The last year was a pretty typical year. Occasional relapses, treatment with prednisone, taper, enjoy a couple months off, relapse, repeat.
But last week was a little different. She was in the final week of a taper when she relapsed again, fast and hard. She swelled up more than she ever has since her original diagnosis. According to the scale she was carrying about 20 lbs of surplus water.
The scary part was she told me she couldn't see. Not that she was going blind, but her vision was really bad. I called the Drs office and they were concerned about a rare side effect of prednisone where pressure is increased in the eyes. They also noted a slightly elevated glucose level in her last blood labs and said it could be attributed to that.
First we went to the store to get her some clothing she could wear, because none of her clothing fit and she was very uncomfortable. Then we went to the hospital for bloodwork. Finally we tried to find someone who could get her in for an eye exam. Being the end of the year, that was challenge.
It was a scary time, because vision problems are always concerning, and the idea that we may have to discontinue the use of prednisone would mean needing to look at a different course of treatment. Thankfully, the optometrist was able to rule out glaucoma and cataracts. All of her vision problems were attributed to the swelling, and as the swelling started to resolve, so did her eyesight.
Her proteins are now dropping, the swelling is significantly reduced, and her eyesight has returned to normal. We are grateful for the medical care that is available to us and especially grateful for the many prayers that were offered in her behalf. We know that they make a difference in her, and our, life.
