Summer's gone...the votes of the dogs are in.

Reached freezing here in Durham. Heat has been on for last couple of nights. At least we unpacked our winter togs last Sun., so we had long-sleeve shirts and sweaters this week. In denial...left a few summer weight Ts out. Can probably still wear my short skorts with knee-highs for a while, but will have to switch over to tights, if I can stand it.

The pit bull "hydra" has been under fleeces and sleeping close. Malea is slim like a whippet, so she will probably need a sweater. Casey has more padding and a thicker coat, but she doesn't like hanging outside long enough to get frosty (hates getting her feet cold or dirty!).

Next stop...Orencia for RA

Fri trip to rheumatologist went well, though she's hoping that I can find a combo of meds for RA that gives me more than 4.5 good days vs 2.5 sick days a week from side effects. 

We decided to try Orencia (another biologic weekly injectible) to go with the MTX, but first have to see if my insurance covers it. Same kinds of side effects are possible, such as increased infection risk, fever, chills, etc. It could go either way. Guinea pig time for me. Used to it though.

Otherwise I'll probably stay on Enbrel, which has brought the most relief out of the various cocktails, but the sick days are pretty debilitating. But it's better than no RA meds at all

Got my flu shot while there. Last year's was useless. Since it's only about 60% effective, I (and a lot of people, including the nurse who gave me this shot, caught a different strain than the vaccine covered. It was a heinous flu bug. Hope this year's bypasses me!

More weird MTX dreams...

Strange dreams. Always have them after taking MTX dose on Fridays. In one  last night I had a heart attack on a NYC street (!, though I was watching L&O when I fell asleep, lol). In another I was on a tour w/Journey (as a journo) circa 1978 in Philly; last one I was on some smallish ship (more like a large ferry), traveling where it looked it was Vancouver in winter. I woke up and my lower legs and feet were cold.

Who knows what all that means. I rarely remember any dreams, probably b/c my usual sleep is not very deep; it never has been.

However, when I take those RA meds, I sleep unusually hard,  though I still wake up from neuropathy every so often. MTX can mess with your head.