't know what... well now I do.

So in January it began with Constipation

February brought Chills, Droopy Eye Bags and a sensation of a Tingle under MY right side of the nose, Charlie horse cramping in hands, feet, legs, arms, and back.

By mid-March it added Lethargy, Fatigue, Weight gain, Dry skin, Heavy limbs, Walking stability problems, Depression, Evening low oxygen breaths, Stress and finally a Numb tongue causing slurred speech (this one since just Sunday).

Brad rubbed my feet Sunday night before bed and I noted in the night that one leg felt normal while the other (he spent less time on) was still 'fat'.. so he massaged most of my body Monday and I was going to the bathroom like crazy.

A quick Google on our Dr recommended WebMD and seems the likely problem is Hypothyroid.

Monday night Brad managed to convince me to go to ER because the results of severe Hypothyroid is irreversible coma. So I went, feeling like a complete heel for dragging this poor Dr down to ER when it could have waited... she sent me home with a requisition for bloodwork to be done yesterday.

Brad also had a requisition for bloodwork he hadn't done yet so together we braved the hospital environment once again with masks on (they make you wash hands so gloves are a no go) before 8am to beat the rush (not so much - 8 people in front of us).

Once home I called our Dr as per instructions from ER Dr and arranged a phone call appointment for 1130am this (Wednesday) morning... yes, today.

After supper last night I got a call from the Director of Medical Biochemical something something from the Lab...

He asked if I was aware my thyroid had been checked -- I was.
He asked if I was under treatment for hypothyroid -- I wasn't.
Had I ever been -- no never.
He wanted me to go to ER -- but I have a phone consult tomorrow, I said...
He was clearly surprised to be having this conversation because he had not expected me to be coherant.
He wanted me to ring Dr first thing and get my phone call bumped up to asap. Okay.
He then gave me my numbers, in case the Dr couldn't access the lab work.

My FT4 which should be between 7 and 15 was at 3.
My TSH which should be between 2 and 5 was 124.

I've no idea what these numbers are or what they mean, though the meaning is clearly that I'm out of wack... my thyroid is on the fritz.

Check my pulse he says, it should be between 50-60, if it falls below 50 go to ER immediately....

Um...

So I pass this info on to Brad and he immediately insists we go to ER, I argued that the guy seemed to think I'd probably be okay until my phone call since I was still coherant.... but Brad would have none of it.... of course.... as this Director clearly thought I should be in a coma with these numbers...

So a quick grab of PJs and the iPad/charger so we could communicate since he was not allowed in to the hospital (Covid - 19 rules) and off we went, Brad waited outside in the Jeep.

Wasn't in there but half an hour.

Nurse Sam was fantastic as was Nurse Jazzy the night before. Sam called our Doctor who happened to be the one on call last night -- and he read the report online -- left instructions to give me a 125mcg dose of Levothyroxine (synthroid) and I was cleared to go home. Yay!

Doc will consult with said Director this am prior to his consult with us (he wants to go over Brad's results too) which his office already scheduled.

Biggest surprise of yesterday was that on Monday I was weighed in ER and by Tuesday (22 hours later) having drunk 6 cups of water over and above my morning French Vanilla -- I had lost 5 pounds!! All clearly water weight... Yikes but still a ways to go. Good news though is that this 5 lbs puts me in the realm of my 'normal' winter weight gain levels... Whew.

And I'm still coherant! Go Me!!

I will know more in a few hours once I speak to Doc but for now, I am relieved to be on the radar and receiving treatment... the nurse last night advised that it will be about 2 weeks of medication before everything is working properly once again and Brad claims (yesterday anyway ;) ) that I will do nothing until it is sorted...

Take note: I do require nagging -- back in 2002 I had a stroke and it took 3 days for me to acknowledge there was a problem... I don't like to bother Drs... and to be fair, if it wasn't for the Pandemic, I would have been to the Dr before this... just didn't want to risk the Covid unnecessarily.

I'm clearly going to need to take better notes and visit my Dr more often than my once yearly (at best) visit... fine, I'm getting old -- I get it already... don't rub it in.

At the end of the day, I'm still cute so to hell with it! :D