Better late than never

       Many birthdays, funerals, events of my life and changes have happened since I had last posted.  I still have the stiffness and aches of Rheumatoid Arthritis which will be with me until my last breath.  Luckily,  I have a great  Rheumatologist who is very happy with my results and where I am today versus where I was in 2007 at my first diagnosis.  I still have a wonderful support system of God, friends, family and the all mighty Internet!
     The daily living of my life is now wanting me to write, type and say what is on my mind.  With the advancement of picture phones causes me to react to what I see,  most of the time beautiful visions and sometimes,  it pauses me to question.
      This year, turning 50 was uneventful and with little celebration.  Not wanting the "hoopla" that goes along with a unique event was my choice.   Doc Stevens, my Rheumatologist,  has been consistent in mixing and tweaking my medicinal cocktail of Methotrexate, Prednisone and Folic Acid.  In addition to that,  I was on Humira for approximately one year and self-injecting my poor thigh every two weeks with this hugely expensive liquid gold that would take away the inflammation that has turned against me waging a horrific war on my joints and bones.  Friends thought I was heroic to subject myself to that torture when in reality,  I did not want to sit in an office for three hours on an I.V. every week  listening to other patients and their talk of combat with this dreadful disease.  Call me selfish,  uncaring and self-centered.  I was battling my own depressing feelings of fright, fear, loneliness and heaviness that weighted me down.    
     My Rheumatologist seems to think my disease is in remission but can rear its ugly head at any time.  I do thank Heavenly Father along with my dilligance to take my medication to help me along for as long as I can.

Super Tuesday

is what they are touting. It's voting day and assured to be a monumental event as we will have a first in that of Obama, our first ever African American President or Clinton, our first ever woman President. Who ever will win, I would hope the other would stay on as Vice President creating a Dream team power combination. I did notice many more young people voting and it is refreshing to see.
Since the injection of my Humira last week, the bruise on my left thigh has spread to the size of a quarter and the welt had receded within 24 hours. I called the nurse practitioner to advise her of this and she stated that I may have not let the alcohol dry, after swabbing the prepared area of injection and the alcohol caused some irritation and bruising there. I will need to remember that for the next shot which will be on the right thigh. After completing the thigh area, the stomach is another area that is open for the Humira injections just to change up the administering. I'm going to have to talk myself into that too. I'm fairing rather well on the rest of my medication and I'm still at one and a half tablet of prednisone, one folic acid and one multi-vitamin, daily. The methotrexate is taking religiously every Wednesday at four tablets. I will see my RAtologist on the 20th of this month and make sure to visit the lab for another blood test to show where my markers are. In August, my marker or RA factor registered at 101 with my primary doctor. With my RA physician, the marker stood at 96. Since my treatment began to now, I have lowered it to the low 40's. My RAtologist would like to see it in my 30's.
I have been eating about as healthy as I want but can still use a good walking program to shed some pounds and keep my joints healthy. Swimming is best and highly recommended.
I never want to feel that painful affliction ever again. My body did not belong to me and it was unrecognizable, inhospitable and a cruel, sick joke was being played upon my senses. I felt helpless and worried that my still young life at 45 (I'll be 46 next month) is coming to an end. Having faith and trust in my RA doctor proved that I would regain my independence with the help of medication and management. I have never taken for granted my life and have never been frivolous with it. This disease has caused me to take a closer look to improve my life and make it more enjoyable in my years ahead.

Tiredness

sets in as I reduce my prednisone by half a tablet. During the past week, I have been feeling rather lethargic and wanting to stay home more. Besides going to work, I'm having a difficult time completing tasks that should have been completed weeks ago. I have all of my tax documents and somehow, I am not able to persuade my body to engage in being productive. Because of the inclement weather, I have discontinued my walking regimen but that is a poor excuse for not accepting the fact that I have Toni Little's workout machine, The Gazelle, that was left behind by my daughter's ex boyfriend, down in the garage. I just need to step my voluptuous butt on it! So where am I? Cooking, concocting smoothies and preparing for my work night while watching T.V. from the comfort of my nice warm recliner.

Medication

lowering of my prednisone by half a tablet this week. So far I am at one and a half tablets of prednisone at 5 MG, one folic acid tablet at 1 MG and 1 multi vitamin, daily. I take four methotrexate tablets at 10 MG every Wednesday and the Humira injection every two weeks, all of which I have faithfully taken and not missed for fear of my stiffening joints coming back to haunt me. The weather certainly doesn't play any part in it's affect on my joints as I so often hear from other sufferers. I sometimes feel a fullness in my hand joints when I curl my fingers and I look for tell tale signs of nodules and deformities as my fingers stand at attention under my inspection. I am afraid of the medications in my ample embodiment of woman and I disengage from the thoughts of what the future holds for me. Four months ago, I was a wretch from my tormenting pain and surprised by the suddenness of it all. A misery I would not wish upon anyone and executed a disguise of my endurance. This disease was altering me so aggressively, that I was not recognizable to myself anymore. Where was that sturdy, vigorous, take-charge woman that I knew? The agony was excruciating. The loneliness was more inviting, yet, lacerating and extracted me from the human race. My advantage was my family and friends who kept in touch with me often with their talk of others with my affliction. I continued to help others in their time of need to keep me active in life since I was abruptly forced to stay home. In helping them, I helped myself heal and redirected my quality of health for the better.

Doc meeting

went well. I'll be taking the next phase of the medication next week. I have to take a TB test to make sure that I don't have the TB virus because this next phase of my medication can bring it on if I house that virus. My RAtologist gave me three options to take the medicine, Humira. I can either have it administered in his office by IV and be hooked up for an hour, administer it myself or come in for a weekly injection. I chose the IV, not wanting to see any type of needle let alone administering it myself. He seemed disappointed and instead, he showed me this device that looked similar to a tampon applicator and that would be how I would take my meds. He took off both ends of the plastic caps (I still never saw the needle) and showed me how to inject myself either in the fat part of my stomach area or in my thigh. Then he pushed on one end of the applicator and supposedly the medicine would be injected through the other side. It looked very easy and stated that it would pinch a little. I decided to administer it myself once every two months versus an hour in the doctors office hooked up to an IV. He would have to check with my health plan to make sure they can pay for the medication. After doing some research, I found out that this drug can cost upwards of $12,000.00-$15,000.00 a year!! Holy Crap, they better take care of it. That's half of what I make as a part-timer! He also increased my prednisone because of the recent stiffness in my hand joint and the pain I've been in. Still, he has not taken any x rays of my bones or joints and I will make an appointment with my primary and have her take it. This RAtologist doesn't seem to think I need it and besides, he says that I have an aggressive form of RA. I would want to know where I am if I have any type of bone loss due to this disease. It's true that you have to watch out for yourself in this medical field. In the meantime, I've got a TB shot to watch for the weekend and am going to take it easy.