And not finding . . . the key to the next scene in the novel. I know what I want it to be, but apparently the novel has other ideas. But what?

Ugh!

Part 16 is now available online. Enjoy.

My job is a very physical one and I have Rheumatoid Arthritis. When I was at my rheumatologist a couple of weeks ago, he showed me that my x-rays indicated ‘large amount of damage’ to my feet. That got me wondering. Would I ever notice a flare up if one occurred? Or would I just assume that it was the result of a ten hour / nine mile night at work and ignore it?

Well, my first official flare up after three years of being diagnosed and on medication began yesterday.

By 7am, I wondered what the hel was going on. By 8, I had a pretty fair idea. By 9am, I wondered if I’d be able to even get home before collapsing. (I did.)

Over twenty-four hours later, I’m hobbling better. My elbows are still bad, as are my feet, but the majority of the joints are beginning to calm down. Spent the night taking naps on the couch; for some bizarre reason, my right knee would not stop throbbing no matter how I positioned myself in bed. It only calmed down while I was on the couch.

Why the flare up? I have a sneaky suspicion. I took my new meds on Wednesday night. Thursday I suffered through a killer headache, but not much else. Friday morning, pleased I hadn’t had a hellacious bout of stomach nausea the day before, I celebrated by a breakfast of Cream of Wheat. A double bowl.

Some studies say that wheat is a culprit that can cause flare ups.

None of the side effects listed for MTX include flare ups, so I’m hoping that the wheat was the reason. I won’t know until next week, though, when I’m due to take my next dose. If, for some bizarre reason, I end up with another flare up without eating wheat products, I’m going to be at my rheumatologist’s office so quick . . . well . . . as quick as I can hobble there, anyway.

I’m hungry, but there’s nothing I want to eat.

I’m bored, but there’s nothing I want to do.

I’ve opened three different stories and can’t seem to get started on any of them. sigh

Orphan Maker is about two thirds complete. Editing for On Azrael’s Wings is about a third done with at least six more scenes to add to the mix. My Slow Movin’ short, ‘Sneakers!,’ is at a natural pause and though Slow has a sweet little thing to flirt with, it ain’t going anywhere.

Crap . . .

Another mystery for Gwen to puzzle over. She thought she had her facts straight but after grilling Loomis’ brother, she’s discovered that her information isn’t correct. Somebody died six years ago . . . so who the hel was it? The Riddick she knew was alive and kicking until recently . . .

863 words yesterday of ‘The Past,’ and 1169 words today of ‘The Present.’ I may or may not write more today. I’m feeling tired . . . at least my eyes are. Been doing some reading about RA and have discovered that dry eyes is an issue with the various drugs involved. I think I’m going to invest in eyedrops. Maybe I won’t think I’m so tired if my eyes aren’t dry and grainy. Seems like no matter how ‘tired’ I feel, sometimes I just can’t get to sleep. That’d be a good reason.

Went to the Farmers’ Market near PSU yesterday morning. Brrrr! It was cold! Got these wonderful little peach ‘hand pies’ from a bakery there. Enjoyed it so much, I went back for seconds! Also picked up some nectarines and homemade root beer. My wife scarfed a ton of vegetables (of course,) and we found two pounds of freshly caught salmon for ten bucks. Guess what we’re having for dinner tonight? NUMMY!

And it helps that salmon (fatty fish oils) is good for RA, right? Right??

Enjoy!

But I was wrong. The first scene of chapter nineteen was NOT complete. Finished it today. The chapter’s a little light – just short of 2k – but informative. I’m hoping it doesn’t sound too much like an info dump.

Feeling much better today. Good thing, too, since I hawe to work for 4 hours. Nothing really strenuous. Just turning one room from a lunch to a dinner. Then I’ve been ordered to a department barbecue at my boss’ house. (I’m the only one working today so everyone can get there.)

Next week’s medication should be interesting. I’ll pop the MTX on Wednesday night, but I’m working Thursday morning. Hope it doesn’t knock me on my ass too much.

and got my words for the day. 1065 total, first scene of chapter nineteen complete. One more scene to go. (Sorry, Shawn. Nothing in your email box, today.)

Took the first dose of MTX last night after a serious chat session and hours of research. Since it was at dinner time and I was soon in bed, I didn’t notice anything. But today . . . bleh. Up until an hour ago, I wasn’t hungry, but forced myself to eat. Within a half hour of every meal, I’ve been nauseated. Nothing too serious, just enough to grab my attention. I’ve been pale and washed out all day, too. Just had a snack since I was actually hungry for a change. We’ll see what happens in the next thirty minutes.

Been reading a book on rheumatoid arthritis. I’ve been in denial long enough. Time to take control of this shit and manage it as best I can. It’s not going to go away and the more I ignore it, the more damage will be done.

Well, I spent all yesterday morning cleaning house instead of writing because I knew I’d be getting a cortisone shot that afternoon. After a shot, the joint has to be immobilized for 24 hours. Right elbow, right arm, right hand. Pizza for dinner or else I’d never get any food in my mouth.

Went to the doctor’s office. No cortisone shot. sigh

Considering the amount of damage shown by x-rays and the blood tests that show no inflammation, he’s decided to put me in a clinical trial he’s conducting at the end of the year. To do so, I can’t have cortisone in my system. It’s an injectable drug that is supposed to last six months.

In the meantime, something has to be done to combat the disease. I don’t care if it says there’s no inflammation, the joint damage is evidence enough that things are progressing. My elbows and feet are shot to shit, and my right knee now has a tendency to throb so badly, it wakes me in the dead of the night. I’ve been prescribed methotrexate and folic acid for the next six months. These are on top of the hydrochloraquine I’m already taking. Not only do I never have to worry about contracting malaria, but now I’ll be able to fend off some cancers!

