Here we are, 9 months into this hellish year. I am so over 2025 and all of the weird health garbage that I have been dealing with. It never ends and gets more bizarre all the time. I’m really mentally exhausted from the twists and turns from one odd thing to the next. The medical mysteries are insane.

There was some goodness interspersed between the challenges. In May, we spent 10 days with the family in the Bay Area. Our kiddo joined us, and we got to celebrate the Christmas we missed. It was very low-key because my sister had just had major surgery, and I am weak sauce with not much stamina. It was still good to spend quiet time with the family, and best of all, we got to see our boy. We had a little family gathering for Lovie’s 60th—low-key but still good to celebrate.
When we got home, we celebrated Lovie’s birthday at a quiet dinner at an eatery he wanted to try in Boise.

Late last month, my sisters finally came to visit. I was a little sad that I did not have more stamina, but I was still so happy to spend time with them and sightsee, even if we did not make it all the way to McCall like I wanted. I so badly wanted to treat them to a weekend in McCall, but maybe next time. My youngest sister was on a quest for Mustard and Ketchup Doritos LOL. Funny quirky little sis. They both wanted to try the viral Swig soda made popular by the TV series “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives”—way too sweet for my blood. I cannot eat or drink junk food anymore. We also took them out to a few nice dinners, and the three of us went to two breakfasts. It was so much fun reminiscing on weird and funny memories of years gone by.

A week after they left, we got a sweet surprise when our boyboy called to let us know he wanted to visit, and the best part was that we only needed to wait a week. I am sure all mothers know how wonderful it is to have their chickens back in the nest. We got to spend good quality time with him, chatting, asking about life and work. We face time him every Sunday, but there is something about sitting on the couch and reaching out, and he is right there, that is a million times better.

Now, a little synopsis about this medical year. So, in December 2024, as you may remember, I had a severe and infrequent reaction to the antibiotics after the oral surgery and ended up in the hospital for 5 days. The wounds on my ankles are still healing. The smaller one has been closed since April, and the other one has shrunk from 9cm to less than 1cm, so I am hoping for closure soon. At least they have both been pain-free for 6 months. Then the DVT showed up, and then finding out that it was not just from being sedentary, but it turns out that it is something called Anti-Phospholipid Syndrome…weird illness number 2. I will be on warfarin for the rest of my life. Then my GI doc wanted me to have another liver biopsy as he was not convinced that I had an autoimmune liver disease, and he thinks it might be damage from the fatty liver NASH, and possibly something else like a medication injury. He has sent off the sample to the Mayo Clinic for a second opinion. Once again, weirdness. The blood tests seem to show that possibly there is a connective tissue disease involved…once again, autoimmune bullshit. I have been under strain lately with panic attacks and feeling so down and despondent. I want to feel better regularly and not one day feeling like hell on wheels and then feeling great. I obsess about the liver issue, and it is hard to remain reasonable. I have become very aware of my diet, and I have reduced my sugar intake by 80-90%. I signed up for a food delivery service called Hungry Root because most of their foods have no preservatives. I think it is suitable for both of us, and I find that my aches and pains seem to disappear when I eat very carefully….that is when I have an appetite. The medications make everything taste peculiar, and some days I think it is just easier to drink an Ensure drink instead of eating. Food brings me zero joy. I have lost 56lb in about 15 months. It would be great to lose at least another 40 lb. Suitable for everything, especially for my liver health.
It feels good to catch up and get caught up. In two weeks, I need to have an endoscope and coloscopy…oh joy. I cannot wait to look back on this year in the rearview mirror.

And in closing. Rest in Peace Charlie Kirk. A truly amazing young man and patriot that was taken by evil.