Skip to main content

Happy New Year - Everyday!

I know. It has been a long time. Having spent the last few months angry, optimistic, irritated and hopeful, I am moving on.

 I have made dietary changes and incorporated new ideas into an overall wellness protocol. I still struggle with gluten free. This subject deserves some time, so I will save it for another post. Organic produce and grass fed meats have been an easy switch, thanks to this wonderful part of the country I live in. Exercise has only been in therapy form with limitations, due to a ruptured Achilles tendon and Plantar Fasciitis. A recumbent bike (thank you to my husband) in my living room has been a welcome addition to the process. The first ride in December was a difficult 3 minutes. This week, I am up to 30 minutes.

 Mental Health is still a struggle. After being robbed of the effective Pristiq, I have since been on the generic for Cymbalta. Now I spin the hamster wheel on the generic for Effexor (I hate insurance companies). Sunshine and movement always make the days better, however, in the winter, sunshine can be scarce, and with autoimmune pain, enough movement to improve ones mood can be a challenge.

 I reluctantly continue my search for a drug to stop the joint and tendon damage. Biologics are such a double edged sword. I find it difficult to find happiness in taking them. The longer I am on this path, I realize the advantages and accept it. After six months of Humira injections, my rhuematologist and I know one thing for sure. Humira does not work for me. The course of action was to be Methotrexate, Enbrel, Humira (which he was so hopeful about) and then Remicade infusions, if necessary. Least invasive and weakest on up the line to the strong stuff. 

 Remicade it is.We began the infusions on my birthday, December 16th. 
A lovely, nauseous way to spend the morning. 

 I can not really comment on its effectiveness at this point. Because of illness (did I mention that these drugs suppress the immune system?) I missed appointments for the next infusion. If all goes well, I should be receiving the next dose of nauseousness next Tuesday ;-)

 My attitude today? 
Who says January first is the official day of rebirth? I am not on the same calender as them. Everyday is a transformation because I have learned from all of these new experiences and I have to adapt daily. We all do. Regardless of your challenges, it is necessary to adjust your sails accordingly, or risk staying stuck in quicksand. I have learned this the hard way. I guess I never considered that staying in denial and expecting a magical bullet would not serve me well. I no longer feel guilty for taking a nap. It is necessary. I ration my energy and say no much more often, but that is where I am now. I certainly do not expect to stay exactly where I am today. It is a process. One I am choosing to share. 

 Happy New Year!
Ellie
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Attitude Modifications

As my husband facilitates ideas to make my life easier in the house , I have been adjusting and attempting to modify my attitude. May 5th marks one year since my Rhuematologist officially diagnosed me with PsA. The Fibromyalgia determination came just two months ago. Being pronounced with autoimmune diseases is kind of like running a race without a finish line. I spent a long time trying to find out what was causing the pain and fatigue, only to discover there would never be a means to an end.  Thus begins a process much like grief:   Denial - Much like when I was diagnosed with depression, I just shook my head when it began to soak in that I had an autoimmune disease. So much so, that I refused to take the meds and began reading everything I could get my hands on that would discredit the diagnosis. Methotrexate? No, thank you. A chemo medicine for arthritis? Are you crazy? The realization that my doctor might be correct in his conclusions just spiraled into a slow burn...
Post a Comment
Read more

Sleep. Creep. Leap.

It's been awhile. Did you miss me, I wonder?  I've been drifting about on the clouds of memory fog and forgetfulness that accompany conditions like psoriatic arthritis and fibromyalgia. (My family gets a kick out of my loopiness.) The plethora of doctor appointments and hospital stays have kept me pretty occupied, as well. Since autoimmune dysfunction assaulted my life, I have come to accept most things as they appear with much less stress than before. Perhaps time heals. Now if I could just remember to schedule that massage... Having been diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis in 2014, I am much more invested in the reality of this disease now. I have read, asked questions, written, researched, traveled and cried. Knowing what I know now, I wish I wouldn't have been so hard on myself. A gift from my daughter, Alesha, may have been the the gentle nudge I needed to truly realize this. She gave me a rose bush for Mothers Day the same year I was diagnosed with psoriatic ar...
1 comment
Read more

Adjusting My Sails

One week before my third Remicade infusion, I went to see my Rhuematoligist.I wanted to ask him some questions about my Psoriatic Arthritis,and the length of time I may have to wait until the infusions began to work. I explained that I was experiencing more pain in new places, including my left elbow, arm and shoulder. The pain was chronic and overwhelming and I couldn't understand why I was getting worse. After an extensive overview of all my symptoms, my doctor examined all of my joints, while asking about the specifics along the way. He touched certain points on my neck and back that just about sent me through the roof! This was a bit alarming to me. Although I had been experiencing overall pain and malaise, I was stunned to realize those certain points were so painful. Folding his arms, Dr. Patel stepped back and paused. His diagnosis saturated my being with a cloak of misunderstanding. Fibromyalga. What? How is that possible? I already have two autoimmune diseases that ...
Post a Comment
Read more