Oh my! I am delinquent in posting. I was very discouraged after Thanksgiving. In hind site, I just pushed it too hard too early. We had family here and I was feeling "better" so I worked too hard, got too tired, ate too much and I paid the price. When I started hurting again after Thanksgiving, I was really sad. It was a rough week of recuperating and trying to stay positive.
The Good...
However, I took my next round of Humira on December 8th after Thanksgiving. I remember that I was so grateful it was a Saturday and Babe was home, as it wiped me out. I probably took a 4 hour nap that day. I fully believe that was a "healing" nap. I woke up cautiously optimistic at how I felt. The next morning I had a skip in my step and each day got better and better. I can safely say that since then, to date, I have not had ONE day of pain. For this girl, that is a HUGE miracle. Each day I had been improving, but it was more of a "I feel less pain" than "I feel great!" Now....I feel great! I think that shot was the turning point.
My family came down for Christmas and I was cautious about overdoing it and made a good effort to pace myself. We had a wonderful time, had wonderful food and I never suffered a bit. Again...still cautiously optimistic. I was so afraid that I would have to start taking an additional drug WITH the Humira that the GI initially wanted me to take as well. I asked him if we could start with JUST the Humira and if it didn't work, we could add it. I just didn't want to take more meds than need be and that med added further risk to my health.
SO, it is safe to say I began 2013 feeling healthy! Woohoo! Sad to say, that Babe and I just celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary yesterday and as we thought about past anniversaries, I was sick for at least the last four. When your illness is defined by eating, going out to a special dinner isn't exactly enjoyable.
The Bad....
I saw my hematologist last week. I thought I was just there to check-in, however, he told me that my stored iron (Feratin) was dangerously low again. UGH! I was feeling so good. I certainly wasn't prepared for that. However, in hind site, I did have signs that I overlooked. I wasn't sleeping well for a while, my bones hurt (I can't believe I didn't put that together), my joints hurt, my skin was really dry. TYPICALLY, I start to crunch ice...true symptom! When he asked, I said, "No" and he asked if I was craving salty foods. BINGO! I had just said to his nurse (when I saw the scale) that I needed to cut back on the salty foods. I am not typically a salty food eater and I had been over New Years. Isn't the body amazing?
So, this meant I had to go in to get 2 iron transfusions this week. The nurses are so nice, it's not usually a bad experience, but I will admit that the IV's are starting to hurt more and more. My veins aren't good anymore, they are scarred and often invisible. I try really hard to drink lots of water the day before and on my way to plump them up, but "skinny" is used to describe my veins and NOT my body :) It hurts and they have to try multiple times. Yes, it's minor. But I am starting to get anxiety before they poke me knowing they will poke multiple times and end up in my hand...which I hate! :(
He does believe that the low stored iron is not a reflection of my current health, but due to the resections of my small intestine and stomach years ago. Apparently, the portions that were removed were most responsible for absorption of iron and it takes 10-15 years for your body to exhaust all its storage and end up where I am. I fully believe that and know that he knows what he is talking about. However, it has been almost a year since I last had iron (I think). I have to believe that since I was so sick and so inflamed that nothing was being absorbed. I am hopeful that as the inflammation improves, so will my iron absorption...wherever it can be absorbed.
The Great...
This is be BEST news! The day after I saw the hematologist, I saw my GI doctor. After our experience with the GI doctor in Houston and the total lack of anything personal, I wanted to jump into Dr. Dural's arms. This was the first time I saw him since he sent me to Houston for surgery. He is so nice and has a very thick accent. If I were to guess, I would say it was of the Russian/Czech kind. He sat down in the chair and looked at his little laptop and said in his thick accent, "Thes drug is verking MIRACLES on your body!" I knew I was feeling better, but his blood test was one I was anxious to hear the results. He said that the CRP determined if there was any inflammation in my body. Typically that number is off the charts for me and it was a ZERO. A ZERO! He said I had NO inflammation in my body. Definitely a miracle. I almost jumped into his arms {almost} but I definitely had tears in my eyes. Tears of joy. I am kicking this thing!
I am kicking this thing in the butt, but not on my own. My friends don't know it, but every time I see one of them that has prayed for me or sent me a note or a text, it still encourages me. I remember how they lifted me up and encouraged me when times were bleak and how they STILL encourage me and tell me they are praying for me. I still have the texts on my phone that I received when I was in the hospital. I still have the cards. There's no way to express how much every little gesture meant to me and how much even the smallest gesture carried me thru it all. I am one lucky girl. Lucky to have such amazing friends and family, lucky to be improving so much, lucky to be able to eat with my family. Just plain lucky! :)
God is good. All the time. Here's to 2013...a HEALTHY 2013!
