My RA Story- Part 6 - Is It a Miracle?

So, when I went for my follow-up with the new rheumatologist she said, "Okay, I looked at all your tests and I don't know how you are going to take this, but I don't think you have rheumatoid arthritis. Nothing points to it." My reply, "Oh my God, that's what I thought too after looking at all the tests. Could it just be in remission?" "No, if you had it and it was in remission you would still have the markers, which I'm really not seeing." "So, are you saying that I've been on chemotherapy for 3 1/2 years for nothing? And why would my other doctor feel Enbrel was so necessary?" "I can't say. You have some symptoms that could be RA, but based on these numbers I have my doubts." "So what do I have?" And that my friends is the question that still needs to be answered.

First things first is to rule out RA, and getting off Methotrexate is the first step. She decreased my dosage to 4 pills a week for two weeks and then zero after that. She said it would take 8 weeks for the MTX to be totally out of my system. She wanted me to return then to see how my body was handling it, and if I noticed any difference. Well it's been 4 weeks since I popped those pills and I feel absolutely no worse, and yes, maybe even a little better because I'm not so fatigued from them. Or maybe I feel better because she prescribed Meloxican, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, to take as needed. Over the last month, I have taken it 8 times.

She recommended I get arthritis gloves which I found in the form of crafter's gloves which are tight gloves that have the finger tips cut off. I wear them when my hands are aching. She also suggested I get a paraffin wax bath which my husband got me for Christmas. I've used it twice and both times I have scalded my hands. It's literally dipping your hands in hot melted wax a couple of times and then putting plastic over your hands and placing them in mitts for about 15 minutes. The fun part is peeling all the wax off your hands. It reminds me of when I used to put Elmer's Glue on my palms, wait for it to dry, and then peel it off. Only this is more painful. The first time is the worst. Each additional dip isn't as bad as the wax is hardening and getting thicker with each layer to protect your skin. Of course, underneath that first layer your skin might have third degree burns.  There is no regulator on the bath, so it's just freaking hot wax which is almost boiling. I probably should Google the process as I'm probably doing something wrong.

But along with one tablet of Flexeril at night that's it. That's all I've been doing. Altough I'm not pain free, it seems to be more bearable. So now here I am wondering what the hell has happened? You have no idea how much that Methotrexate has fucked me up. And if my spidey sense hadn't alerted me to seek out someone else I could very well be shooting myself up with something even worse. And all these crazy thoughts go through my mind. Have I been taking it all these years for no reason? Did I ever have Rheumatoid Arthritis to begin with? Was I miraculously healed when I went to Padre Pio's Shrine and asked him to heal me, or when I sent in the prayer cards and put that down as one of the intentions besides praying for my loved ones, or maybe when I said this prayer while rubbing his holy oil into my hands and feet...

Padre Pio - I just noticed his gloves are similar to the ones I'm wearing

Most blessed and beloved St. Pio, you were chosen to glorify the crucified Jesus Christ through the visible wounds of the Cross that you bore for 50 years. And like our Lord Jesus, you demonstrate your great love by sharing the many gifts bestowed upon you -- especially the gift of intercession.

Because of your great friendship with the Lord, He responds to your requests and blesses those who you bless.

I now add my prayer to the many offered to you every day by those who seek your help to obtain healings and consolations, earthly and spiritual blessings, and peace for body, mind and soul.

In your caring kindness, bless my loved ones and me, and intercede for this special request...(Here's where you mention your petition.)

In your great love, St Pio, please continue to pray with us and for us. Amen.

I do believe in miracles but was it one, or, was it a misdiagnosis? I don't know. Hopefully I'll know more in a month from now.

By the way, I highly recommend printing out the above prayer in case you know someone who needs it. It can't hurt, and who knows, maybe it might surprise you.

My Rheumatoid Arthritis Story - Part 1

I am now entering the third week of not taking Methotrexate, those horrible yellow chemotherapy pills that I had been ingesting for 3 1/2 years. When I was first diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis back in September 2010 the rheumatologist prescribed a heavy dose of prednisone, along with 6 tablets of MTX per week. I despised the prednisone as it made me very moody and packed on 20 additional pounds within 2 months. I didn't know if it was the MTX or the prednisone that was helping reduce the inflammation, but was happy to get the hell off of them. A couple of weeks later the pain returned, but I did not want to go back on the prednisone. I was told the MTX would stop the pain. It didn't. Let me back up a little to when I was first diagnosed...

Weeks prior to going to my family doctor I was having difficulty sleeping, and my whole body ached. It was pain I couldn't quite put my finger on as it radiated throughout the bones and muscles with the strongest throbbing being in my hands and toes. My doctor thought some of the symptoms sounded like RA, but he wasn't sure so he referred me to a specialist. After taking x-rays and blood work the rheumatologist told me I had RA. I was devastated, and confused. The rheumy was very nice and told me not to worry, he could put it into remission by bombarding it with chemotherapy pills. I was aghast at the mere mention of such treatment, but he assured me that was the way to get it under control and into remission. Of course, it came with all sorts of warnings and possible side effects, the worst one in my view, being damage to my liver. I could no longer take Tylenol which was my go-to pain relief medicine, and worse, I could no longer drink alcohol, other than 1-2 glasses of wine per week, on the fourth day after taking the MTX pills. No!!!!!! I would have to be monitored every three months with bloodwork and visits to him.

At first I got along with the rheumy...he was very personable, maybe too personable, as he was always complimenting me, and telling me personal things about himself. I figured since he wasn't from this country maybe that's how the doctors in Ghana interacted with their patients and I was okay with it. Then things started to go sour. It came about once he found out I owned an auto repair shop. He would ask me questions about cars, like I know anything about that. I gave him a card and told him to speak with my husband as he was the mechanic. The rheumy was buying his daughter a car and had so many questions, none of which I could answer.

Anyway, it was one Saturday and he called the shop and my husband happened to be there working on his wood. The auto part of the shop is not opened on the weekends. When this "man" who didn't identify himself called asking for me, my husband got defensive, perhaps thinking it was one of the million telemarketers who call constantly for me, so replied to the tune of something along the lines, "She's not here, what do you want from her?" Knowing him, there might have been a curse word sprinkled in there. The caller then identified himself and said he wanted to bring a car down right then and there to have my husband check out. My husband let him know the shop was not opened but he could bring it in during the week. The caller did not like that as clearly my husband was there so why couldn't he just stop what he was doing and look at the car. I'm sure my husband's answer to him was probably not the most "polite." My husband did call me after the conversation and ask who the hell was this guy as he didn't like his attitude. I got mad at my husband for being so curt with him. My husband responded he was sorry I felt that way but the guy was an asshole. Cut to my next office visit...

The first thing the rheumy asked me was not how I was feeling, but instead stated how nasty my husband was, "What did he think I wanted to date you?" I was taken aback and explained to him about all the telemarketing calls we receive and that was more likely the reason he was abrupt at first. I also told him the shop is not open on weekends, but he could come during the week and that would be fine. He dismissed me with a "I already found someone else, and I bought the car." I responded with a "Okay, great, hope your daughter is happy. Good luck to her." And as far as I was concerned that was that. But, from that day on he wasn't the same to me...

*To Be Continued....*