For three years I have been the model patient. I went to my doctor and he told me how great I was doing on my small dose of methotrexate and we both left happy. Lately, it's been another story. The pain in my right hand has gotten so bad, that I have started injecting the methotrexate into my stomach to see if that would help. I also was put back on a steroid that virtually eliminates all symptoms. That means as long as I am taking it, I feel completely normal. When I try and taper off, the pain comes back.
So, today when I went to the doctor, he decided he needed to inject cortisone right into my wrist joint and my thumb joint. I seriously thought I was going to cry as he prepared the needle. I have had cortisone shots between my toes before and the pain was unbelievable! However, due to something called "Numbs-All" it was relatively painless. My hand came home a bandaged warrior. I am keeping my fingers crossed. If this doesn't help, he is pulling out the big guns--the awful medication that has a full page of side effects in the magazine advertisements. Not too excited about that. Should I mention it will cost my insurance company $2000 a month? I don't like the idea of being that kind of liability....grateful to have it but I sure don't want to do it if I can possibly get away without it. But, like my doctor said, it is the difference between having a functioning hand in 10 years or not. Thank goodness for medical advancement. Don't get me started on how all of that will go away if O-care is implemented. This is a good place to end.
(Ironically my wristband says "Restoring Courage"...I showed a little of that today I must say!)
