One of the good parts of having so few good days, is that it makes each one special. Last week on my one good day, my nephew Tom Demichele came into New York for a day of fun. This week, I went to a Mardi Gras Party and then my sister Linda Demichele (Tom's mother) came in a we celebrated her 57th birthday -- actually, she did more for us that we did for her.
She even scrubbed down the bathroom (again), did some household repairs, and even paid the ConEd bill (again!). But Vinny and I had the birthday party hats for her and lots of love. Being a couple with both folks on disability isn't great for either the money or the household chores. But we have some great memories and plenty of photos, which you can all see at markandvinny.com/gallery
I feel really happy about all the good times, but I didn't get much else done, and I don't have much human-time left until next week. And now, after a wonderful day, I just took my week number seven shot. By tomorrow, I'll probably be feeling miserable again.
This week we're trying to stave off the hives before they kick in. My elbows, knees, and ankles look like I've been sleeping in poison ivy. I'm told that strange rash-like things are pretty common, although they act very differently for each person. Technically, they are NOT allergic reactions and can be difficult to treat, but it should be easier to prevent from coming into full bloom.
Our current attempt is to dose up with Benadryl (actually DiphenhyrdrAMINE Hydrochloride, the MUCH cheaper generic) and Tylenol before the shot and then again morning and evening of the first day. The Benadryl really knocks me out, but I'll be sleeping all Wednesday anyway, but at least this way, I won't wake up with full hives. I'll have an itchy rash, but soaking in the tub once or twice a day with Aveeno colloidal oatmeal bath powder and slathering on the 0.5% Hydrocortisone Cream should help... Mostly.