It’s not only sjogrens but now soblottic stenosis (I just learned how to say it give me a few before I can spell it correctly 🙂

So I guess now I have sublottic Stenosis which is also known as narrowing of 
the wind pipes or airways. So now Sjogrens has taken a back seat to being 
able to breathe properly.  I do have trouble breathing and quiet often talking 
and also talking and breathing at the same time.. GAWWWWD! it sucks majorly. Ok s
so now that I know or am guessing the reason for not being able to breathe is that my
wind pipes or airway is somewhat narrower than the average person.  This has caused
me to be total sedentary, I've gained an awful lot of weight, so I need to set
a plan for myself to move and yet breathe.

I'm doing this blog for anyone who may have the same and just seeing what I go through
IN November 2016 I was working in Minneapolis, Minnesota (away from my regular duty
station) for the month of November. I was holed up in a hotel room, the room was dry,
I tried putting water on the stove for moisture, but the heat won! and by the time
I got back home after thanksgiving, I was having a difficult time breathing and 
speaking, thank god I had some time off coming to me of which I was hoping to
recouperate.  I didn't! I thought I"d be able to fight it off myself, but eventually 
in December I went to the Emergency room and was given prednisone as the Doc said it
appeared I was trying to fight it off by myself and nothing was working, good old 
prednisone worked until I was done with the dosage, prior to that my dentist gave me
antibiotics as I have a tooth that needs a root canal and he wanted to eliminate any in
infection I had, I don't think it worked and I thought for sure that the antibiotics wou
would help as they've done in the past, althoughI was now getting worried that I was taking
too many things and my body would become immune to the antibiotics and prednisone if 
it can so I didn't want to take it anymore than I had to.  needless to say, the antibiotics
didn't phase anything too much, not even the tooth.  then the ER visit, predinose, the dangerous
but miracle drug helped me breathe.. .. ahh!! don't ever take breathing for granted
lol.. smokers I envy you for breathing so well! and when I see a smoker I think
how can they do that to their lungs and the ability to breathe! it kind of sucks! lol
Anyway moving forward..Christmas shopping was somewhat of a chore even if I didn't 
say anything to my daughter, I had to make xmas good for my kids and grand babies.  
I think I succeeded haha.. it broke me but it was a good xmas, now to plan for next 
even better.
anyway, today is January 8, 2017 and I am breathing better than I have had beensince
November 2016. I had to steam tonight tho.  I have also joined a group in facebook
for sublottic stenois, I cried when I first found them and read until I couldn't read 
any longer, woke at 4 am and read some more and again at 7am.  I was overwhelmed that 
I wasn't alone in my struggle!I posted my gratitude and have never felt so welcomed
anywhere.. I love these people and I don't even know them, there were a lot of 
them from Minnesota however. from November to December or now I was out of breath,
while walking and I used to be able to walk 3 miles without gasping for breath jus
a year ago, which lead to the weight gain.today as I cannot walk well it's awfully cold too
haha.. -20 below tonight so I guess that would go against anyone trtying to walk.
This group of people onface book have had surgery which made me feel better as now I know
that If I get worse that there are temporary solutions, some have had surgery 
every 6 months, some 3 years to open their airways.   I was starting to think that
there would be atime when I was old and not able to cough this mucus up and it would
choke me, who knows maybe that's my demise, I don't know yet but also I found out
that dairy products which I somewhat already knew are a no no for someone who has
this stenosis.. as dairy causes mucus, I've also found out that and confirmed that
caffeine is a no no.. well I need a boost in the morning otherwise I am no good 
for nothing. In my job I need to be on my toes from the time I get there and 
being tired (maybe sjogrens?) isn't a good thing.  I've also found that Sjogrens
is on the approved SSDI list of disabilities.. acck!! who would have ever thought
that I'd be eligible for a disability.. not yet anyway lol, I want to work another
10 years or so until I get my grandbaby fully on her feet, daughter on hers then I
think about retiring.  My job also requires me to do a lot of talking which has been
somewhat embarrassing to me at times as I can't. but hopefully as I be mindful of what
goes into my mouth aka dairy or non dairy then I can eliminate or at least downplay
the symptoms
so sometimes prior to tonight I used to get up at 3AM and having a tightness in my throat, lungs
I'd have to keep myself calm, start my water on the stove for steam,keep calm as I
think If I paniced I could do some real harm to myself such as have a heart attack
so I remain calm.  If I were in trouble I'd wake my daughter and tell her call the
ambulance but fortunately that hasn't happened except in 2008.
so todays a good day, I can breathe I can talk, tomorrow I'm starting the elliptical
for exercise.. 
I've coughed up some sticky hard mucus at times, cleared my thought real hard and 
when in my car, I'd scream using more effort in my vocal areas and throat to clear 
all that crap out.  I don't know how far my stenosis is but I do have an appointment
with my regular doctor .. Dr. Quamme and we'll see what he says.  I do think for the
most part for me, I am not as bad as some are with this stenosis thank you Creator
for that!. Yesterday I went for my labwork to keep up with the Methortrexate, I am over
due by a week of not taking it so maybe I don't need it anymore.. I mean really why
take something if you don't really need to right?  but on the other hand, I believe
methortrexate and plaquinel has helped me stay good from March to November which prior
to that,I was having  bad episodes like every month or 2.. so this is going to be my diary
in a way regarding my sjogrens and stenosis.. it's time for bed.. good night, sleep
well and happy dreams to all.. Love ya..