Tuesday, August 30, 2011

The Diagnosis... part 2

My next step was to see an ENT. I got in right away with him but wasn't thrilled. The appointment felt very rushed and he wasn't the nicest guy. He shoved a tube down my nose and looked around near my voice box. It was painful and I gagged a lot. Oh well, I've had worse! He sent me for a sinus CT to make sure there were no serious masses on top of other issues.

The results came back negative and he said my sinuses were beautiful. Nice, huh? This appointment went very well and he agreed that I did have Wegener's Granuloma. I liked him more at that point because he wasn't sticking tubes down my nose! Anyway, he suggested that I see a Rheumatologist and possibly a Pulmonologist and Immunologist.... you get the "gist" Ha!

Scheduled my appointment and got in with the Rhuematologist. She wasn't very friendly either. What's up with these doctors? Anyway, they asked tons of questions. I was asked to strip to my undies and put on a gown.... good thing I wore my nice, new ones! They poked and touched about everything on my body. Asked more questions but didn't give much info. Took 8 vials of blood and a urine sample. It was so much fun, I could have stayed all day!

I had to go for a TB test on Friday and that came back negative on Monday. No surprise but I guess it had to be done. Tomorrow I'm scheduled for a high resolution chest CT. We'll see how that goes. This will be the third time I've been to that radiologist in the past few weeks so I'm expecting to see my name in lights on one of the rooms.

Next week I'll see the Rheumatologist again and hopefully get some answers. I was given some info to read about the new drugs they want to start me on. They sound thrilling and the side effects sound heavenly... NOT! They are types of chemo drugs so I'm not sure what all is involved. A friend of mine that's a nurse said it was probably be intravenously but I won't know the details until I talk with the doctor.

So far the steroids haven't been too bad. They put me in a foggy state and I can't always focus on what's going on around me. My gums look better, my voice is stronger and my joints aren't aching so that is a huge plus! I guess we'll see where this journey takes me. For now I'm trusting that it's all in God's plan and I can't wait to see where He takes me next!!

2 comments:

HolyMama! said...

praying, girl. hang in there with that positive attitude as long as you can - and in the moments where it leaves... that's okay too. you'll still be okay. He has this. He has YOU.

Kathleen said...

Hi Stacey,

Wow! You've been going through a lot! I miss out on the news since I'm hardly in the office anymore. I'll be praying for you! Your humor cracks me up.