THOUSANDS OF FREE BLOGGER TEMPLATES

Friday, April 16, 2010

A little of this, a littel of that....Ramblings....

This is just a few random ramblings about things that are going on right now & a couple of things I am loving lately. Sorry if it seems a little scattered. Like I have said before this semester has been insane & hectic so I am a bit scattered & all over the place.

Two more weeks of classes before finals then I'll have a few weeks to relax, recharge, & re-organize before summer term starts in June. I was going to take a class durring May intersession but I am exhausted & think I need some time to rest & recuperate. I am taking classes over the summer though- Chem 2, lab & an algebraic theory/linear modeling class to kinda get back in the swing of math classes before I take calculus in the fall. Sometimes I really do wonder if I am in over my head and if I am going to survive the cirriculum I need for pharmacology.

I found out a few days ago that I was selected to be part of a Lupus Patient Advisory Board that is being held in D.C. at the end of the month! I am so excited and honored to have this oppurtunity to be an advocate and help give a voice to what it is like living with lupus and how it feels to deal with it on a daily basis. The meeting is in 2 weeks and is the weekend between the end of classes and finals week but I think it will be OK because the only difficult final I have should be in chem lecture which is scheduled for Wednesday of finals week. As long as I study between now and the trip and review very well over the 2 days between coming home and taking the exam I think I should come out OK. This is too much of an honor and too good an oppurtunity to pass up being part of. What do you think? Would you go if you were me?

Like I said, this probably seems like rambling, jumping from topic to topic but there has been alot going on and there are lots of things coming up......

I am loving the warmer weather lately! So much better for me and my reynaud's! Of course warmer weather also means adjustments to my routine and the things I use every day. Anybody who knows me knows I am picky about certain things. Like coffee (or tea) and being comftorable. Kinda random, huh?

Anyway durring the winter I tend to like hot drinks or heavier/spicier flavors in my coffee (or tea which I also love). With the warmer weather I have been enjoying lighter or more refreshing flavors. My favorites lately have been iced coffee with peppermint and mocha and iced green tea with lemonade. So yummy and refreshing! (And they help feed my caffeine addiction which is VERY important.)

One of the things that helps me feel more comftorable is taking care of my hands and feet. With sandal season here the pedis are especially important in my opinion (and I can't stand anybody wearing sandals w/ gross feet!). There are a few things that really help make this easy. First, my ped-egg is indespensible- especially durring flip-flop season. Use it on dry skin and it gets all of the rough spots smooth super fast I tend to follow that w/ soaking them in warm water and a body or foot scrub of some sort (lately I am loving One Minute Manicure). Then I love either Gold Bond or Boots Expert Moisture Boost Body Cream to help keep my feet moisturized and if they feel really dry (esp when I am holding fluids due to the lupus) I'll put A&D ointment over the lotion before bed and sleep in a pair of soft cotton socks. In the morning my feet feel great & are sandal ready. The other thing I recomend for everybody is a glass nail file. They smooth the edges, make it easy to keep your nails shaped neatly, they don't wear out like emory boards, and since you can wash them off & keep using them they are super eco-friendly. I always keep my toes polished but if somebody isn't into color on their toes this would help keep them looking neat and clean plus it just helps me feel better. I have heard more times than I can count "when your feet hurt, everything hurts" and taking care of them (esp the warm water scrub and lotion) really helps mine feel better. To be honest, keeping my feet pedicured also helps me feel better about myself because I know that at least part of me looks good & is taken care of even on the days when I have a rash on my face or chest from the lupus. What helps you feel better about yourself and what helps you not hurt as much?

I hope everyone is enjoying spring and the return of warm weather! Would love to know what those who live with or care about somebody with lupus would say or ask if they were given the chance to talk to researchers, healthcare providers, and drug companies. What would you say? Leave me comments and let me know what you think and how you deal with the challenges you face!