Rejoice!

Ok, so I've really let this whole blog thing go. I'm a numbers kind of a girl and not so great with writing.  However, I got the itch tonight to go back and read all my posts and felt it was time to write another. (I'm not promising when the next one will come!)

I think I left off when I was about to switch therapies again.  I've got some amazing news! It's really working!!! I feel great and my MRIs back me up!  In March 2013, I started Tysabri.  It's a once a month infusion that takes 2 hours.  It's not as easy as taking a pill, but I don't have to stick myself with a needle! It was not an easy decision to start this medicine. Casey and I prayed a lot before I began this treatment.  A little bit of background on this medicine and you will understand why.  Testing positive for something called the JC virus and taking this treatment increases your risk significantly of developing a rare, and fatal, brain infection.  So, yeah, I tested positive for that virus. My neurologist had lengthy conversations about what our next step would be since my previous treatment wasn't working so well and we agreed that this was the right thing to do.  To monitor not only my MS, but the development of this brain infection, I do a MRI every 3 months, instead of every 6 months or a year. So far I've been on Tysabri for 9 months. I absolutely feel normal! And not just my MS normal that I use to think was normal, but seriously normal! I don't even get so tired any more! Before I tell you about my last 3 MRI results, I need to say that for 9 years and 8 months of having MS, every single MRI came back with lesions.  Some were 2-3, 8, or 29, but ALWAYS something. (I really have to emphasize this point to make you understand my next statement.). So, the 3 MRIs that I've had since I've started Tysabri (one in June, September, and December) have all come back with NO NEW LESIONS!!!! Praise The Lord for He is good!!!

You know what, I think I'll just end there.  I can't write anything better than that!!!

(Please excuse all the exclamation marks throughout this post. However, they were necessary.)

Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! Psalm 107:1

One day you develop a headache. Which medicine do you use? Tylenol? Excedrin? BC? Do you feel like one particular kind works better with different types of headaches? Well, just like pain relievers, there are now several treatment options available for MS. After my diagnosis, I immediately started Avonex. I don't remember a discussion on this with my doctor concerning my choices and even if I was given an option I was so overwhelmed at everything that I wouldn't have been able to choose. I continued for 8 years using this treatment (with the exception of my 2 pregnancies). After Gilenya came out, I immediately wanted to switch so I didn't have to take shots anymore. So after being on that for a year and getting the worst MRI report that I've had I then again had to change treatments. The difference this time was that I had to make a switch because my body didn't respond to the medicine not because I wanted a different way to take my medicine.

So when I have a headache, I usually reach for Excedrin. But, if that doesn't work I eventually try something else and the pain subsides. The difficult part of MS treatments is that if one doesn't work then yes, you can try another one, but in the time that you are waiting to see if it's going to help, damage could be happening.

For the last 7 months I've been using Rebif. Unfortunately, I've still been experiencing some flare ups. With that and the data from my last MRI, it is time, again, to switch treatments. It's really weird for me since I've never had to keep changing different treatments. However, I'm confident that one will work. It's just a matter of not giving up. So, Tysabri, here I come!

Rejoice in The Lord always and He will give you peace that will surpass all understanding. There's no pill out there that can do that for you !