I am happy to report I am feeling a little bit better. I am still having a variety of symptoms and not real sure that the steroids are any kind of wonder drug or anything (but I was able to visit all of you today and leave you comments, yay!). This is good news because I am able to be on the computer longer than about 5 minutes....big relief! It is amazing how much we rely on technology, isn't it?

So after being sicker than I have been in months, finding out from my neurologist office that the steroids probably should not make me as sick as I have been, and then speaking with both the GI office and my PCP....I headed off to the ER tuesday where I spent several hours being pumped full of liquids because I was WAY TOO dehydrated. Turns out due to my lowered immune system (thank you very much prednisone) I probably caught a flu bug. Great! Just what I needed on top of my MS relapse, dare I ask if I can possibly have anything more happen? The good people of the ER did the typical tests...UA, CBC, CMP, and this time a stool sample (yuck!). Do you think I could possibly go for more than a day or two with normal lab results? NO! Of course not, I am not that blessed. So, the doc comes in...labs are on the brink. UA looked good...well, that's nice, I was not in for a kidney stone, lol. My white count is up, potassium is LOW, and that STUPID liver of mine is elevated AGAIN! What the heck is going on?! The nice doctor in the ER explains to me that the liver is most likely elevated due to the prednisone. Everything must go through the liver....and since I am only on it for another week or so, it should level back out. I think he could tell that I was feeling a bit discouraged/frustrated (at the news of my abnormal labs)....not to mention how sick I was.

The rest of the week I have basically spent at home....recovering. It is Friday now and FINALLY I am starting to feel a bit better. I am keeping food in me now (always a good thing) and my stomach is not so upset anymore. Now, if I could just get the rest of my body to function properly....I would be good to go! :) I had a follow-up appointment this morning with my PCP (more labs...I think if they don't quit poking me I am going to soon look like a druggy with permanent markings) to see if my potassium is back to normal. I should get the results next week. I also had my eye appointment...went well. It was very interesting to have them show me pictures of my eyes and the active optic neuritis. This will provide a baseline of where I am right now and then they recommend that I come back about 6-8 weeks after finishing the steroids to redo the eye exam (this way they can see if the steroids did the job). My right eye is worse than my left...but I do have ON in both eyes, as well as pleural edema in the right eye. It still amazes me how quick all of this came on. Let's hope it leaves just as fast!

I do think my eyes have gotten better. It seems to me that my eyes and headaches are both better.....happening most frequently in the afternoon and/or later in the day. Then again it seems all of my body seems to shut down, if you will, later in the day. I have symptoms all throughout the day and they vary...but it is funny to me how even on a day where I do absolutely nothing I still get very weak (even my hearing and voice are weak and more shallow) later in the day. I am inside with the air on so I would not think this has anything to do with the heat....and it is not 100+ anymore like it was a couple, three weeks ago. Who knows...just one of those things I suppose. Damn MS! LOL Anyway, I have had some new symptoms with this relapse. I have been noticing a type of numbness in my face and hands that leaves me with almost a feeling where I can't feel (does that make sense to any of you?) I also have had on a couple of occasions this feeling as if one part of my face (my cheeks area, under my eyes) would go numb and then it feels as if it is drooping, but if I look in the mirror everything is okay. Strange, I tell you, very strange feelings. I just think that my senses have all been screwed up this time around. Most everything else I have experienced either day to day (due to permanent damage) or during other relapses.....numbness, pins and needles, spasms, memory lapses, mental confusion, weakness, fatigue, and pain. Hey, at least this time around I have not fallen....should I even be mentioning this? Oh well, too late now. LOL I hope I did not just jinx myself.

I have been doing a lot of thinking about where do I go from here in regards to treatment. I am not currently on anything at this point (actually I am on LOTS of meds....just not a CRAB) because of my liver. Oh, well, I am taking the steroids....but that is not a standard treatment. I have sent my neurologist an email explaining just how I feel about going back on Avonex and that I want to review all of my options before making any decisions. I became very depressed when on Avonex and I don't ever want to go back there! Maybe tomorrow's post I will put a copy up of my email. I just figured it would be wise to inform her in advance....seeing how she is a very busy woman, so we can be prepared for my next appointment.

Anyway, I hope you have all had a good week.....some of you seem to have also come down with the MS bug (hmm....something in the water perhaps?) Let's hope this weekend will bring forth some time to relax so that all of us are better and can enjoy our weekends! Take care.