Doctors!

They get your hopes up, then let ya down!  Three months ago the doctor said if my blood work remains well, I could stop my current (and for now, only) medication at my next visit.  Today was that visit.

He's being cautious.  Instead of yanking me off of it altogether, he's going to take me down by one pill every 2 months. I currently take 6 of those nasty tiny things, so that means it will be a year before I'm completely off! Sigh...... Oh well, to borrow Pollyanna's game, I'm glad he's decreasing it instead of increasing it!

For those who don't know, three years ago I was diagnosed with Dermatomyositis (DM), a rare auto-immune disease that affects the skin and the muscles.  At the same time, I was also diagnosed with Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD). 

With steroid and cancer medications, the ILD was put into remission quickly.  The DM, however, was not.  I spent three months mostly on the couch, relying on the strength of my Lord to get up the stairs once a night to bed.  Lifting a gallon of milk out of the fridge door was barely doable.  I became exhausted just getting dressed and/or brushing my hair (I had not the strength to keep my arms lifted up that long.)  I lost half my hair from the meds and the stress.  Baths were out of the question; I fell in and could not get back out.  Homeschooling was little more than teaching my girls to have compassion and do housework.  We did manage to do some Five in a Row on my better days.  Gotta love a curriculum you can do from the couch!   

But, by the God's amazing grace, I survived (am surviving!) that storm of life.  He gave me Isaiah 43......Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; You are Mine......I will be with you!  He also gave me 2 Corinithians 12:10.... for when I am weak, then am I strong.

I almost made remission with the DM last summer, but it started to flare (probably due to be in the sun too much) and so we changed medications. 

The medication I'm currently taking is also a cancer drug, and as such it can cause nausea and vomiting, cold sores, fatigue, weakened immunity, etc.  I've been lucky, I've only had the nausea and fatigue and reduced immunity.  But I'm waiting, albeit some days not so patiently, for the day the DM is also in remission.  But I know the Lord has plans and that his ways are not  mine, and I so I'll trust in Him and continue to wait.