Wednesday, March 14, 2007

We Have a Diagnosis -- Finally!!

I just wanted you all to know that I got up and made a good breakfast for the kids again this morning. That's two days in a row! And I didn't say anything snarky before T-Money left.

My dermatologist called me yesterday to tell me that these annoying and rapidly spreading blisters are a type of vasculitis. I may have done medical transcribing for a while, but beyond being able to spell it I didn't know what it was. So I looked it up. I wouldn't suggest that for anyone who is less than an optimist.

This is the overview given by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute:

Vasculitis is an inflammation of the blood vessels in the body. In vasculitis, the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own blood vessels, causing them to become inflamed. Inflammation can damage the blood vessels and lead to a number of serious complications.

The list of what organs and vessels vasculitis can attack is rather lengthy and some of it can lead to horrible things, even death. Mine, thankfully, is not quite so serious.

It is a consequence of six months of chemotherapy and a result of my immune system attacking the skin around the incision from my surgery in December. