{{{{{{Hanks Household}}}}}}

DeeTee

(((((Walt)))))  (((((Amanda)))))
Gwen

Walt, Sending prayers and hugs for you both..
Cindy

((((((((((((((((((tin man))))))))))))))))  hope your bod quickly feels
better, walt, and that things become a comfortable pace for you. do take
good care of yourself as you meet your deadlines and the immediate demands
on your time and energies.

kate

Sorry I haven't posted in a while.  I have been incredibly busy at work.
Writing textbooks is a lot harder than it sounds.

Anyway, I wanted to give you all an update.  We still don't have a firm
diagnosis for Amanda, but the dx used on the latest lab orders was MCTD.
She is on prednisone now and is responding well to it - which I'm not sure I
am happy about.

Amanda's sed rate was up to 46 (0-10 normal) last week, her muscle enzymes
are elevated, and her liver function was marginal.  It all sounds like
something that is here to stay.

Amanda is handling it all wonderfully.  She is a real trooper.  She is using
her prednisone-induced bursts of energy to clean her room and get ready for
some school events, and she has accepted the idea that she has to keep
pushing through the pain.  I am very proud of her.

I'm not doing very well myself though.  I am in a full-blown flare.  My
hands and feet are inflamed, I have no energy, and my knees, hips, and
shoulders are so stiff I feel like the tin man on Wizard of Oz.

I saw my RD Thursday and she ordered lots of labs, x-rays, etc.  We will
speak by phone once she gets the results, but we will probably be adding
Arava to my meds.  She wanted to give me some prednisone immediately, but I
said no.  I just hate it.  But today I wish I had some to take.

I also have to push up getting my hand done.  There are now 7 nodules
between the two hands.  Six are on MIP joints and 1 is on the palm side of
the 2nd PIP on my right hand.  It is "invading" the tendon that runs under
the joint and is very painful.  So my RD wants me to see the hand surgeon
this week.

My boss is not happy.  We have a lot of deadlines coming up for new courses
and he needs me at 100%.  But, what can I do?  It has to be taken care of.
I am still in my probationary period though, so I am very nervous about
this. Between the flare and the nodules, it could get very difficult.

Anyway, that's what is going on at the Hanks household.

Walt

Walt,

Sorry to hear what is going on with Amanda and with you as well.  My
thoughts are with you  both while tackling this turn of events.
I don't know if this helps or not, but have you considered a voice
recognition computer program that might help you through this work
situation.  I cannot not comment on one since I have never tried one of
them, just a thought.

Don Whitely

Walt,

Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers, for you and your family. I sure hope
things turn around for you all soon.

Praying and sending good thoughts for better times for you, Amanda and the
whole family.

Adelle

((((((((walt & amanda)))))))))))  i hear ya on the pred - i've had some times
recently that i had to talk myself out of going for some.  

textbook writing, eh?  mike worked in textbook publishing for years and a
friend of ours was recently a bigshot in nursing textbook publishing, but i
haven't really known anyone on your end of the process (except my dad's one
published textbook).