I'm Cured...

...well technically not, but sorta. I'll explain.

I had my four-month Lupus check up on Thursday and all my lab work that I had done on Wednesday came back perfect. Last months lab results my platelets and liver counts were off a little, but when I had them rechecked the following week they were normal so most likely a fluke/off test.

Dr. Fanciullo and I discussed my Cell Cept dose and I told him they do make the drug in 250mg tablets so if he wants to try going down a little more than we could. I have been at 1000mg for over two years and he said we will check my blood work next month and if everything is ok we will go down to 500mg and not even worry with getting 250mg tablets and dropping down to 750mg. He said if all goes well with that I will soon be off it. That shocked me and scares me a little. I have been on it for so long that I don't want to rock the boat. The drug is my cushion barrier to stay off that nasty Predisone. I never thought I would be off it totally ever. I will still continue to take Plaquenil as it doesn't have the side effects and it will keep the Lupus calm and worse case scenario by going off Cell Cept in the future is that my monthly blood work would show signs and I would just go back on it. It beats going back on Prednisone right away that's for sure.

He checked my hands for the red bumpys (my medical term) since I am his only patient that has that symptom when the Lupus is active and checked my lungs. After that he said it looks like you are in perfect health. With that I announced " I'm Cured!!" and Dr. Fanciullo shook his head yes. That surprised me, but I know that the Lupus is still there - it is just very calm and undetectable. Going out the door I was blowing a bubble with my gum and he goes you have been in remission for two years now and I held up three fingers and he goes, well who's counting and I pointed to me.

I am counting every year that I stay in remission as another year that I don't have to worry about - nasty hospital stays, is my blood count high enough for me to get out of bed today, the fight with pressure sores, icky drugs that make my hair fall out and make me gain a ton of weight, among a million other nasty things that happen when the Lupus is active. So three years IS a big difference over two and you bet I will count! I spent two years in bed from being sick so to have another extra year over that – it's huge and I hope to continue to add on more years.

He didn't even bring up Actonel. I think he is sick of butting heads with me on it. I did forget the info I printed on it that said it wouldn't do much good for somone with SCI, but did tell him that an FES bike would be beneficial for osteoporosis and asked if they could get one. I said they were 17 grand and he said ask your rehab people at Sanford to get one - he just donanted 400 million, they can afford it. It's a thought.

YIPPEE FOR REMISSION!!!