This year we are doing things a little differently in my family. Today I will be cooking some side dishes--but our real holiday meal will be held tomorrow (Black Friday) when our daughter will be here to celebrate with us. I bought a pre-made Thanksgiving Dinner from our grocery store, since I am not able to really cook a big meal (physically). I myself will be eating some veggie dishes that I'm making to accompany the meal. ( I attempt to maintain a vegan diet for health reasons). I hope the pre-made meal is good.
I'm so happy ....For the first time since I went to Dr Solitar in Manhattan, I have finally found a rheumatologist who knows what he is doing. It turns out that the Biologic that I was on, left me at a huge risk for a bowel perforation--which is life threatening. At any rate that Biologic (Actemra) was not really doing me any good. My disease has been progressing unabated by the medicine. The doctor took a thermoscan of my hands and they lit up bright red and white (white is the hottest temp possible) ...The doctor's hand in comparison was yellow and green. According to the doctor, it is unlikely that I have RA. But he said the type of PsA (Psoriatic Arthritis) that I have is more crippling and disabling than is RA.
I will be switching to a new Biologic called Cimzia (sp?)...It is good for both RA and PsA. It is self-injectible so no more trips to the hospital's infusion center....which is good since winter is coming. But I will miss the nurses there. What a sweet, professional group of women those are! Anyway...This doctor yesterday felt that I have some good treatment options. He is willing to treat my disease aggressively and it's about time someone had the nerve and courage to do that.
I also have to go to a dermatologist to confirm that I have psoriasis...which the doc yesterday said I probably have. I have several lesions and just yesterday began to have another flare up on my face. So while the doctor agrees that it looks very much like PsA, he wants to be completely sure. My blood work thus far has been inconclusive. So he is ordering new labs and the dermatologist to confirm what we both already know.
Anyway. I am so grateful to God for bringing me to this doctor.
I am grateful to have the insurance coverage necessary to receive treatment.
I am grateful for the family of believers I have, both here, online and at my church.
I am grateful to live in a country with a Christian heritage, even though we have pretty much , as a nation, ignored and denied this heritage.
I am grateful for the ability to worship freely....and praying that we do not lose this freedom as it appears we are moving into that direction.
I am grateful for my house and that I do not have to wander the streets, homeless, as do so many of my fellow sufferers of Schizophrenia.
I am grateful that I got my book completed and published.
I am grateful for you, my readers, who make writing this blog meaningful.
And last but not least, I am grateful for my family; that my parents are both alive and independent. And for my husband who has stuck by me in hell and high water. I am grateful for my beautiful daughter and for the talents God has endued upon her.
Thank you , Lord Jesus for all these gifts with which you have blessed me. Thank you for your lifeblood poured out to purchase my life from the enemy. Come quickly Lord, and establish your eternal kingdom. Accept my thanks as inadequate as it is. Amen.
And Amen.
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