No News is Good News ?

I haven't had any doctors appointments in the last few weeks. It was nice while it lasted, but they start again this week and next week. I will be seeing an Ear Nose and Throat doctor for a check up on everything because of the feeding tube and what not from when I was in the hospital. If everything is okay-i'll be scheduling an allergy test to make sure I haven't developed any allergies since they 'reset' my immune system as I like to say :) 

I'll also have follow-ups with Rheumatology to hopefully get off this MTX and try a new shot or something. I still have a lot of joint pain everyday and all day. 

My physical therapy has ended and they've taught things I can do at our local gym and at home to continue to build strength. The gym has a saltwater pool indoors. Its the closest to normal I've felt since I got sick. 

I'll get to see the lung doctors next week also - probably with a follow up CT scan to check on my lungs.

Upping the dosage

So this week I had appointments for rheumatology and hematology. Rheumatology is managing the severe arthritis I have (started when I got sick at the end of January). They decided to increase my MTX to 20mg and test its effect for the next month. If not, we may be trying some new injections. Apparently I have a 'stubborn' arthritis. Hematology was very pleased with my numbers and my ferritin continues to drop. Waiting for labs to come back to see what everything is this month.

Bella's sick too!?!?

So this weekend Bella began acting kind of sluggish. She is our 6 1/2 year old Chocolate Lab-American Bulldog mix. I found a weird bump on her right shoulder and some scabby stuff in her fur. The next day she was rubbing against the wall and I realized she had broke open the bump. Fearing it was some sort of tumor I rushed her to the vet the next afternoon. It turns out it was a cyst and it had ruptured!! Not to mention since she was rolling around outside in this lovely weather, it got infected! The vet said she would take some pulls for a few weeks and it should subside hopefully. No more surgeries in 2012 in our family - I'm on strike!

-Amanda