On the Road Again

So it is good to be on a smooth road again.  Ada successfully weened off the prednisone 2 weeks ago and has stayed protein free.  I expect she will relapse again, I hope she won't, and we will be grateful for each day, week, month, and year? we are granted.

Wishing you all a good Holiday Season and longer time between relapses (100+ years :) )

Relapse #??

Yup, it's a relapse.  I called the clinic last week to let them know she was spilling proteins.  They told me to watch her for another couple of days and if she hadn't gone down give them a call back on Friday.  They hadn't gone down.  She was at a 3+ when I called the clinic back.  They weren't thrilled but what can you do.

They sent a prescription into our local pharmacy for more prednisone and put her on the fast taper.  60 mg daily until she shows trace for 3 days, then 40 every other day for 4 weeks, then off.  (this is a new schedule that gets the kids off prednisone faster.  I don't know if it works better, worse, or the same.)

So, she is being good about the low sodium to keep her swelling down and testing daily.  Her relapse spread over a longer time period, so maybe things are changing and after the taper she will be protein free for a while.  Time will tell. (I suspect not, but am always hoping!)

We made it 9 months!

See that right eye, more almond shaped?  That is the classic look of a relapse.  A week ago her morning pee test was up to a 1.  During the week it bumped up to a 2, but went back down.  This morning she was at a 3.

We are still keeping our fingers crossed that her kidneys will self correct, but I suspect not.  We'll keep you posted.  Till then - Keep Smiling!

Happy Mother's Day

I thought I better give a quick update.

I last posted that Ada had come down with a minor cold/flu and with that we found her proteins up in the 2+ range.  I had her take care of herself so she could get better and we watched and prayed.

Blessing of blessings, as the illness faded away so did the protein level.  Her body recovered on its own.  (It is not uncommon for anybody to spill proteins when their body is stressed, so this was not a relapse!)  What a wonderful Mother's day present, for Ada to be protein free for a week again.

Proteins

Ada woke up feeling sick the other day: mild fever, upset stomach, generally unwell.  She slept most of the day.  Today she still felt a little off but got up anyway and started feeling better through the day.  I told her to go take a pee test so we could keep an eye on things.  In the past she has never had a relapse associated with an illness.  I guess this time is different.  Although she wasn't spilling any proteins on Monday, she is today at a 2+.  Hopefully as the illness resolves itself her body will resolve the proteins too.  It isn't uncommon for anybody to spill some proteins when their body is sick or stressed.  We'll post updates as they come.

On the positive side, This is the first sign of any proteins since last November.

Heading into 2012

(always a smile!)

Although no news is good news, I thought I would share a little about how Ada is doing.

She went off prednisone on Thanksgiving Day 2011 and has been doing well.

She tolerates the prednisone pretty well, but this last time that insatiable appatite took over and she gained some excess weight. I'm pretty sure she will work it off in normal play, but I am trying to help her retrain her eating habits.

I'm attaching a few photos to show that nothing slows her down. Even though we would like this disease to resolve itself (which the Nephrologist assures us it will in time) she isn't allowing herself to become a victim of the disease.

a hike with dad ice-skating with sis.