As many of you mother’s will agree, we can’t get sick, or die, or leave, it just is not an option! When you have a child with autism, it becomes even more of a reality that it truly is not an option. Add to that a husband fighting a war in Iraq and it becomes blatantly clear – it ain’t happenin!
Thank you to those of you that wrote asking how I am and if I have heard anything from the doctor yet. This is what we now know…
My ER lab test turned out to be called the ANA test, which came back positive. My Lyme test was negative and my C Reactive Protein was in normal limits. The only thing they saw from my doctor’s labs was that my red blood cells were slightly elevated. If you click on the ANA link above, you can read, in clear plain English, just what that test is and what it can mean for me.
My nurse practioner, whom I love, opted to draw yet some more blood from me and try to hone in on just what might be wrong with me. Basically we know that I have some sort of Autoimmune Disease but whether it’s Lupus or Rheumatoid Arthritis we don’t know yet.
Tomorrow I should get those results back and hopefully get my appointment with the Rheumatologist so that he/she can do even more lab workups and maybe just possibly diagnose me with something other than crazy!
In the meantime, I am achy but not as bad as last week. My swelling is gone and I’ve discovered just how wrinkly my hands really are!
In other news, I thought I broke my thumb on Saturday after a little battle with a lawn mower, the lawn mower won, but it has proven to be just a really bad bruising. Sunday I stepped on a nail that went through my croc into my foot, note to self – crocs are not the shoe to don for projects! I guess I finally found the one good thing about the tetanus shot the ER doctor insisted I have 9 1/2 years ago while pregnant with my now autistic child with Down syndrome – at least I won’t be getting tetanus. Which is better though, Tetanus or Autism? I guess the rare possibility of lock jaw and being unable to breath which leads to death would not be a path I would choose to travel but hey, autism ain’t no picnic all the time either!
Hi there! I am glad you are feeling a bit better. I have a very high positive ANA with associated joint pain as well. If you do a google search on joint pain and gluten, you’ll be amazed at what you find….my naturopath and rheumatologist suggested I try a GF diet, and WHAM, my joint pain was GONE. Just a thought for you if you’re interested in trying it out.
Hang in there – it’s no fun what you are going through. Hugs to you.