Another Round of doctors...another round of prayers answered but questions unanswered...

Okay, I went and saw a BUNCH of docs lately (and still have a few more to go see)...but the important news is this--my lungs are completely CLEAR. WOO HOO!! No more nodules. Doing a happy dance. My lung doc informed me that the "stuff--i.e. nodules were quite large--and also were numerous. He wasn't very happy to find out that my rheumie was asking me if I would again consider going back on the Enbrel (which my lung doctor believes was the main culprit in lowering my immune system to the crazy level where I got some really weirdo lung infection that basically took over my lungs--kind of like tuberculosis) My rheumatologist, though, (and I can see her side of the picture as well--says how well it helped with my headaches and diarrhea (oops--TMI, I am sorry--but the second ailment was so severe that I literally was homebound because of it. When I was taking Enbrel, it was the first time in almost 25 years that I could really have a somewhat "normal" life--except for ONE thing--my lungs became all gunked up within 2-4 months. So, of course, I just have to deal with the headaches and tummy trouble because I can't go back on that med which crashes my immune system (I am also on 3 other immunosuppresent "chemo" meds and then steroids which don't help matters any.

SIGH!! And STILL, with all of these meds...I have such awful headaches.

As I said...I still have another round of docs to go to--and one of those happen to be the neurologist. So, we shall see what he recommends. He is just THRILLED that I am still alive. Apparently, according to my MRI films, I have a "big hole" in my brain and I should be just grateful to be functioning as well as I am. He is always just amazed at how well I get around (as if I should just be sitting there drooling in the corner or something?? I am not sure what he really expects?? However, I am extremely stubborn--so if anything, they (docs) should all expect me to give them one HECK of a time. LOL!!

Anyway...that's the update for now. Again....thank you SO much for all of your prayers. The power of prayer is JUST amazing--isn't it?? Do you have a story about how the power of prayer in your life?? Do you have any tips for trying to deal with "dueling docs"?

Again--take care and SMILE at a stranger :)

Gentle hugs

December 2008 Merry Musings :)

Wow...another year has flown by. I can't believe how fast time goes by. Seriously. Where DOES the time go? I really do not seem to have enough hours in the day to possibly get all of the things done that I want to do...and really...I don't DO anything...LOL!

This time of the year can always be a bit stressful, huh? Everyone seems to be in a rush...the hustle and bustle of everyone and everything can be hard for people who like to have things in order or who live life by a schedule (raise of hands!!) Also, just the change of weather can be difficult for those who have chronic illnesses and can trigger flares. This in combination with any stress of a change in routine can give those who are sick a really double whammy of a flare.

I try to remember to slow down and appreciate beauty of the season. Everything seems so sparkly this time of year. Also, the very few times I actually get out my favorite thing to do is to watch the kids at Santa's toy shop. I just get a kick out of it..some of them are so excited...and then some are so scared--me--I remember being scared out of my mind--who was this crazy fat guy in the red suit?? But I also remember some sort of connection that my wish was going to get granted if I went and chatted him up so I very timidly went to talk to him.

As far as my health update, my last chest xray came back TOTALLY CLEAR. Yipee!! This means that I can go another six months and then I go get another one. As Tom says, though, it is ALWAYS something, because I do have some other health issues going on. I am having some problems with one of my hip replacements that I had done a few years ago. I may have to have one of them redone or "revised". I really don't want to because as the motto goes around this house...I try to avoid surgery as much as I can...LOL! SIGH. Oh well, I go to see my orthopedic doc in January so I guess I will know more then. (I am going to see the doc who did my other hip--or should I say my good hip--obviously--I don't want to go back to the doc who did the lousy hip!!) Also, I have been having some trouble with my brain. The neuro, though, told me that I was doing pretty good for someone who has a "hole in her head" (that is from the stroke) Seriously...he said that. I was like, ah, OK! But, I have been having horrendous headaches...but he said that is to be expected and that I should just be lucky to be alive and that most people who have had my kind of lupus and especially the extent of damage to the brain only live 2 years (and here it has been 8 years--again--AH, OK!!)

Well, that is it for the update.

Please have a Blessed Christmas and a healthy and happy 2009. I appreciate all of your comments and posts. They encourage ME so please send them in.

As always, prayers are SO powerful. Let them work wonders in YOUR life.

Until next time

Gentle hugs,

Shelley

September 2008 Believe in MIRACLES :)

Wow:) I can not believe another year has gone by. This past year has been even harder than last year. I believe this year was all about just patience and truly believing in the power of prayer.
I had a lot of different health problems this year but the major one involved my lungs. For the past several years, I had a nodule in one of my lungs and after several years of having clean xrays/cts, my docs believed that the "nodule" was stable and we just went on to deal with other more "urgent" issues. In March, I developed a really bad cough at night and a few times it had blood in it. I went to the doctor and had a CT which showed 11 nodules in my lungs. (Yup, went from 1 to 11)
We left the doc's office sort of stunned, but then did the only thing we know that truly helps. We prayed and then we began to ask everyone AND anyone we came across to pray...and I mean...EVERYONE!! and ANYONE.
In July, I was scheduled to get a biopsy done. I was terrified. Before the procedure, it is routine to have another cat scan done so that the radiolgist can see if there has been any changes in the size of the nodules since the last test. When the radiologist came in, he told me that had some good news for me. He said that I didn't have to have the biopsy done because out of the 11 nodules, there were only 4 left and those 4 were in areas that were hard to reach. WOO HOO!! I was literally dancing around the table I was so happy. When the nurse took me back out to the waiting room to meet Tom, he was so confused because he thought the next time he would see me would be right before surgery but now, here I was, all dressed and ready to go home WITH A BIG SMILE ON MY FACE!!
The radiolgist told us to get another CT in six weeks and then follow up with my lung doctor. The next six weeks were so hard. Tom was never wavering in his belief that ALL of the nodules would be gone but I would sometimes have doubts. I just couldn't believe that maybe all of the nodules could be gone--I mean...I have had the one since 2003, I think, so I believed that at least THAT one would still remain...However, Tom believed without a doubt that the power of prayer was going to make the remaining nodules go away as well.
So, we continued to have the "Prayer Warriors" pray...and continued to ask everyone and anyone we knew to pray.
It seemed like forever for those six weeks to go by, but finally, it was time to go see the lung doctor. When we received the "all clear" news, again, I was just so joyful and told my lung doctor...it was from the power of prayer...and he said...you are probably right. Now, THAT is a good doctor!! Not one that says...no, that can't be...blah, blah, blah, science, this and that. He is just as amazed as we are.
So, again, the power of prayer. Please believe that it can work in YOUR life.
Thanks for all who have prayed for me and for Tom. Thanks for all who have taken the time to send personal emails and who have signed the guest book.
Hopefully, this year I will be able to update my site a bit more frequently (my goal is monthly but with lupus I have learned to just do a bit at a time...and sometimes not a BIT gets done. LOL!
Anyway, again...please let the power of prayer work in your life.
Gentle hugs,
Shelley