My Melmoirs

According to our culture, this is the most wonderful time of the year. But what happens when things aren't so wonderful? It can be hard. It doesn't matter whether you're having a hard time physically, emotionally, spiritually or all of the above, as the world carries on around you and the hustle and bustle of the season leaves little time for meaningful connections with others it can leave you feeling really isolated. I can relate because the past two weeks have been a little challenging. Despite being on IV antibiotics for 11 days, I have continued to slip backwards. After the first week my PFTs dropped 8% and my symptoms were unimproved/worsened. We had decided to give the meds a little more time to work, but now it's clear that this medication cocktail isn't doing the job, so we are changing one of the meds and hopeful that will work. At the very least it will be better than eggnog.  It's a little disappointing because I had the expectation to be i...

...but the plummet is rarely as fun. It was the perfect recipe for my decline: Coming off of the study drug + all the germs Myles was bringing home from preschool. I didn't stand a chance. For one month it's been a slow but steady downturn. Despite our efforts with oral antibiotics it's time for the big guns, IV antibiotics.  Tomorrow (Thursday) I will go to have my tunneled line placed with sedation. The great news is that 1) my favorite IR doc will be doing the procedure and 2) my PFTs are stable enough that they are allowing me to dodge a hospitalization and do all of my IV antibiotics at home. Double score! As far as restarting the research study, unfortunately this course of IV antibiotics will delay me until at least mid-February. While it would be luxurious to restart the study sooner, it is more important that I focus on my long term health and getting better . I will be on the IV antibiotics about 3 weeks, which will have me concluding 2015 with the ant...