Wednesday, September 10, 2014

September 2014 Update

Earlier in the week I had a 6 month checkup at Johns Hopkins. 6 hours of driving for 1 hour spent with the doctor that saved my life. Everything has been stable with me for the past year and as Dr Wigley said when he left the exam "You are healthy - let me go find a patient that's sick and needs me". Well, as good as sounds, I am still "sick" and need to remain on a low dose of the medication that suppresses my immune system, but in general I am doing very well.

Dr Wigley checked everything out and it doesn't look like I've had any flair ups since he saw me 6 months ago and all vital signs and breathing seem fine. I need to get some updated tests on my lungs and heart to confirm things inside are as good as they appear from the outside, but otherwise, just keep going with the meds I'm already on.

We chatted a bit about my wife and my daughters, how they were doing in college, etc. I first got an appointment with Dr Wigley in January 2007 so it's been 7.5 years that I've been heading to Johns Hopkins. When he first met my girls on various visits, they would have been in middle school. His daughters have graduated and have good jobs now and he always asks me about the family.

I gave 6 files of blood for testing and made my next appointment for 6 months from now before heading out for the ride back north.

Tomorrow is 9/11 and there are some pretty whacky people doing some pretty crazy things out there. Stay safe and enjoy the fall colors & temperatures that are coming our way.

Stay well !!

3 comments:

Patrick said...
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Scleroderma Blog said...
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Ruth said...

Dear Scleroderma Blog: I have (just by chance) found your blog and am very interested in all you have posted. My husband was just diagnosed April 2015 and has been depressed. He has taken the methotrextate as you have and now off this and on the prednisone (the ladder system). He cannot function when the dose gets down to 1-1/2mg. Depression is often, along with the hands turning into claws. I feel his arms and they are tight. It seems he has followed the same symptoms as in your blog. When I read about cellcept, I filled out a form online for an appt. at Johns Hopkins. We told his rheumatologists what we did and he suggested cellcept in the same appt. I am excited as Larry (husband) played golf 4 days/week. He is retired. He shoots in the high 70's, low 80's and will be 72 this 1/30. I am praying the cellcept will work for him to be able to play again. He says his golf days are over. Please let me know how you are doing this year as I cannot find any blogs after 2014 and have not heard from JHH for an appt. Best of health to you, Regards, Ruth at ruth.less@comcast.net or Larry at laru3245@comcast.net