Necessary Break

The rain is pouring down this morning as I struggle to share today. The aches and stiffness on these days is terrible. Not looking forward to winter weather as I’ll have to spend much of it with the wood stove and electric blanket.

May my teaching drop as the rain, my speech distill as the dew, like gentle rain upon the tender grass, and like showers upon the herb.
Deuteronomy 32:2 ESV

On October 3rd, Jeff and I traveled to Halifax to see my rheumatologist. She noticed the progression in my scleroderma since I had seen her in the spring and was concerned with the decline in my quality of life. She recommended taking a month long break from mycophenolate, the med that’s supposed to be helping my skin, she and my other doctors are fairly certain that it is this med causing all my GI issues.

Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.”
Hosea 6:3 ESV

The decision to take a break was a hard one to make. I want my stomach pain, vomiting and inability to eat to improve but fear major progression of my scleroderma at the same time, with no med to keep it at bay. I fear that even though I’ve had progression the last few months, that maybe it could have been so much worse or perhaps this drug has been slowly helping as many things I’ve read lean towards a year or more of taking this med before seeing improvements. I so desperately want to have improved physical abilities and even more desperately do not want to get worse. But eating again and gaining some weight back trumped.

Within a day of stopping the med, my stomach improved. No more pain or vomiting since. I still have trouble swallowing, can eat very little at a time and struggle to have an appetite or ever be hungry but eating again has been nice, I am thankful.

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,
Psalm 103:2 ESV

My GI doctor called with the biopsy results. The ulcers are not cancerous. PTL! He also encouraged the mycophenolate break and to continue on my current GI meds. He’d like another endoscopy in 4-6 months to see if there is healing.

So over two weeks into my break, eating has improved as I shared but I’ve had some new skin ulcers erupt and the intense prickly skin sensations I used to deal with has been back. Not fun but I guess eating trumps again.

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Galatians 2:20 ESV

I’ve also been back in for another blood transfusion as my hemoglobin continues to be low.

Aside from my health update, life continues. School is going well. Everyone keeping up and enjoying their curriculum this year.

We laid my mom’s ashes to rest in Mountain Cemetery and spent some precious time with family.

We took a beautiful Saturday and headed to the valley to enjoy a farm day, apple picking, a visit to a honey store and the look off.

We had a beautiful Thanksgiving dinner together!

We celebrated a birthday and have a new driver in the house!

Our little girls were flower girls in a beautiful wedding we attended this past weekend.

Thank you to all those that loved on our family during Love Atlantic. We are forever grateful for the Godly family that surrounds us.

Thank you for praying.

Pray for no scleroderma progression during this break. Pray for my skin flare ups to calm. Pray that we can find a med that works without upsetting my GI system or causing other major side effects.

Pray for divine miraculous healing.

Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?”
John 11:40 ESV