I want to write. I either never have the health or have the time.
Am I in a fog, again? Can I stay awake, again? Am I overwhelmed by my pets, again?

Always.

The answer is “Always”.

Late last year I kept getting headaches from eyestrain. My boss said that I could not wear caps, but that she didn’t mind whatever tinted blue light lenses I wanted to do, I could do those at work. I figured I’ll be grown up about the entire thing and go to the optometrist.
She said I wasn’t blinking enough or not producing enough tears. We spoke about the stabbing needle-like pain that will shoot through my eye at random, and that it was related. I was referred to ophthalmology. Ophthalmology tried punctal plugs several times, but they were either too painful or too small to stay in. The only thing he could do is refer me for eyedrops, which weren’t cutting it, and my insurance liability for prescription wetting drops only covers 75%, leaving me responsible for about $85 a month.

Cool. Great. Chronic dry eyes. Live with it. We’ll come back to this.

I am moderately familiar with having to get a tune up with Orthopedics. When I was twenty years old I was involved in an auto accident. Things happen. I ain’t even mad anymore. To my benefit, this job that I was busting hump with during the height of the pandemic did wonders for my strength, range of motion, symmetry in movements. I hit a point where progress stopped increasing, and decided to go ask Ortho if I needed to back off. I was diagnosed with Osteo-Arthritis. I was sent to physical therapy for several visits during a 1-month period combined with 15mg daily oral meloxicam. ALL OF MY PROBLEMS WENT AWAY. Every single one. The searing pain through the muscles in major groups simply stopped. After years, it just stopped. Yes, I still have OA, except that now I’d been given a high dose of anti-inflammatory medication…anti-INFLAMMATORY … Inflammation being an apparent thing?

We agreed that I would see rheumatology. We discussed my test results today, and while RA is negative as well as Lupus, I have an autoimmune syndrome that usually presents in line with those disorders. The protein was positive, and it’s in line with my other symptoms.
Chronic dry eyes, choking on food and water and a dry cough, dry skin and rashes, dry sinus, and dry mouth prominently.

Next step is to go back to Ophthalmology to have my retinas screen for the medication, begin the medication, and then back for eye exams annually in line with the medication protocol, and in the meantime I have a follow up with Rheumatology in two months.

My prescription? – hydroxychloroquine
That’s where Facebook tagged me for COVID-19 Misinformation.

Cheers.