Re: Down to 10mg! Yea!!

> >

> > To unsubcribe via email,

> > Visit our companion website at www.igan.ca. The site is entirely

supported

> by donations. If you would like to help, go to:

> >

> > Thank you

> >

May 6, 2004

Cy I hear ya on the healing slowly front. The skin biopsy I had done back

on Feb 17th has just finally granulated all the way in...the final scab has

just fell off a few days ago and I finally have skin again in that area. 2

1/2 months for a wound to heal is much longer than I'm used to. My throat

is also finally to the point where I don't feel like it's raw from the

surgery anymore, though I still tend to get hoarse if I talk for too long a

period.

Glad to hear that is finally healing up. I can see where a foot

injury would/could take much longer to heal while on pred.

Amy

> 's also had this bloody, pus filled, gross and disgusting foot

injury

> all year long (don't get me going about arguments with the school!

> Fortunately, his gym teacher is very sympathetic) -- which FINALLY is

> beginning to heal now that we're down to 5 mg.

>

> All that being said, we'd take doubles on the pred experience. This was a

> wonderful, wonderful thing.

>

> Cy

> Re: Down to 10mg! Yea!!

>

> > > Way to go Amy! You must be feeling awesome. Given that so many of

> the

> > > other side effects are dose dependent (i.e. " the face " ), you may be

very

> > > pleasantly surprised.

> > >

> > > Cy

> >

> > Thanks everyone. Cy actually I feel great about the lower dose and my

> > labs...though today my body is screaming at me. I was shaking so bad

at

> > lunch I dropped my bowl trying to get it from the microwave to the

> counter.

> > My hubby just said " I'll get that, you worry about getting some food

into

> > your system. " What a guy...he cleans up after me. LOL! The headache

and

> > exhaustion are starting to set in now. He just called from work to tell

> the

> > kids goodnight and to check in on me and said " Don't do anything, just

lay

> > around on the couch and if you are asleep when I get home I'll make sure

> you

> > wake up to take your meds. " No he isn't for sale ladies....though I

might

> > rent him out if the price is right.

> >

> > I've actually noticed that my face is slowly returning to normal. Just

> two

> > months ago my neck/chin was so swollen from the pred I couldn't tuck a

> > pillow under it to slip on the case, the other night I was changing our

> > sheets and realized I could hold the pillow under my chin again. I

can't

> > tell you how good that made me feel. ) My hubby thought I was nuts

when

> I

> > called him into the room to show him that I could hold the pillow under

my

> > chin again. I hope that I have more of my regular looks back by my

sister

> > in laws wedding in July...it would be nice to look like " me " for

pictures.

> >

> > a very shaky Amy

> >

> > To edit your settings for the group, go to our Yahoo Group

> > home page:

> >

> > To unsubcribe via email,

> > Visit our companion website at www.igan.ca. The site is entirely

supported

> by donations. If you would like to help, go to:

> >

> > Thank you

> >

May 6, 2004

Cy I hear ya on the healing slowly front. The skin biopsy I had done back

on Feb 17th has just finally granulated all the way in...the final scab has

just fell off a few days ago and I finally have skin again in that area. 2

1/2 months for a wound to heal is much longer than I'm used to. My throat

is also finally to the point where I don't feel like it's raw from the

surgery anymore, though I still tend to get hoarse if I talk for too long a

period.

Glad to hear that is finally healing up. I can see where a foot

injury would/could take much longer to heal while on pred.

Amy

> 's also had this bloody, pus filled, gross and disgusting foot

injury

> all year long (don't get me going about arguments with the school!

> Fortunately, his gym teacher is very sympathetic) -- which FINALLY is

> beginning to heal now that we're down to 5 mg.

>

> All that being said, we'd take doubles on the pred experience. This was a

> wonderful, wonderful thing.

>

> Cy

> Re: Down to 10mg! Yea!!

>

> > > Way to go Amy! You must be feeling awesome. Given that so many of

> the

> > > other side effects are dose dependent (i.e. " the face " ), you may be

very

> > > pleasantly surprised.

> > >

> > > Cy

> >

> > Thanks everyone. Cy actually I feel great about the lower dose and my

> > labs...though today my body is screaming at me. I was shaking so bad

at

> > lunch I dropped my bowl trying to get it from the microwave to the

> counter.

