February 17-23, 2019

I am feeling good this week! My blood pressure too is consistently good, there are no new bruises, and the ones that I already have though slowly, it is healing. It is just that I am still having troubles with my knees and feet. Sometimes when I wake up and step my feet, I feel pain as I walk. Then it last for a while, but when I keep on moving it slowly fades. My knees sometimes hurts that the new painkillers are not working well so I am having additional painkillers in the afternoon (the strong ones that I was taking before).

I tried to challenged myself and took a Business Japanese Language Proficiency Test (BJT). I just got J2 level, which is the 3^rd highest level. If ever my visa will be extended, I can use this certificate for the preferential application of long term visa. For this method, every person must have at least 70 points in order to pass. I think I need 20 more points too qualify and I was thinking that if I can have this, the immigration will give me extra points. I was aiming to score 480 points above because it will give me 15 points additional but I only got 451 points which is equivalent to 10 points bonus only. I am planning to take another test after 3 months maybe.

Last January, I renewed my passport, and I already received it! It did took 6 weeks. Well, it is okay. And my passport is valid for 10 years.

It was my outpatient check up. I also got my 5/6 shot of benlysta. I was lucky to meet my friend nurses, I have not seen them for a while because when I went there last month they were on night shit. I was also lucky to meet Nagatsuji Sensei, Kadosawa Sensei and Inoue Sensei. Nagatsuji Sensei was kind enough to give me consultation even though we were just talking in the reception area. I showed him the cyst-like thingy that is on my arms and at the back of my knees. He suggested to have a biopsy of it to be sure. But when I told it to Kitabayashi Sensei, mama doctor, she disagreed, because if it will be taken out, it might grow again and it will be endless. I also told mama Kitabayashi Sensei about my swollen legs and feet so she scheduled me for a consultation under a rheumatologist. It will be on Friday, March 1.

I need to be careful of my cholesterol though, and my creatinine is high. Creatinine is tested to know if the kidneys are working properly, well since I have lupus nephritis, my creatinine level is higher than the normal person. Except from that, other statistics are getting great. So, Kitabayashi Sensei decided to decrease my medicines. My steroids are down from 17.5mg to 15mg. Even though just a little change, I think it is good. And Prograf , one of my main medicines for the lupus, is down from 3 capsules to 2 capsules. I think this is really a good sign!  

My new medicine dosage is:

🌅Morning: from 10mg to 7.5mg of Predonine, 2 capsules of Cellcept, anti-osteoporosis, half of blood pressure medicine, medicine for uric acid, intestinal medicine, Plaquenil, a new brand of pain killer + intestinal medicine and additional medicine for infection reduced to every Monday only.

🌜Evening: 7.5mg of Predonine, from 3 capsules of Prograf down to 2 and 2 capsules of Cellcept, anti-cholesterol medicine, from half it became 1 tablet of a blood pressure medicine, a new brand of pain killer + intestinal medicine, and sleeping pills #1 & new brand #2.

February 10-16, 2019

I am recently learning a lot at my job, how mentally challenged children think, act and blend in, just by observing them fascinates me and makes me want to think more on how to help them. But the one thing I observed is that, they wanted to have company. When nobody else understands them, they want someone to talk to, someone to be with and play with. I am having a good time at work doing crafts and desserts with the children. But doing these things requires a lot of energy.

Sometimes standing for long longs makes my knees and the back of my knees hurt more. And when I walk faster, I tend to get cramps. Recently, my knees and ankles are swelling. Sometimes I wake up with my face swollen too, but the good thing is it wears off until night.

I have received a lot of presents from my friend. It is valentine`s day here in Japan, and in their custom, girls give chocolates to their boss, boy friends or friends as a sign of respect or love or friendship. My friend does not really like chocolates and he received some, and luckily, I am eating it in his behalf!

It seems that I am lucky! I also received Gaufer and Castella cake.

My Indian friend also gave me chocolate.

Well for the spirit of the season, I also gave some to my female colleagues.  

My medicine dosage is:

🌅Morning: 10mg of Predonine, 2 capsules of Cellcept, anti-osteoporosis, half of blood pressure medicine, medicine for uric acid, intestinal medicine, Plaquenil, a new brand of pain killer + intestinal medicine and additional medicine for infection reduced to every Monday only.

🌜Evening: 7.5mg of Predonine, 3 capsules of Prograf and 2 capsules of Cellcept, anti-cholesterol medicine, from half it became 1 tablet of a blood pressure medicine, a new brand of pain killer + intestinal medicine, and sleeping pills #1 & new brand #2.

x

February 3-9, 2019

My blood pressure is somewhat acting up again. I am feeling dizzy especially when I move, maybe my blood pressure is low. Also, I am feeling cold and always sleepy even though I had enough sleep. There was once a time, when I stood up I feel that I am going to fall, I have to grab on to something and then have rest before moving. I measured my blood pressure at that time, indeed it was very low, down to 90/60 something.

