With reference to my post on this newsgroup dated the 15/10/2005, here is an
update. Well I've just been discharged from hospital after 5 weeks admission
and I'm to be readmitted again on the 17th January 2006 for further
treatment. I had 3 months of some respite from the RA whilst on Enbrel and
then all the problems came back again with a vengence which required a
re-referral to my consultant. My hands, feet, ankles, shoulders, elbows and
hips were all swollen and badly inflammed and I knew that this time it
was'nt just a flare-up. On admittance to hospital my joint score was 24 out
of 28 joints badly inflammed, I was immediately withdrawn from Enbrel and
had to wait for all traces of it too leave my body before starting on
another Anti-TNF drug Infliximab. I'm still in the loading dose stage and
have to be carefully monitored, hence going back to hospital in January.
Whilst in hospital they discovered that my right elbow joint was badly
damaged and requires a replacement joint and the left one is going the same
way pretty fast. It also looks likely that my right ankle will require some
form of surgery also as its very swollen and painful, it could be possibly a
replacement or fused, I guess time will tell. However the main over riding
concern at the moment is to get the RA under some form of control before any
surgery can take place. I wish I could turn the clock back prior to this
happening but I guess we would all say that. At this time I'm still sore but
with the aid of many painkillers etc its helping to keep the pain bearable.
Add into the mix that my bathroom was being adapted to suit me and it was
supposed to be completed in 1 week is still on going at this time and thats
taken 13 weeks so far so my patience has finally snapped and I've went to
the press to try and shame the company into completion. The work is being
grant funded and the company wont return our calls and dont reply to our
letters or any calls made by my OT and Aberdeenshire Care and Repair (sent a
legal letter which also has'nt been replied too)who are funding the
transition of the bathroom, all in all its been an absolute nightmare which
I could ill afford. Anyway thats about all my moaning for now, will update
again later. Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year to each and everyone on the
newsgroup.

Robert