I'M READY...

Hi Friends,

We have completely moved all of our stuff into the new rental house on Olive St. And now we're in the process of slowly unpacking the boxes. The kids all did their own rooms, and I did the master bedroom and bathrooms as well as the laundry room. Today Bill and I set up the dining room and yesterday we set up the whole kitchen. So, what's left is the living room, family room and hall way -- all of which are packed with boxes. And of course, we've got a ton of stuff in the garage which could use to be sorted through at some point. But we're making progress. And I hope to be pretty much settled into the house by Sept. 1st when school starts for the kids. This week Bill is going to Ft. Walton Beach, FL for a business trip -- so we'll see how much the kids and I get done without him here.

I started my newest "wonderdrug" and the last resort for lupus remission with an oral medicine. It's called methotrexate and is a chemotherapy drug that you take orally. In fact, I will take 8 pills (all at one time) once a week. After 13 rounds of chemotherapy and other torture treatments :-), I'd love to switch to a pill form that I could take long-term, so I'm ready and I'm hoping this works...Dr. Cohen says not to get my hopes up, though. Based on my response to all the other drugs of this type (Imuran, CellCept, etc.), he feels my chances of it working are "minimal." But it's worth a try while we're waiting for my next scheduled chemo in October. It has some major side effects -- but I didn't feel too bad after doing my first dose today...just dizzy and sick to my stomach. And I was prescribed Zofran, my drug of choice for nausea. I also have to take folic acid as it depletes your iron and I'm already anemic. And I'm starting trazadone for the fibromyalgia. So, I have a whole new medication regiment...just counted and I take 24 pills a day, except on Sunday when I do the methotrexate -- then I take 32. Not too bad, at one point I was taking almost 70 per day. Sadly, though, I can't drink any alcohol on the methotrexate...because it causes liver damage and mine is already damaged from the lupus. It's not like I'm a big drinker, but I do like the occasional margarita when I'm out with the girls or a shot of Jameson when I'm at home with Bill. Dr. Cohen told me I can have 4 alcoholic drinks per year. So, I guess I need to save those for special occasions.

So, have a drink for me when you want to. And I'd appreciate prayers that this new treatment will work. If you're not the praying type -- just send me happy thoughts. Bill and I prayed as I took the first dose, and we decided that it's about time for me to be cured. I've been sick for almost 3 years now. But ultimately I know that God has the plan, and that his strength is made perfect in my weakness. So, do I look forward to the illness or the treatment? No. But I'm more than just a lupus patient...I'm Michele, I'm a child of God, a wife, a mother, and my life has a purpose. I trust God to reveal it to me through my experiences one day, one hour, and sometimes one minute or one step at a time:-)

Now that I have internet...I will be back to blogging again. FaceBook is fun, but it's not the same as blogging. I feel like I can really get my thoughts and feelings out here, so it's good therapy for me. Also, I am able to let my friends and family know what is going on with my lupus and its treatment -- by sharing it one time for everyone to read at their convenience. And Bill linked the blog with FB, so my FB friends have the option of easily reading it, too.

Good Night! Or should I say Good Morning as it's past midnight. I took a very long nap after church today from about12:30-4:30, so I had too much energy in the evening. And I decided I better go with it while I had it. Because my energetic moments can be few and far between!

Much Love,
Michele