> > My hubby just said " I'll get that, you worry about getting some food

into

> > your system. " What a guy...he cleans up after me. LOL! The headache

and

> > exhaustion are starting to set in now. He just called from work to tell

> the

> > kids goodnight and to check in on me and said " Don't do anything, just

lay

> > around on the couch and if you are asleep when I get home I'll make sure

> you

> > wake up to take your meds. " No he isn't for sale ladies....though I

might

> > rent him out if the price is right.

> >

> > I've actually noticed that my face is slowly returning to normal. Just

> two

> > months ago my neck/chin was so swollen from the pred I couldn't tuck a

> > pillow under it to slip on the case, the other night I was changing our

> > sheets and realized I could hold the pillow under my chin again. I

can't

> > tell you how good that made me feel. ) My hubby thought I was nuts

when

> I

> > called him into the room to show him that I could hold the pillow under

my

> > chin again. I hope that I have more of my regular looks back by my

sister

> > in laws wedding in July...it would be nice to look like " me " for

pictures.

> >

> > a very shaky Amy

> >

> > To edit your settings for the group, go to our Yahoo Group

> > home page:

> >

> > To unsubcribe via email,

> > Visit our companion website at www.igan.ca. The site is entirely

supported

> by donations. If you would like to help, go to:

> >

> > Thank you

> >

May 6, 2004

Thanks . As always, your support is heartening. The annoying bit was

the first doctor that saw the foot insisted on surgery! flat out

refused - and I more or less went along with his decision. Having him so

badly scared by the first doc made it more difficult to drag him in to

subsequent docs for periodic antibiotics to keep the infection down to a low

roar. We didn't dress it today cause it's impossible to get theater tights

on over the bandages (Phantom Toll Booth opens tomorrow) - and for once I'm

not worried about the bloody mess in the tights.

Cy

Re: Down to 10mg! Yea!!

> Hi Cy,

>

> That must have been very frustrating to have with a foot infection

for that long. It is scary to have him on drugs that suppress his immune

system so much, even when you know they are working.

>

> I am glad his foot is finally healing Cy. You have been through so much

with your husband, and your father. You are an inspiration to all of

us Cy!

>

> To edit your settings for the group, go to our Yahoo Group

> home page:

>

> To unsubcribe via email,

> Visit our companion website at www.igan.ca. The site is entirely supported

by donations. If you would like to help, go to:

>

> Thank you

>

May 6, 2004

Thanks . As always, your support is heartening. The annoying bit was

the first doctor that saw the foot insisted on surgery! flat out

refused - and I more or less went along with his decision. Having him so

badly scared by the first doc made it more difficult to drag him in to

subsequent docs for periodic antibiotics to keep the infection down to a low

roar. We didn't dress it today cause it's impossible to get theater tights

on over the bandages (Phantom Toll Booth opens tomorrow) - and for once I'm

not worried about the bloody mess in the tights.

Cy

Re: Down to 10mg! Yea!!

> Hi Cy,

>

> That must have been very frustrating to have with a foot infection

for that long. It is scary to have him on drugs that suppress his immune

system so much, even when you know they are working.

>

> I am glad his foot is finally healing Cy. You have been through so much

with your husband, and your father. You are an inspiration to all of

us Cy!

>

> To edit your settings for the group, go to our Yahoo Group

> home page:

>

> To unsubcribe via email,

> Visit our companion website at www.igan.ca. The site is entirely supported

by donations. If you would like to help, go to:

>

> Thank you

>

May 6, 2004

Thanks . As always, your support is heartening. The annoying bit was

the first doctor that saw the foot insisted on surgery! flat out

refused - and I more or less went along with his decision. Having him so

badly scared by the first doc made it more difficult to drag him in to

subsequent docs for periodic antibiotics to keep the infection down to a low

roar. We didn't dress it today cause it's impossible to get theater tights

on over the bandages (Phantom Toll Booth opens tomorrow) - and for once I'm

not worried about the bloody mess in the tights.

Cy

Re: Down to 10mg! Yea!!

> Hi Cy,

>

> That must have been very frustrating to have with a foot infection

for that long. It is scary to have him on drugs that suppress his immune

system so much, even when you know they are working.

>

> I am glad his foot is finally healing Cy. You have been through so much

with your husband, and your father. You are an inspiration to all of

us Cy!

>

> To edit your settings for the group, go to our Yahoo Group

> home page:

>

> To unsubcribe via email,

> Visit our companion website at www.igan.ca. The site is entirely supported

by donations. If you would like to help, go to:

>

> Thank you

>

May 6, 2004

Thanks Sophia. It's been a long year with that foot, and I'm glad it's

winding down. If a picture of a foot every shows up on the photo board,

it's just us bragging that the thing has finally healed.

