LUPUS STILL BITES :-(

Hi Friends!

I talked with Dr. Cohen this afternoon, and while I LOVE my doctor -- I'm hating the aftercare instructions and still thinking lupus bites! He wants me back up to 60 mg. of Prednisone daily -- if you've never been on steroids, just imagine a medicine that makes you puffy, hungry, crazy, and emotional. Can you say fun? I also need to start CellCept, which we've been talking about for a while. Patients with organ transplants take it to prevent organ rejection. It's also used in lupus patients like me to keep us from rejecting (or attacking) our own organs. I'll probably have to add back most of the meds I stopped, too -- due to the effects of the Prednisone.

We set up Home Health Care to keep my PICC line clean, and they will draw blood weekly. And, like I thought we'll try and wait to start chemo again until Feb. 10th when I see Dr. Karpouzas (chief rheumatologist at UCLA) and Dr. Cohen. Together they will make the new plan, Stan. But Dr. Cohen said it was a bad sign that my headache and chest pain came back after the hospital stay.

So, again -- it is what it is... Thanks for all the prayers!
Much Love,
Michele