“But how ARE you?”

One of the odd little upsides to less muscle mass appears to be more flexibility? (I haven't read this anywhere but am noticing it.) I was never able to fold forward like this when I was more . . . buff.

It’s been brought to my attention that updating a blog is not necessarily the same thing as updating a friend as to how things are going. So, now that I’ve reached the auspicious one-month anniversary of my immunoglobulin infusions, it's time for some bullet points for friends:

• Rituximab: I will have my first infusion August 13 at the Sandoval County Hospital in beautiful Rio Rancho, New Mexico (“Get a disease — see the world!”) [Ed. note from 11 days later: Is it karma paying me back for my snarkiness that said infusion got postponed for two weeks?]
• Methotrexate: Started last week. So far, side effects are doable.
• Prednisone: Still taking 60 mg. Will start tapering down, presumably after second Rituximab infusion. Side effects still fairly minimal (swollen feet, insomnia), thank goodness. 
• Testing for Bad Stuff: Echocardiogram and EKG are the last tests on the list. Doing that on Tuesday. 
• Test Results: Partial results from endoscopy of the esophagus last week showed yeast growing in my esophagus. [grosssss] Still awaiting pathology report from biopsies. Also still awaiting antifungal meds which the endoscopy doc said were called into the pharmacy last week. All other tests have been negative/normal, glory hallelujah.
• Bloodwork: Eager to see what my serum CK level is now. I'm having blood drawn tomorrow so we can find out. CK is a protein which leaks into the bloodstream when muscle tissue is damaged, and the number is a key indicator of what’s happening with a muscle disease. (Average CK level in a healthy body is around 200. Mine was at 6,800 in May.)
• Physical Therapy: Got evaluated last Thursday and have back-to-basics exercise regimen to do at home. 
• TRE and Somatics: Met (yay, Zoom!) with a favorite yoga teacher from when we lived in Madison who is now a yoga therapist. Very cool to incorporate new things as I rebuild muscle!
• Therapeutic Yoga: This might sound a little crazy, considering how weak I am these days but I signed up for a 5-day yoga teacher training unit on The Art of Healing — which started yesterday. I’ve long been interested in yoga therapy, and it just got personal.
• Weakness: Has definitely lessened. I began feeling stronger last week, and that trend has continued. Little things like raising my head while lying on my stomach no longer feel impossible. I can wash my hands without resting my elbows on the sink. I can pick my feet up when putting on pants. Swallowing and coughing are still weird but at least not getting worse.
• Sleep: Still a challenge, but melatonin is helping.
• Diet: Continuing to try to do the anti-inflammatory thing. It’s crazy to find myself actually looking forward to something as heretofore unappealing as a kale “shake.”
• General Outlook: Really good. I’m starting to feel more like myself. Interest in kale notwithstanding.

UPDATE: Got a call from Sandoval County Hospital saying they had to reschedule the Rituximab infusion because the person administrating the treatment had been quarantined for COVID-19. (Reminding me of a friend's nomination for the theme of this crazy messed-up year: “But damn, y’all!”) Rescheduled for August 27. 

Kale, with some apple, cucumber, orange, banana thrown in for, um,  fruitiness. Cheers!

In the funny/not funny department: My poor arm. I just came across this photo — must have inadvertently taken it last week. Am not entirely sure which part is my forearm and which is my upper arm. “Portrait of a Muscle Wasted”