My mum was on and off fairly low dose prednisone for years (fibromyalgia)

and she had the same bruising thing too - big ugly things about the size of

a fist. You could tell exactly where the dogs had been jumping up on her.

It got a little embarrassing. As for " the face " , I'd take heart - if you

don't have the it yet, there's a good chance you won't.

Everything said, tho, we'll still take pred. This has really been our

miracle drug.

Cy

Re: Down to 10mg! Yea!!

> I agree with , and that's gotta be so hard on him with a year-

> long foot infection like that. I'm glad that it's finally healing.

> Kinda freaks me out though, since it looks like I'll be on the 20 mg

> pred for a bit of time....

>

> One frustrating thing for me was that I just noticed I've started

> getting humongous bruises for almost no reason (or maybe just a

> *slight* bump). I wish I'd had pictures to show you, they are

> totally gross! It's like someone took dark purple paint and used a

> huge mop and stuck it on me! The worst thing about this is that

> it's looking like it will take at least two weeks to heal - for

> someone who rarely gets a bruise, never mind one so colourful for so

> long - it's tough.

>

> And I haven't got the moon face quite yet...but I fear it's creeping

> up on me. If I've been on it six weeks already, will I still grow

> into a moon face?

>

> Sophia

>

> > Hi Cy,

> >

> > That must have been very frustrating to have with a foot

> infection for that long. It is scary to have him on drugs that

> suppress his immune system so much, even when you know they are

> working.

> >

> > I am glad his foot is finally healing Cy. You have been through

> so much with your husband, and your father. You are an

> inspiration to all of us Cy!

> >

>

> To edit your settings for the group, go to our Yahoo Group

> home page:

>

> To unsubcribe via email,

> Visit our companion website at www.igan.ca. The site is entirely supported

by donations. If you would like to help, go to:

>

> Thank you

>

May 6, 2004

Thanks Sophia. It's been a long year with that foot, and I'm glad it's

winding down. If a picture of a foot every shows up on the photo board,

it's just us bragging that the thing has finally healed.

My mum was on and off fairly low dose prednisone for years (fibromyalgia)

and she had the same bruising thing too - big ugly things about the size of

a fist. You could tell exactly where the dogs had been jumping up on her.

It got a little embarrassing. As for " the face " , I'd take heart - if you

don't have the it yet, there's a good chance you won't.

Everything said, tho, we'll still take pred. This has really been our

miracle drug.

Cy

Re: Down to 10mg! Yea!!

> I agree with , and that's gotta be so hard on him with a year-

> long foot infection like that. I'm glad that it's finally healing.

> Kinda freaks me out though, since it looks like I'll be on the 20 mg

> pred for a bit of time....

>

> One frustrating thing for me was that I just noticed I've started

> getting humongous bruises for almost no reason (or maybe just a

> *slight* bump). I wish I'd had pictures to show you, they are

> totally gross! It's like someone took dark purple paint and used a

> huge mop and stuck it on me! The worst thing about this is that

> it's looking like it will take at least two weeks to heal - for

> someone who rarely gets a bruise, never mind one so colourful for so

> long - it's tough.

>

> And I haven't got the moon face quite yet...but I fear it's creeping

> up on me. If I've been on it six weeks already, will I still grow

> into a moon face?

>

> Sophia

>

> > Hi Cy,

> >

> > That must have been very frustrating to have with a foot

> infection for that long. It is scary to have him on drugs that

> suppress his immune system so much, even when you know they are

> working.

> >

> > I am glad his foot is finally healing Cy. You have been through

> so much with your husband, and your father. You are an

> inspiration to all of us Cy!

> >

>

> To edit your settings for the group, go to our Yahoo Group

> home page:

>

> To unsubcribe via email,

> Visit our companion website at www.igan.ca. The site is entirely supported

by donations. If you would like to help, go to:

>

> Thank you

>

May 6, 2004

Wow, Cy I cant believe its taken that long to heal.

I'm just gonna sit back and thank my lucky stars that I have

avoided many of the set backs from the meds. The surgery scar form

the transplant is a helathy pink and fleshy consistency. Its a rather

attractive scar as scars go. No moonface either, started on 60mg of

prednisone now down to 10.

Doc called today with results form this afternoons bloodwork,

cyclosporine levels are going down gradually, but creatinine is

still a little high, its at about 1.5 . The doc thinks it may still

be from the decrease in meds. I sure hope so.

