More Challenges

Not too long after Cathy completed her chemotherapy treatment, her psoriasis returned just as strong as before cancer or perhaps a little stronger.  While chemo cleared up Cathy's psoriasis during treatment, Dr. Drosick told us that it is common for psoriatic chemo patients to have a flare-up of psoriasis that is pretty powerful after chemo is finished.  We had expected its return.  We also hoped that it would settle down over time.  As Cathy's psoriasis worsened, she began to develop some joint pain, as well.  Cathy's hands and elbows hurt, then her knees, hips, ankles, and shoulders.  The logical connection that I made (perhaps mistakenly) was psoriatic arthritis.  We thought that maybe this would settle down also.

Well, the joint pain is worsening and the vision in Cathy's right eye has begun to blur a little bit.  As the symptoms increased we felt the need for a little research and some doctors' appointments.  The doctors' appointments haven't happened, yet, but the research has yielded some interesting information.  We both encountered many stories written by women of silicone implants triggering autoimmune responses.  We read about blurry vision, joint pain, skin problems, and saw scary words like rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, and lupus.  Most of these stories indicated that within two years of the implants being removed the autoimmune disease vanished.

Further investigation led us to many research studies that have shown no connection between silicone implants and autoimmune disease.  Many of these studies included implants made of silicone gel, as well as saline implants encased in silicone.  While the research is pretty conclusive on this subject, the anecdotal tales of women with horrible autoimmune disease are pretty convincing.

We have a lot more research to do and a lot to learn before Cathy's surgery on April 23.  Any prayers for pain relief and improved vision would be appreciated.  Prayers for insight and guidance in decision making would also be appreciated.  Any readers in the medical field who could guide me toward respected and reliable medical journals that would help me gather information are welcome.  It's hard for someone outside the medical profession to know what research deserves merit.

The Daily Grind

It's been almost a month since my last post.  While it has been my intention to keep this focused mostly on Cathy, my own "stuff" has prevented me from writing.  The primary obstacle to regular posts is all the stuff we do every day.  Carving out regular time to write is very difficult!  The daily grind has become my regular excuse for not writing, or exercising as much as I'd like, or doing a whole host of other valuable things that don't fit into the category of primary immediacy.  I tell Cathy all the time, "When I have the energy I don't have the time and when I have the time I don't have the energy."  That statement applies to a dozen or more things.

My other main obstacle to blogging has been the same issue that's prevented me from journaling my whole life.  A lot of times I just don't have anything worth saying!  I subscribe to the philosophy that I should say what I mean and mean what I say.  Most times I only talk when I feel like I have something that is important for others to hear.  If it's not important, I usually just keep my mouth shut.  This approach to life generally serves me well, but sometimes it's a social handicap.

On to the purpose of the blog in the first place - Cathy.  Cathy is scheduled for surgery on April 23.  At that time she will have a capsulectomy and a replacement of the implants.  Her pain is stabilized or decreased slightly.  I think there are two factors at play there: (1) I don't think the capsule is hardening or contracting farther, and (2) Cathy has been stretching, doing yoga, and exercising pretty regularly.  Even though the capsule is pulling on the muscles, her muscles have much better strength and flexibility than they did a month or so ago.

Cathy seems less discouraged by having to go back in for more surgery.  She's more just ready to do it and move on, I think.  Her comfort has increased to a point that things seem to be more like normal.  Like normal is what has allowed the daily grind to take a stronger hold on both of us.  This next surgery will slow down the grind a bit and bring the new normal back to the forefront of our lives.  The new normal will be a topic of discussion for another day.

Peace to you all!