To sum up the last month on the health front: Trying to treat an autoimmune condition is definitely a catch-22. As with viral or bacterial infections, or cancer, you have to kill some of the good stuff to wipe out the bad.

So I started the injections of Humira (a biologic immunosuppresant used to treat psoriasis and other inflammatory diseases). Unfortunately for me, my roommate's high school (she's a teacher) shared the latest cold with our household, right about the time I did the first injection. I didn't know a virus was coming my way (if I had, I certainly would've kept that needle in the fridge a little longer!). The first rule of Humira is Do Not Take it When You Are Sick or Getting Sick. Oops. Gretchen and Greg were fine within a few days; I wasn't back on the bike until three weeks later, having missed a fitness trainer seminar, a CPR class, a family visit to Arizona, and that much triathlon training. Well, I knew going into all of this that nothing is guaranteed. But, no matter how much I try to think Zen-like, I don't like missing fun or important things I've planned. Still, I take a rest, and then try again.

Also, a word of pharmaceutical advice: Don't let any doctor tell you that psychiatric medications have no withdrawal symptoms. Some of them will try to tell you that it's no big deal going on or off an anti-depressant or anti-anxiety med. Ha! Certainly, it depends on how sensitive your system is; and it's a given that most doctors won't even approach understanding of how it feels to be an athlete, and request a certain amount from your body.

Cymbalta (an anti-anxiety and -depression agent) was my previous experiment in the long line of attempted psoriasis treatments. It has been known to improve psoriasis, and most notably, relieve some of the itching. It did reduce the itching a little for awhile, but that was all; and the myriad of side effects wasn't cool with me. (High heart rate and low blood pressure don't mesh well with running or riding your bike! Plus, it made me bloated, foggy-brained, and inarticulate. I did sleep well, and sure, I didn't feel anxious - but my stress level has gone down like 90% since I quit my tech writing job anyway.)

So, cool, I'll just stop taking the Cymbalta (tapering appropriately, of course), and feel better. Wrong! With the Cymbalta withdrawal came continued bloating, and hello, depression, hormone weirdness and cognitive confusion. Talk about rebound effects! For a few days, I could barely keep anything in my short-term memory. It still looks like I'm pregnant (which would be neat if it were true, but that's just water retention). Don't worry, it's all coming back... but wow. I write this because it made me feel better to read message board posts and blog entries by other people going through the same thing. I know that in time I'll feel more like myself again. I'll post again as it happens, so any of you fellow med-survivors out there can take heart too.

Meanwhile, I've somehow managed to study and learn quite a bit in the last couple of months (not on the bad days, of course - but on just enough days) -- my Certified Personal Trainer exam is coming up soon.

...And finally, after years of working through techno-speak and translating it for the software consumer, I feel like I'm being watered with creativity like a thirsty plant. I'm actually having a really good time with a few fun, creative projects on the side...mostly entering writing, recipe and photo contests. Here's the latest mini-project (with my sister Lori and my husband Greg) - the theme is, Why do you need to win this Mustang from Valvoline? (Since we're really wanting to keep our house in Carlsbad, a new car for Greg isn't in the budget...but there's no rule stating we can't try to win one. :> ) Another contest my sister and I entered awarded $25,000 to the maker of a winning sandwich recipe, and some second prizes too. Two of our recipes were startlingly similar to the winners' - kinda encouraging!  

More important than any of this, really, is the alarming importance of the upcoming election. Without waxing too political in this particular forum, May the best candidate win!

"Not quite the Mustang she was expecting..." (The amount we laughed made our effort so worthwhile...)