Some Days Are Diamonds...

Lately I have been paying more attention to what people say. My Grandpa has started saying something quite frequently and it has kinda stuck with me: "Some days are Diamonds and some days are Stones."

Don, Conner and I met with the neurologist today and got the final diagnosis of Myasthenia Gravis. We had an idea it was coming, and we have seen how the spirit has prepared us for this, so we feel good about it. Don said he has been at peace all week, I wish I could say that, but I have felt A LOT of peace, and I feel peace now.

So a little about the test results. The thymus gland came back to be normal, there were no tumors. At first I was a but disappointed because I wanted a quick fix, but then I actually looked at it and it would be a HARD thing that I think I am being spared. Your thymus gland is behind your chest so that would be a pretty difficult surgery to undergo. They are still leaving it open as a treatment option and are doing more research on it, but I think I will insist that I just keep up with medication treatments and not have the surgery as long as I can breathe and eat (I think we both know which one I think is more important). And the breathing test came back so positive that I hope that surgery will never have to be a necessity.

The muscle and nerve stress tests came back that the receptors that make your muscles and nerves communicate are pretty much shot. So I am starting a new medication today that will help to build those receptors back up. Because of this they are going to keep a close eye on me to make sure that I am okay. By close it means A LOT more Neurologist visits. So next Wednesday I have another appointment, and then it will probably become a weekly or every other week thing for a while. I think Dr. Reynolds and I are going to become fast friends.

The blood tests are not back yet, so I think I will find out a bit more about that next week.

As for treatment, I started the steroid treatment yesterday, and it is already starting to work. I am able to climb the stairs at the pace of a 50 year old instead of 9 million year old (slow and steady wins the race though right?). Then today I will start the receptor treatment, and then double that treatment on Sunday.... They are saying that in as little as 6 weeks I could be back to NORMAL!!! (whatever that means for me right?) I think that sounds like a wonderful Christmas present to me and my family (especially since I kinda have to lay low til then and take it easy which will make Christmas shopping a challenge, but I have a lot of it done thanks to Keokuk Walmart clearance isle). I will need to be careful because I will still have episodes kinda like MS, but now that I know how I feel when it starts, and have a record (thank you dear blog) I am hoping it won't ever have to get out of control like this again... and if it does I will remember that "this too shall pass."

So this is now a part of me, and it will be something that I will have the rest of my life (barring I don't have to have my thymus removed). I am looking at it as an opportunity for education for me and for those around me, I have already learned a lot from this. I have learned a lot about love and prayer, and a lot about appreciation. I have also learned to be more humble and accept help (that has always been difficult for me) and I have a feeling that I will get to learn more about that. I hope that I can use this as an experience for good, and that I can become more like my Savior because of it. And hopefully we won't have to deal with very many flare ups... I think as long as I stay away from fatigue, stress, illness and heat I can be myself for a long time.... I guess I could also say that I have learned that I am "special" because this only happens to 1 in 200,000 people, and I feel like that will be a good way for me to look at it instead of as a trial.

There were some things I asked some questions about today too, about how the rest of our lives will go. My biggest question was if it will effect Don and I being able to have more children... that is something I have wanted for a long time now, but now I see the Lord's hand even in this, it would be hard to do this pregnant, and it would be hard to do this with an infant, I am grateful my prayers have been heard and understood and now I can understand more the Lords timing. Dr. Reynold's said we could revisit the whole pregnancy thing in 3-6 months... I am not taking that as a No and I am very pleased about that.

So some days are Diamonds and some days are stones.... I think today is a diamond, I have gotten the answers I need and I am starting the treatments and medications that will get me back on the path of normal, and discovering who the new me will be (maybe the new me will be Indian? j/k that is just thanksgiving talking). I also believe that I will have a LOT more diamond days in the future, and I hope you do too.