My throat still itches and I have a dry cough. My friend advised me to drink green tea. She said that it has a good effect on the throat and usually Japanese people use it during winter to prevent colds.

My muscle pains are getting better, thank God.

My friend and I went to eat at Osaka Osho, a gyouza (fried dumpling) fast food chain.

I ordered a gyouza set with karaage (fried chicken). He let me ate karaage because I was telling him that I am craving for fried chicken. As much as I can, I want to eat a homemade fried chicken cooked with my air fryer so that it will not use oil. But I gave in to the temptation and I ate. I didn’t think that the gyouza had too much oil in it. I was still recovering from the loose bowel movement brought by the chashuu (roasted pork), but since I ate the oily karaage, I feel bloated, my stomach hurt and I have loose bowel movements again. This is the price I have to pay for giving into the temptation.

 

My medicine dosage is:

🌅Morning: 10mg of Predonine, 2 capsules of Cellcept, anti-osteoporosis, half of blood pressure medicine, medicine for uric acid, intestinal medicine, Plaquenil, a new brand of pain killer + intestinal medicine and additional medicine for infection reduced to every Monday only.

🌜Evening: 7.5mg of Predonine, 3 capsules of Prograf and 2 capsules of Cellcept, anti-cholesterol medicine, from half it became 1 tablet of a blood pressure medicine, a new brand of pain killer + intestinal medicine, and sleeping pills #1 & new brand #2.

January 27- February 2, 2019

It is getting cold recently here because of the peak of winter here in February, but it is a good thing that it is not snowing here in Osaka. 

This whole week I felt itching and hurting of my throat. This may be caused by the cold weather that makes my throat dry. I also have a dry cough. Since it is getting cold, my leg muscles are hurting too that sometimes as I walk I am having cramps. I must walk slowly and keep my self warm. I am even wearing 3 pieces of under leggings and 2 pieces of undershirt plus my outer clothes and my jacket.

Thanks to the additional blood pressure medicine, I am not feeling hot that much and it seems that recently my blood pressure is not shooting up. It is also the 1^st week of using the new brand of painkiller and sleeping pill. So far, it has a nice effect. Also, I am not experiencing scary back pain.

I and my friends went to see a circus show last February 1. I was amazed and it was like I was back to my childhood days. The last time I saw a circus show was a very long time ago that I don’t even remember it. It was fun, it took my stress and somehow I escaped reality for 2 hours.

After that, I had sudden contact with my friend. They said that they will be coming to meet me at Morinomiya station at around 7pm. Since they don’t have pocket wifi, there was no way to contact them. It was a good thing that the circus show ended at 6pm, so, I had the time to go and meet them. So I waited at the Morinomiya station, and thank God they came at around 7pm. 

We didn’t have enough time to catch up, but it was fun meeting them. It was a waste that we didn’t have enough time, so I wasn’t able to let them eat the Osaka’s delicacies like okonomiyaki, Kushi katsu, and takoyaki. So we just ate ramen and chashuu (roasted pork).

I only ate a small amount of ramen and 3 pieces of chashuu (roasted pork), but I had a loose bowel movement. I am feeling bloated and my stomach hurts. I think the chashuu (roasted pork) is the cause of it since it contains fat. I was confident to eat it because it was roasted not fried, but still, it was no good.

My new medicine dosage is:

🌅Morning: 10mg of Predonine, 2 capsules of Cellcept, anti-osteoporosis, half of blood pressure medicine, medicine for uric acid, intestinal medicine, Plaquenil, a new brand of pain killer + intestinal medicine and additional medicine for infection reduced to every Monday only.

🌜Evening: 7.5mg of Predonine, 3 capsules of Prograf and 2 capsules of Cellcept, anti-cholesterol medicine, from half it became 1 tablet of a blood pressure medicine, a new brand of pain killer + intestinal medicine, and sleeping pills #1 & new brand #2.

January 20-26, 2019*

January 20 (Su)

I received this sweater from my Indian friend. She said that her mom made this for her but the size did fit her. It was a perfect fit for me! It will be usable in this cold weather.

I am feeling pain in my back and my joints. I am trying to take a break every time I move but it is not getting better. I also took the painkillers. At night, the pain starts to grow, from my lover back to my shoulders. I can still remember this kind of pain when I was still hospitalized. My whole body really hurt and I can’t breathe freely. I tried to stay awake because I was afraid and it was really hurting that I wasn’t able to sleep even though I took sleeping pills.

January 21 (M)

I visited the ophthalmologist (eye doctor) to have my eyes checked. I complained to mama doctor, Kitabayashi sensei that recently when I look below, I am feeling a little dizziness and when it is daylight it is hard for me to see.

