So what has the last year done for me!

[JulianJ]

Well I started the year in great pain, I'm sure people here know what it's like before pred.

Got a doctor who thought he knew what was wrong and started me on a weeks course of 15mg of pred, wow what a change.

Then started the full treatment, 15mg for a couple of months and then a 4 week tapper. That was good until I tried to get to 6mg, a couple of bumps along the way, but nothing major, stayed at 8mg for 8 weeks and a few times I took an extra 1mg in the first or second week of the 4 week tapper.

Had to go back to 9mg as the step to 6 was more than I could cope with. Also had a change of doctor, the first one retired. The new doctor is listening to me and I am now taking gastro resistant pred in the evenings. Makes the start of the day much better than taking normal pred in the mornings.

Took what should have been a 2 day trip to Aranjuez that turned into a return trip. That was hard due to the early flight and late return. Loved what I saw so booked a few days over there with SWMBO, plenty of walking, a trip to Toledo and another to Chinchon.

Strange to see people wrapped up in coats and hats when its 20C, but then we live in the cold.

Bought myself an old MX5, best £800 I've spent in ages. Just love driving through the lanes, no need to speed, just have loads of fun. Getting in isn't so bad, but with the roof up or the hard roof on, it's more like pouring out than getting out, but so worth it for the smiles it gives me.

Getting up for work can be hard, climbing the stairs to my 2nd floor office is harder, but it has to be done, I won't give up.

I try to get out for a walk lunchtime, a couple of nice walks from the office of around 3 miles, only been out once this week, but that's been due to weather and work getting in the way.

So overall as far as I'm concerned the last year has been good for me even with the PMR, a PMA certainly helps and even though I'm not a prolific poster on here, reading posts has certainly helped me.

Best of luck to everybody and remember, don't keep things bottled up, tell your loved ones how you feel, it really does help if they can better understand what is going on in our lives.

Well enough rambling from me.

[linda49]

Nice post julianj. I think we could all benefit from doing a life audit from time to time as it can be very easy to focus on what's not good rather than what's going well. Your comments about driving your MX5 reminded me of happy times in my beloved Mini Cooper. It always put a smile on my face and was so much easier and cheaper than a facelift!!

Keep on keeping on......

Linda

[Rugger]

Good to hear you're 'hanging on in there' Julian - managing to work, walk and enjoy some quality time with herself and in your MX5 - you are certainly a good example to us! Long may it continue.

Me: PMR 20 months - one flare at 12 months - now tapering to 6.5mg

[Jackoh]

All sounds positive- carry on enjoying your life even with PMR!

[JulianJ]

Thanks for the comments.

I've taken the view that positive is better than negative.

Yes, I have down times, don't we all, but I always try to find the positive in things.

I suppose it's the glass half full or half empty question, half full for me all the time.

If you saw me in the mornings, getting up, walking to the office and climbing the stairs, you'd think I was off my head, but interaction with people is so important, well for me at least.

Well, time for me to get a beer, first drink I've had in weeks, may have another in a week or so

[daworm in reply to JulianJ]

Ahhh..beer time..as I've read, "No Alcohol " ..makes things worse...so I experimented by not having my beer for a week..bah..absolutely no difference that I felt..in fact I think I felt worse some days..as always, gotta weigh the good with the bad, the risks involved..I love my occasional beer!,,

[JulianJ in reply to daworm]

I drink very little, not because of the PMR, just don't.

Put a bottle in the fridge last night and it's still there!

I nice pint of Brains SA is good, just never manage to get to the pub for one.

I did have a couple of glasses of port a week or so back, may have some more soon, a bottle calling to me

[daworm in reply to JulianJ]

I don't drink much either...not like back in the 70's when I was in my 20's and a free spirit...haha...I haven't had anything resembling a hangover in many many years...one beer tastes great, another ok...a third...mostly can't do it.....I like to experiment with all the different craft beers available now...some good, some strange, some horrible..im in the states and its a booming business right now...