Tuesday, August 11, 2009

August 2009: Miracles and Disappointments

Well just an update of this past week and a half- I was sick in bed for 4 days with a nasty something...cold, flu, whatever, it was miserable. And those who cautiously (understandably so) came to my front door this past week can attest that I looked like death. Thankfully it passed and didn't cause too much damage with anyone else in the fam. The house's health, sad to say, did not fare as well.

I was well enough to take Mike to his spinal tap/lumbar puncture last Thursday. Gratefully it was a success on the first try this time. Thinking about it makes my head spin. This was his final test to complete his MS diagnosis. I believe this will be able to tell us more details about the progression of MS in his body.

Miracles do occur and Mike is living proof. I know that it is a result of his faith and the faith and prayers of all of you. That same week I was sick, Mike began to feel a difference in his tongue. He said that it didn't feel as swollen. He began to try to eat things periodically and was amazed to find that he could swallow things like a peach slice, a crab cake, cheese. From there he became more daring and begin to try some of the foods he has been missing out on since April. You can read more about it in his post "Let me eat cake". How miraculous this is!

Things seem to be going so well for him now with good reactions from his first doses of medicine and now being able to eat. We knew it would come, the next dose increase of his Rebif. We were both nervous. We had originally thought that it was just double the first dose, but looking more carefully we could see that it was actually 3x the initial dose. We are very sad to say that things have not been going well for Mike since the increase of his medication. So much that we are looking into alternatives to it. This has really shaken me up even more. I feel the need to know even more about MS so that I can help Mike make a decision about what his next step in treatment should be. I ask for your prayers as we will have to make some very crucial decisions within the next few days.

4 comments:

  1. My Darling Briana. I know how vigilant you are and you probably already know about Montel Williams and his fight with MS. http://www.montelwilliams.com/
    I also read recently somewhere about alternative treatments but I cannot remember where. I will backtrack and find it.
    I love you!

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  2. Your family is in our prayers. Let us know if you ever want to send the boys over to play :)

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  3. Hey - Remember me? Your mom sent me your blog link ions again and I check in every now and then because I'm addicted to my computer. :) I'm so sorry for your husband's diagnosis. I can sympathize with how difficult and life changing and overwhelming it can be to find out someone so close to you has a chronic illness. We've won that lottery twice in our family. Your life will never be the same. I have very definitive points in my memory - before and after these times. It will always be hard and you'll want to scream at times, but you'll find your "normal" and it will be happy - and you will be happy. That's one thing I've really come to understand. No one or no one thing can take away my right and desire to be happy (especially if I'm doing my best to live the gospel) unless I CHOOSE to give up my happiness. I've had many spiritual epiphanies about trials if you ever want to hear them. One thing I've been so grateful for is that the things we've dealt with have been such great teaching tools for my children. They are learning so much about love and service and what is really important and to strive for eternity and eternal life. You're going to be very miserable at times, but you'll be so happy at times too. Not that I have any experience with MS, but if you ever want to "talk" - email me.
    PS - Hey - you can always move up to Alaska! No chance of over heating here. :) We'd love to have you!!

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  4. Brianna and Mike, Last week Montel Williams was the guest on Oprah. He spent the entire hour talking about his MS. He takes a drug that he injects daily. I didn't hear the name of it. Maybe this daily drug would work and be more tolerable. We are go glad you can swallow again! Brenda and Tom

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