It took almost 2 hours for me to finish the laboratory tests. They applied medicines to my eyes and I waited for around 30 minutes for it to effect. Then the result of the 1^st test came out, the ophthalmologist said that she will be performing another test because she saw something that is not normal. So they put again another medicine, then I had like an x-ray. Then the results came out. The layer of my eyes is starting to get thin, but for now, it is not that serious and I should not be bothered by it. She said that it could be caused by the side effects of the medicines that I am currently taking. The last time I had my eye checked, there was nothing like this. I was lucky enough that my friend came with me because the medicines for the test made my eyes hard to see.

January 22 (T)

My fingers are swelling again. But it was funny because part of my finger is only swelling, and not all are swelling.

Still, as the night falls, my back is hurting, I tried to stay awake, but this is the 2^nd night and I know I have to sleep, my body is taking the toll for not sleeping well last night, but my mind doesn’t seem to be sleepy.

January 23 (W)*

When I woke up today, my back pain subsided. I think it is it has become morning already. I have the pattern of getting strong in the morning and as the day passes, my energy fades and some parts of my body hurt.

My leg muscles hurt, can you see my left knee is swelling. I think the cold weather also adds up to the cause of this pain. I can’t bend my knees well, so I have to walk to work instead of riding a bicycle.

January 24 (Th)

I noticed something in my inner right arm near my elbow. It started itchily and it became big, now it looks like it is swelling but it doesn’t hurt.

January 25 (F)

I have my outpatient consultation today. My blood tests are getting good. It seems like the Benlysta is giving out a good effect. Even though I haven’t reached the standard measurements for each category, the numbers that have to be increased are increasing, as well as the numbers that have to be decreased are decreasing.

When mama doctor, Kitabayasi sensei, measured my blood pressure, it was up to 150/110, so she was bothered by it, and I complained to her that recently I am feeling hot. She said also that since I am in pain, it may also cause a rise in my blood pressure, so she added a new medicine for blood pressure. I also had my painkillers and sleeping pills changed, we were afraid that I am getting used to the medicines that I am taking right now so I cannot feel its effect.  And mama doctor wanted me to take the painkillers in the morning and in the evening. She said that the strange thing in my elbow is a symptom of skin lupus, it is a harden fat, it will heal but it will take time to flatten out.

I had the 4^th IV of Benlysta. After my IV, I went to the 14^th ward to greet the nurses, and I was lucky to meet Nagatsuji Sensei. It has been a while since I saw him.

I will be back again after 1 month.

January 26 (S)

I got a sudden contact with my friend, he said that he and his girlfriend came to Osaka to visit. It was a good thing that I am living near Osaka Castle, and we met there. We didn’t make a plan but thank God our schedules met. I was so happy to meet them.

My new medicine dosage is:

🌅Morning: 10mg of Predonine, 2 capsules of Cellcept, anti-osteoporosis, half of blood pressure medicine, medicine for uric acid, intestinal medicine, Plaquenil, a new brand of pain killer + intestinal medicine and additional medicine for infection reduced to every Monday only.

🌜Evening: 7.5mg of Predonine, 3 capsules of Prograf and 2 capsules of Cellcept, anti-cholesterol medicine, from half it became 1 tablet of a blood pressure medicine, a new brand of pain killer + intestinal medicine, and sleeping pills #1 & new brand #2.

January 13 – 19, 2019

January 13 (Su)

My legs still hurt and it is like it is having cramps. My stomach also hurt. Even though I took the strong pain killer, it was like it has no effect.

January 14 (M)

Today, I have a high blood pressure it went up to 150/111. Maybe that is why I can feel slight dizziness.

January 15 (T)

Today is an extraordinary day. Why extraordinary? Because I can feel no pain! It has been a while since I have felt this way. I think the normal days for me is when something aching in my body.

January 16 (W)

I thought that my days will be good and that I am expecting that it will not be painful today. But when I woke up, my rib area is hurting. And when I saw my pointing finger, it is swelling.

I took my bath and I have observed that I have hematomas on my legs.

January 17 (Th)

I have received a gift from my friend. She gave me cute room socks and leg warmers. 

She was also kind enough to go with me to shop undershirt and fuwa fuwa socks.

January 18 (F)

I ate out with a friend today. I ate hamburger steak with cheese. I only ate half of the serving plus half of the rice. I thought it will be okay because compared to the hot plate cooked hamburger steak, the one that I ate has less oil. Then I also had pasta with cheese for dinner. But when it was midnight, my stomach starts to hurt and I started having loose bowel movements. I also took pain killer again, but there was no effect.

January 19 (S)

Still, the loose bowel movement continues, today I went to the toilet above 5 times. And I also feel that my stomach is bloated.

My medicine dosage is still at:

🌅Morning: 10mg of Predonine, 2 capsules of Cellcept, anti-osteoporosis, half of blood pressure medicine, medicine for uric acid, intestinal medicine, Plaquenil, and additional medicine for infection reduced to every Monday only.

🌜Evening: 7.5mg of Predonine, 3 capsules of Prograf and 2 capsules of Cellcept, anti-cholesterol medicine, half of a blood pressure medicine and sleeping pills #1 & #2.