Quick Update from Dee

I felt it was important for me to let you all know that I have not been feeling well for the last couple of months. It has interfered with my ability to keep up with things both on the blog and at home.

This last couple of weeks, after I had a bunch of tests, including bone scans (and more to come), I found out that my psoriatic arthritis has unexpectedly progressed very rapidly, leading to serious inflammation in my my hands and feet. I have been put on a ton of meds that should help me feel better. Even today, some of the swelling is going down.

Unfortunately, because it caused a great deal of fatigue, mental fuzziness and pain, it interfered with me being able to set up the permanent pages and be in contact with all of you who volunteered to help. I am sorry for this delay and hope to get back in the saddle in the next week.

Love you all!

Comments

Quick Update from Dee — 57 Comments

  1. Dee, I hope you feel better soon. Please don’t stress about the blog. Your health is more important. Many blessings to you! Thanks for all that you have done on this blog.

  2. Dee – take care of yourself, and then your family. We can be patient with the blog stuff! No problem!
    I have mild to moderate Chronic fatigue syndrome, so I know how fatigue can really interfere with everything….. body, brain, memory, concentration, focus, and the physical pain — cyclical.

  3. Thanks Dee for feeling comfortable to share your health situation with your faithful friends here.

    We love, we are praying for you and you are on our weekly prayer list.

    Thank you for everything you do here and take care of yourself first!

  4. Thanks for letting us know, Dee. I was just going to drop you a line to see how you have been doing. Will keep you and others in prayer. I’m sorry you have to deal with this illness. Hope you are feeling better sooner 😉

  5. So sorry to hear this news, but thankful you are improving. Maybe there is a good speech to text app you could use for the blog? Surely a few more weeks on Sanibel would help! 🙂

  6. I’m praying for you, Dee, and I hope you can get some rest & recovery time. Thank God for the medications you’ve been given, and I hope they continue to be effective and help to bring healing. Thanks also for the insightful information you provide to us through this blog.

  7. I’m sorry to hear your news, but glad the medications see, to be helping. My daughter has Lupus, and it has been a long road. The various medications she has been on have helped a lot.

  8. Dee, I don’t mean to cause alarm, but when I read your symptoms (brain fuzziness, arthritis and fatigue) I immediately thought about my own recent health issues. About a year ago, I was diagnosed with Celiac disease and part of this illness lead to the development of arthritis. In addition, before I was diagnosed, I had experienced difficulty in concentration, brain fog, joint pain and extreme fatigue. Considering the similarities, you may want to get tested for Celiac disease.

  9. Dee – I agree with Sam on the Celiac issues. My daughter and son-in-law both have it, and yes, psoriatic arthritis is part of it.

    I have osteoarthritis and it’s no fun. I have been told that I have to keep exercising my shoulder even when my pt ends in 2 weeks to make sure it my shoulder doesn’t freeze up. No fun.

    Sam – ask Dee for my email address if I can be of any help to you in the Celiac World. I’ve been around this for about 10 yrs now. I can also put you in touch with my kids. They are part of GIG.

  10. I hope you get some lasting relief soon, Dee. Chronic pain is draining to the body and spirit.

    *hugs*

  11. Gracious Lord, look with favor upon Your servant, Dee. Grant her complete healing of her body. Give her times of rest and recuperation. May she rest physically, emotionally, and spiritually. We give thanks for Your work through her. Sustain in the days ahead as we wait for her wellness. We entrust her to Your loving and healing care; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God now and forever. Amen

  12. Virtual hug!!!
    Oh do get better. Please do!
    (Said in my best Pooh Bear voice because well, Pooh!) everyone needs a Pooh Bear when they aren’t feeling well.

  13. Sounds dreadful!! So glad you are on the mend. Meds are such a two-edged sword, especially the anti-inflammatories. Prayers and hugs!!

  14. Dee, I’ve been out of the TWW loop for a few days (on a trip). Just now catching up on blog articles & comments. Hope this finds you feeling much better.

    A word for you this morning … “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, who abides in the shadow of the Almighty, will say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust.'” (Psalm 91:1-2)

  15. Thank you for your kind comments. Today I learned, through nerve conduction studies and EMG (that really hurts!) that I have partial paralysis of a main nerve innervating my foot. The is what is causing complete toe drop in my left foot. The neurologist said “You are an interesting case.” I told him I don’t like it when doctors say that!!!

    Thankfully, I have some experts helping me, especially my doctor from Duke. I am now on Enbrel, Methotrexate and Plaquenil as well as high dosage prescription nonsteroidals. In order to try to save nerve function, I will have to be on high does steroids for the next two weeks and on Tuesday I got a big honking dose of steroids as a shot.

    However, something really good happened today and I will be keeping you all posted on this. I am working with Project Fight of the Salvation Army here in North Carolina to set up a fund for health care as well as to develop a referral system to heath professionals of all kinds-doctors, dentist, nutritionists, pharmacists, etc. to provide for medical and other health care needs.

    I learned that many trafficked victims are brought the States and are here illegally. through no fault of their own. They were promised papers, etc as well as good jobs and then the bait and switch occurs. Sadly, this limits their access to Medicaid, etc.

    I will keep you all posted as I try to see how anyone who is interested could help by making tax deductible donations on the form on money, medical and dental care, prenatal care, etc. I have the means to approach lots of medical folks that I know to help. We already have cardiology taken care of or Bill gets no dinner!!!

    I am so grateful for this blog and all of you since I can still do all this stuff even if I have some disability.

  16. Dee – I understand your nerve pain. Part of my left foot is numb due to nerve removal and nerve damage. I also have peripheral neuropathy in it. I take Metanx for this. You have to learn how to walk with your being partially numb. It’s a challenge to say the least.

  17. Sorry you are experiencing all this. Surely hope you are on your way to recovery. Also hope they checked you for Lyme disease and other tick born infections. God bless.

  18. DEE,
    is there any chance you can just ‘get away’ somewhere for a rest?

    maybe even to a retreat house?
    or someone’s place on a lake or at the beach?
    or just check in to a Hampton Inn for a week, and don’t take your phone 🙂

    or go camping with the critters and the birds for company?

    or just REST? and SLEEP?

    sometimes the body tells us ‘it’s time’ for time-out

    Praying for you. Sending hugs.

  19. Talk to your doctor. There’s a synthetic marijuana extract – it contains CBD, the chemical which makes marijuana a healing herb. I’ve been on it for six months, and it makes a big difference to my quality of life (I’m permanently crippled and the pain was hitting 11 for most of the last two years).

  20. Prayers, Dee. You rest when you can, as often as possible. There is nothing more healing, IMO.
    God bless & keep you.

  21. Dee

    God bless you and all you do. I haven’t posted a ton of replies here, but this was the first place I found validation and relief after a bad experience with an ARC pastor. You and your struggle have been on my heart lately and I shared it with my family tonight as part of our non-linear prayer time. Thanks again!

  22. Dee,
    I see from your comments on the current post that you are definitely feeling better. I hope the meds you are taking continue to improve your physical, mental and spiritual well being.

    I am still interested in preparing a TWW YEC “perm” page. But before I write I’d like to see how the existing pages are received and used. I also have a few questions about the perm page concept.