June Update

This has turned into a busy month, a combination of doctor's appointments and get-togethers with family and friends.  My grandmother's health, which has been declining for about four years, took a turn for the worse.  Her liver is no longer functioning due to cancer, and she is not a candidate for treatment.  I spent the second half of yesterday at the hospital with cousins, parents, siblings, an aunt and uncles.  How this lady is loved!!!!   My prayer is that she will not suffer.

Greg's aunt went to visit a friend in California for a week, but she is back in town.  We are planning to see her several times over the next week.

Kylen had his first violin lesson last night.  He didn't actually try the instrument yet, but his teacher is nice.  Sounds like violin is difficult to learn, so we'll see what happens!

My final test to determine whether my breathing problem was caused from my main medication, Methotrexate, was a cat scan on my lungs.  They can get a better image if they put something in there by IV.  What should have been 5 minutes turned into a couple hours.  They needed a large vein and couldn't find one.  After looking at both my arms with a sonogram, they found a spot to try.  It didn't work, but I was left with a VERY sore arm.  The arthritis in my elbows doesn't allow my arm to completely straighten, and in the process of making it as straight as possible, I think they forced it.  It was so sore, I couldn't use it at all for a day or two.  It took over a week for it to return to normal and even longer for the huge, horrible-looking bruise to disappear due to the internal bleeding caused by sticking that vein.  Not fun, but we survived the ordeal.  They gave up and did the scan without the IV.  Soon after, I got a call saying my lungs looked normal and to go back on the Methotrexate.  It seemed to me that my breathing had greatly improved since going off of it, so I was hesitant.  But I took it and had a bad reaction, including an allergic reaction.  My doctor decided it's time to switch medications, much to our relief.  Greg and I would have refused to have me take it again, anyway.

Now, we wait until the allergic reaction is gone, and then I'll try a new medication.  It's always a bit stressful to try something new, because of the uncertainty of side effects.  For the most part, I feel at peace.  I know that God has a good plan He is working in our lives.  :-)