Alright. Enough whining. Time to get some writing done.

I’m talking my brain, not Star Trek . . .

I posted the next segment of the Iditarod this weekend and completely forgot to mention it on my blogs! Whoops! For those enterprising souls who poked around on my website to locate it, hats off to you! To everyone else, my apologies!

Another monster work day yesterday, but I slogged through it. Flat out refused to stay until midnight to turn a room. Fortunately, my shift leader was working, and he remained behind long enough to get most the work done. This morning, another of our guys worked at front desk and offered to check it with the day shift and make certain the room was ready to go. The group we have in house and the one transferring in for the following week are both a bit on the high maintenance side of things. My boss wasn’t certain they wouldn’t be running ragged this morning and, therefore, unable to get the room prepped in time.

Slept eight hours, spent the morning cruising the blogs I read and transferring my wife’s iTunes files to her new hard drive. Then I had a three hour nap and am feeling pretty good (other than the sore feet and creaky joints.)

Now it’s time to get this chapter of Orphan Maker finished.
——- mere seconds later——-

Whoops! Dishwasher just melted a plastic lid. Phew!
——- later——-

2181 words. Chapter eighteen complete. I was beginning to despair that I’d get in my word count today. (Come to think of it, I usually do, don’t I? Go figure.) The bombshell has been dropped, at least as far as Gwen is concerned. She’s having a serious d’oh moment. Of course, now that she thinks about it, she has a pretty good idea what happened to Loomis to cause those nightmares.

Now I’m going to get some reading done. Tipping the Velvet for those interested. It’s still one of my all time favorites. I think when I’m done I’m going to begin rereading the Harry Potter series.

Last night was a monster. Well, maybe not really . . . but since I’ve been on day shift the last two or three weeks, and it’s a lot less physical activity, last night’s shift felt like a monster to me. I’m exhausted and have another swing shift to go.

Fingersmith rocks! Just finished it. I have to admit to feeling dread in part one. It seemed to be just like Affinity, only from the swindler’s POV. It was a slow motion train wreck to read. However, it redeemed itself by the halfway point, and definitely kept me turning the pages until the end. Two thumbs and two big toes up!

Still have a couple of chores to do and an hour and a half before leaving for work.

Don’t wanna.

For a change, I’m writing this entry over a few hours, leaving my iJournal window open until I submit this to LiveJournal. A lot of times I’ll think of something pithy to say, but am too lazy to open up the window, write and post it when I know I’ll do an update later. Of course, then I don’t write half of what I was going to . . .

Ever have music in your head demanding to be played? Today it’s Blood by Queensryche from their CD ‘Tribe’. HAD to hear it, maybe two or three times before I allow the iPod to go back to random play. Don’t know why. It’s been a few days since I listened to that playlist.

The next chapter of Orphan Maker opens with – “You want me to do what?” Gwen demanded. snicker
——- later——-

So . . . 562 words and my official word count for a work day is achieved. At least the scene is set up. It’s shearing season at the Loomis homestead, so the city kids are getting a crash course on getting up close and personal with bleeting, fleece covered animals. I’m not sure what the scene is going to be about except to show how the newbies are integrating into their places. Since Gwen will eventually corner Rick about Loomis’ mysterious nightmares, she’s working closely with him now, developing a personal dynamic.

Oh, yeah, and one of my backstory bombshells will be blown up here. That’s right. Gotta remember that.

Now I’m being distracted by my Fed Ex delivery . . . a pair of Lacie external firewire drives. Time to get them plugged in and partitioned.
——- later——-

Wow! That was relatively painless! Decided against partitioning, though. I’d rather have the one named drive than four with the mundane titles of ‘Documents,’ ‘iTunes,’ etc. I’ve transferred my tunes, documents, pics and site there. The only thing that got deleted off my main drive, however, were the tunes. (Though my Mac will actually be the ‘backup’ instead of the Lacie.) It’s breathing easier now since I’ve about maxed out the memory storage with music since I got my iPod at Yule.

Since the outline has changed somewhat with new scenes cropping up here and there, and the ones written scheduled being altered by the new additions, I have no idea where I’m going. I’ve spent the last two hours poring over the outline and the last couple of chapters, finally figuring out what’s next.

Unfortunately, I tend to daydream a bit about the upcoming scene (which is why I try to complete one scene at a sitting. Gives me an opportunity to look ahead to the next.) Not having been able to do that here, I haven’t ‘seen’ the scene to write it. Ah, well, at least I know what scene it is now!

I’ll be revealing a bit of information that I’ve been holding back. My friend is still annoyed she hasn’t figured it out. Apparently, it’s a fifty-fifty thing, because someone else reading it has. (Nyah, nyah, Shawnee.) Considering this other person gave me two or three different theories and then asked me not to tell her which was correct, I’m keeping mum until the chapter is finished.

I’ve been reading Fingersmith by Sarah Waters. After Affinity, I wasn’t too sure I wanted to read anything more of hers. So depressing! I’ve heard Fingersmith is, as well, but thought it was time to give it a shot.

And another chapter. Loomis has a nightmare again (small wonder considering Riddick’s recent return to her mind.) Did it from her POV this time, without giving too much away.

On the mysterious back story front, I have to say I’m doing a damned good job. Finished chapter seventeen and it looks like the hints I’m giving are still red herring enough that nobody’s getting the twist. That may change as the back story becomes further developed in the novel, though. For now I’m pleased that my best friend hasn’t figured it out, yet.