On top of that I have been refered to a pulminary specialist.

Apparently there is something wrong with my breathing. I've been

getting winded after any excessive exercise, brisk walking and

running up and down the stairs. I've had mild asthma in the p[ast ,

but nothing needing specialists attention. But then again during my

hospital stay, I did stop breathing and they did have me on a

regiment of meds through a nebulizer.

I doubt this new turn of events has to do with the meds. Will know

more after I visit with yet a nother doctor.

Tony C and Schmeagle

May 6, 2004

PHANTOM TOLL BOOTH?????

I definately missed something there.

> Thanks . As always, your support is heartening. The annoying

bit was

> the first doctor that saw the foot insisted on surgery!

flat out

> refused - and I more or less went along with his decision. Having

him so

> badly scared by the first doc made it more difficult to drag him in

to

> subsequent docs for periodic antibiotics to keep the infection down

to a low

> roar. We didn't dress it today cause it's impossible to get

theater tights

> on over the bandages (Phantom Toll Booth opens tomorrow) - and for

once I'm

> not worried about the bloody mess in the tights.

>

> Cy

> Re: Down to 10mg! Yea!!

>

> > Hi Cy,

> >

> > That must have been very frustrating to have with a foot

infection

> for that long. It is scary to have him on drugs that suppress his

immune

> system so much, even when you know they are working.

> >

> > I am glad his foot is finally healing Cy. You have been through

so much

> with your husband, and your father. You are an inspiration

to all of

> us Cy!

> >

> > To edit your settings for the group, go to our Yahoo Group

> > home page:

> >

> > To unsubcribe via email,

> > Visit our companion website at www.igan.ca. The site is entirely

supported

> by donations. If you would like to help, go to:

> >

> > Thank you

> >

May 6, 2004

PHANTOM TOLL BOOTH?????

I definately missed something there.

> Thanks . As always, your support is heartening. The annoying

bit was

> the first doctor that saw the foot insisted on surgery!

flat out

> refused - and I more or less went along with his decision. Having

him so

> badly scared by the first doc made it more difficult to drag him in

to

> subsequent docs for periodic antibiotics to keep the infection down

to a low

> roar. We didn't dress it today cause it's impossible to get

theater tights

> on over the bandages (Phantom Toll Booth opens tomorrow) - and for

once I'm

> not worried about the bloody mess in the tights.

>

> Cy

> Re: Down to 10mg! Yea!!

>

> > Hi Cy,

> >

> > That must have been very frustrating to have with a foot

infection

> for that long. It is scary to have him on drugs that suppress his

immune

> system so much, even when you know they are working.

> >

> > I am glad his foot is finally healing Cy. You have been through

so much

> with your husband, and your father. You are an inspiration

to all of

> us Cy!

> >

> > To edit your settings for the group, go to our Yahoo Group

> > home page:

> >

> > To unsubcribe via email,

> > Visit our companion website at www.igan.ca. The site is entirely

supported

> by donations. If you would like to help, go to:

> >

> > Thank you

> >

May 7, 2004

Hi Cy,

Tell to break a leg in his play!

May 7, 2004

Hi Cy,

Tell to break a leg in his play!

May 7, 2004

Hi Cy,

Tell to break a leg in his play!

May 8, 2004

Hi Amy,

Thank you thank you thank you Amy! Now that you mention it, my

bruising did start the same week as my period. I am currently

taking a prenatal vitamin to supplement my diet etc, but I will most

definitely look at increasing my iron intake.

Sophia

>

> I go thru periods where I bruise very easily too since on the pred

(normally

> right at the beginning of my menstrual cycle). I've noticed that

eating

> foods high in iron (like Malt O Meal..1 serving is 60% of your

iron for the

> day) help clear the bruises up faster and keep them from happening

as often.

>

> Amy

> Re: Down to 10mg! Yea!!

>

> > I agree with , and that's gotta be so hard on him with a

year-

> > long foot infection like that. I'm glad that it's finally

healing.

> > Kinda freaks me out though, since it looks like I'll be on the

20 mg

> > pred for a bit of time....

> >

> > One frustrating thing for me was that I just noticed I've started

> > getting humongous bruises for almost no reason (or maybe just a

> > *slight* bump). I wish I'd had pictures to show you, they are

> > totally gross! It's like someone took dark purple paint and

used a

> > huge mop and stuck it on me! The worst thing about this is that

> > it's looking like it will take at least two weeks to heal - for

> > someone who rarely gets a bruise, never mind one so colourful

for so

> > long - it's tough.

