checking in, again

I came down with a slight cold over the weekend, of course.  Lack of sleep and too much stress will do that to a person. I won't say anything more about that for (superstitious) fear of making it worse.  The real reason I'm writing is because my hands were really bothering me today, and this is the first time I can remember them feeling like this in a very long time. 

I had a hard time putting on my rings this morning, and even had to wear my wedding and engagement rings on my pinkie finger for a while before the swelling went down enough so I could move them over to the proper finger. 

As far as I know, the only bad stuff I ate yesterday was a very tiny bite of a brownie from the tasting station at Trader Joe's.  I did a lot of driving in the afternoon, and then made dinner, but nothing else involved wheat, so I have no idea what's going on.

I'm also keeping an eye on my digestion.  It's been dysfunctional for long enough that I finally broke down over the weekend and bought Imodium and a super-strength probiotic.   I'm glad I did because the best cold medicine by far I've found is Mucinex, and that stuff also does a number  on my intestines.  I hate being on so many meds but I do have to be able to stand around a classroom and talk most of the day, and I'm grateful the meds make that possible.

I've been off the T3 for a few weeks now, so of course I'm wondering if that has something to do with the arthritic-feeling hands.  Also, it rained like crazy last night and today was cold and blustery, which, if I actually had arthritis, could be enough to explain my bad hands and other creaky joints.  But as far as I know, I don't have arthritis!  I mean, I thought I did, for years, but then that diagnosis was amended to "allergic reaction to wheat."   Plus, we've had numerous cold and blustery days this winter and none of them involved my hands feeling as bad as they do now.  They've really bothered me all day.  Harumph.

I had a blood test Monday afternoon and am waiting for the doctor to call in my new dosage.  I missed a call from her today, but I hope I'll be able to take it when she calls tomorrow.  I'd like to know what's going on.  I don't feel particularly tired or brain-fogged or any of the typical hypothyroid symptoms, so I'm not going to worry about further dose-tinkering. 

In other news, a long-time online friend has recently been diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer.  Cancer sucks.