The Daily bLogNew days bring renewed energy and hope. Today is one of those days when hope is just a little bit stronger.
After my first day with prednisone, I felt good. While the weakness persists, the effect of this therapy will not show for weeks. In fact, because of its action, I will be happy if my symptoms don't first deteriorate, a common and expected occurence with treating MG with prednisone.
Today turned out to be interesting. I felt so encouraged by my relative lack of symptoms yesterday that I was really taken aback when my symptoms returned with a vengeance at 8:30 this morning. When I got out of my car in Albany, I almost couldn’t walk the 100 yards to my bus, stumbling and fumbling the entire way. Same thing when I got off the bus 10 minutes later.I called my neurologist first thing when I got in to the office, concerned that this was an effect of the prednisone. He responded a little while later, indicating that my dose of prednisone – 20mg per day, every other day – was too low, and that my starting one day prior was too soon, to be the cause of the worsening. He then said he would set me up for outpatient plasmaphoresis, soon, only to find out later that the unit is booked until March!
Well, in the end, my doc got me into the plasmaphoresis unit for tomorrow morning. It will be a three session program over the next week. I got in late this afternoon for my workup exam.
I believe the downturn is only a temporary bump. There are so many traumas in my life right now, it’s probably my body’s retaliation. I guess both mind and body need to keep their sense of humor and both will come out OK.
Today's photo was made on the mall in Washington, D.C., in November 2005. The building is part of the Smithsonian complex. It was taken with a Leica M6 with 35mm Summicron Asph.
