If you read my "About Me" page you know that I have auto-immuned diseases. One of which is Psoriatic Arthritis, when I was diagnosed my pain was in my joints, cervical and lumbar spines. The rheumatologist put me on an anti-anflammatory medication and they worked very well to lessen the pain, however the side effects were so bad I could not stay on them.
Eventually, the pain became so bad that I had several MRI's to help diagnose what was going on with my spine. The cervical spine showed degenerative disk disease and herniated disks which I knew about. This time however it also showed my disks "chipping" away and bone spirs pressing on the spinal cord and some abnormal cells growing. This explained why I would have no feeling at times on my left side. I have since been put on a regimen of steroids and chemotherapy drugs.
I have been a prisoner in my own home because of all the pain for a long time. However, I usually was able to get to my doctor. Lately, I could not even drive in the car so I hadn't seen my rheumatologist for a few months. I did make an appointment with my primary care physician but when I arrived at the office I could not even get out of the car. I thank God for my doctor because she came out to the car to see me. She told me to think about taking chemotherapy for some relief. That was a big red flag for me and I didn't expect her to say that at all.
Two weeks later I started Methotrexate and steroids. I must say the pain is doing better, but we have had other family emergencies that caused me to travel so the doctors didn't think I was getting the full benefit of the drugs. This past Tuesday, April 24th I took my first dose of Chemo without having to travel for an emergency. My first treatments made me very sick to my stomach for a few days, but that was really all it did. This week the side effects have been more aggressive and I am not at all happy. However, if the chemo does work, I'm sure all the side effects will be well worth it all.
Eventually, the pain became so bad that I had several MRI's to help diagnose what was going on with my spine. The cervical spine showed degenerative disk disease and herniated disks which I knew about. This time however it also showed my disks "chipping" away and bone spirs pressing on the spinal cord and some abnormal cells growing. This explained why I would have no feeling at times on my left side. I have since been put on a regimen of steroids and chemotherapy drugs.
I have been a prisoner in my own home because of all the pain for a long time. However, I usually was able to get to my doctor. Lately, I could not even drive in the car so I hadn't seen my rheumatologist for a few months. I did make an appointment with my primary care physician but when I arrived at the office I could not even get out of the car. I thank God for my doctor because she came out to the car to see me. She told me to think about taking chemotherapy for some relief. That was a big red flag for me and I didn't expect her to say that at all.
Two weeks later I started Methotrexate and steroids. I must say the pain is doing better, but we have had other family emergencies that caused me to travel so the doctors didn't think I was getting the full benefit of the drugs. This past Tuesday, April 24th I took my first dose of Chemo without having to travel for an emergency. My first treatments made me very sick to my stomach for a few days, but that was really all it did. This week the side effects have been more aggressive and I am not at all happy. However, if the chemo does work, I'm sure all the side effects will be well worth it all.
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