> >

> > And I haven't got the moon face quite yet...but I fear it's

creeping

> > up on me. If I've been on it six weeks already, will I still

grow

> > into a moon face?

> >

> > Sophia

> >

May 8, 2004

Hi Amy,

Thank you thank you thank you Amy! Now that you mention it, my

bruising did start the same week as my period. I am currently

taking a prenatal vitamin to supplement my diet etc, but I will most

definitely look at increasing my iron intake.

Sophia

>

> I go thru periods where I bruise very easily too since on the pred

(normally

> right at the beginning of my menstrual cycle). I've noticed that

eating

> foods high in iron (like Malt O Meal..1 serving is 60% of your

iron for the

> day) help clear the bruises up faster and keep them from happening

as often.

>

> Amy

> Re: Down to 10mg! Yea!!

>

> > I agree with , and that's gotta be so hard on him with a

year-

> > long foot infection like that. I'm glad that it's finally

healing.

> > Kinda freaks me out though, since it looks like I'll be on the

20 mg

> > pred for a bit of time....

> >

> > One frustrating thing for me was that I just noticed I've started

> > getting humongous bruises for almost no reason (or maybe just a

> > *slight* bump). I wish I'd had pictures to show you, they are

> > totally gross! It's like someone took dark purple paint and

used a

> > huge mop and stuck it on me! The worst thing about this is that

> > it's looking like it will take at least two weeks to heal - for

> > someone who rarely gets a bruise, never mind one so colourful

for so

> > long - it's tough.

> >

> > And I haven't got the moon face quite yet...but I fear it's

creeping

> > up on me. If I've been on it six weeks already, will I still

grow

> > into a moon face?

> >

> > Sophia

> >

May 8, 2004

Hi Amy,

Thank you thank you thank you Amy! Now that you mention it, my

bruising did start the same week as my period. I am currently

taking a prenatal vitamin to supplement my diet etc, but I will most

definitely look at increasing my iron intake.

Sophia

>

> I go thru periods where I bruise very easily too since on the pred

(normally

> right at the beginning of my menstrual cycle). I've noticed that

eating

> foods high in iron (like Malt O Meal..1 serving is 60% of your

iron for the

> day) help clear the bruises up faster and keep them from happening

as often.

>

> Amy

> Re: Down to 10mg! Yea!!

>

> > I agree with , and that's gotta be so hard on him with a

year-

> > long foot infection like that. I'm glad that it's finally

healing.

> > Kinda freaks me out though, since it looks like I'll be on the

20 mg

> > pred for a bit of time....

> >

> > One frustrating thing for me was that I just noticed I've started

> > getting humongous bruises for almost no reason (or maybe just a

> > *slight* bump). I wish I'd had pictures to show you, they are

> > totally gross! It's like someone took dark purple paint and

used a

> > huge mop and stuck it on me! The worst thing about this is that

> > it's looking like it will take at least two weeks to heal - for

> > someone who rarely gets a bruise, never mind one so colourful

for so

> > long - it's tough.

> >

> > And I haven't got the moon face quite yet...but I fear it's

creeping

> > up on me. If I've been on it six weeks already, will I still

grow

> > into a moon face?

> >

> > Sophia

> >

May 8, 2004

Cy,

Yes, the big ugly bruising is quite embarrassing...it's hard to

convince friends and acquaintances that it's no big deal when half

your arm is purple. Must have been tough for your mum, and then to

try and hide all those bruises all the time so no one would ask!

I totally agree - pred is a miracle drug for me. The lab results

have been more than my neph hoped for (dropping creatinine and

proteinuria levels) and these side effects - although some were

unexpected - really in the grand scheme of things aren't much more

than annoyances to deal with.

Sophia

> > > Hi Cy,

> > >

> > > That must have been very frustrating to have with a foot

> > infection for that long. It is scary to have him on drugs that

> > suppress his immune system so much, even when you know they are

> > working.

> > >

> > > I am glad his foot is finally healing Cy. You have been

through

> > so much with your husband, and your father. You are an

> > inspiration to all of us Cy!

> > >

> >

> > To edit your settings for the group, go to our Yahoo Group

> > home page:

> >

> > To unsubcribe via email,

> > Visit our companion website at www.igan.ca. The site is entirely

supported

> by donations. If you would like to help, go to: