This time, however, when I went on Prednisone I was much more aware of the emotional side effects that steroids have on my body. With earlier flare-ups, I was put on Xanax, just to help with the chemical imbalances and the meltdowns I was having on occasion. (Side note: Pretty sure my incredibly patient, loving husband was really thankful when my doctor prescribed me that and I was at least somewhat "normal"--whatever that is for me anymore! I was freaking out about even the smallest decisions--like what he should bring me home for dinner...I was not myself at all, so even though I did not want to take Xanax and had my issues with it, I tried it, and it really seemed to help offset the Prednisone). Done deal. We're taking Xanax now. Add that to the daily pill count: 4 Apriso, 8 prednisone, 2 Xanax, and a multivitamin. Uff da. That's A LOT!!
Back to the story.... like I said in Chapter 16, I was very thankful to be given steroids and Xanax simultaneously. We went to Disney World right after school ended and this was the ONE week that I felt good and healthy all summer long.
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| Love these guys!!! I am so blessed!!! |
It was a small victory that I made it through that trip and was able to go to every park, ride every ride, and walk step-for-step with a bunch of healthy people!! YAY!!! We had a great time too!
Towards the end of our Disney trip, I started to feel a cold coming on (probably from the woman who was coughing and sneezing on me in the row right behind me on the plane ride to Florida--I could have just turned around and slapped her!! I KNEW I would catch whatever bug she was carrying!!).
Sure enough, by our last day at Disney, I was starting to get a sore throat and feel pretty crummy (oh to go back in time and just slug that lady!!!). As soon as Matt and I got back, he also started having the same symptoms, so we went into the doctor together and were prescribed antibiotics for sinus infections. Let me tell you, I was extremely reluctant to take those pills because I know that anything that passes through my colon wreaks havoc--especially antibiotics, which mess with the bad (and good) bacteria in my stomach.
I wasn't on that drug but a few days, and again I was having a flare-up!!!!!!! AHHHHHH!!!! I wanted to scream! I was so frustrated. My stomach pains were crippling and my abdomen hurt all the time. It was awful. Again, I was going to the bathroom all the time and waking up at crazy hours in the night to go #2.
Again, I had to go through the trauma of doing stool samples, which I mentally fought because I just assumed I was having a "routine" flare-up (whatever that means). This was just starting to feel like my new normal, so let's just get on with the steroids already, right?!?!
When I went to the hospital (which is where I do my lab work) I took the doctor's orders for the lab work to the check-in lady, and she told me that I would go back to the lab and pick up the "collection materials" and then bring them back the next day. I promptly told her "no, I'll be taking care of my lab work here today RIGHT NOW at the hospital." (It's a lot of work to take everything home and then bring it all back; plus it just slows the process down for finding out your results).
She had the audacity to ask me if I really thought I could give a stool sample on the spot, and I remember thinking, "lady, I am pooping all the time. You're wasting my time. Just give me the forms I need to go back to the lab to pick up my collection materials, I can put my stool sample in the jar on the spot, they can run the test, and figure out what the heck is wrong this time." Ugh. Again, sometimes I don't have a lot of grace or patience for people that try to get in my way when I'm not feeling well....I'm working on that. By the way, I was able to go right away and give them my poop on the spot. Take that check-in lady! :)
I was sure that I was simply having a flare-up, but nope, this time it was something entirely different...and if I am honest, this was even worse than UC in some ways.
More to come!
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