No More Aircon Lifting

Saw Doctor Lorenzo last week for my 3-month consult. The nurse seemed unhappy that I'd put on 12 pounds. I told them it was all muscle.

Lorenzo was very happy with how I was moving, and the results of my tests. Inflammation, once as high as 70, was in the teens. Other results, were improved or little changed. Even my hemoglobin, which I don't remember him mentioning before, was much improved, he said.

As I told him about trying to surf, I waited for him to react and, when he didn't, said, ``no violent reaction?'' He paused, smiled and then said, with brow furrowed, ``why would you want to do that?'' He said it wasn't adviseable because it required a lot of work from my ankles which they may not be ready for. I asked when they might, he said maybe never!

I asked whether surfing could be the reason for the back pains but he wouldn't quickly agree. He said it sounded more like the result of heavy lifting. Then it hit me that it could have been from helping install the yellow room aircon. He said that must be it. He said what I should avoid are strenuous activities that I can't just stop, like getting on or staying on a surfboard (he doesn't know how quickly I fall off!) or carrying things I can't drop (such as an aircon). Even running is OK because I can stop if and when it gets painful.

He did say my back pains seemed muscular rather than skeletal. When I asked if I should get an x-ray or MRI in time for my next consult he said yes but it could wait till next year because that would be the anniversary of my being diagnosed and starting treatment, even if my MRI was in December.

I will see him again in December. He asked if it was OK to take the usual bloodtests. I said, why not? He said because I was scared of needles. I said I wasn't anymore, and could even watch when the nurse took the most recent one. He was pleased I was giving myself my Enbrel shots. That's progress! he said.

Mechelle, my Pilates instructor, came along to ask about what we should and shouldn't do. Lorenzo said we were free to try different things and that the good thing about Pilates was that it was very controlled. He was pleased to learn Mechelle was a PT.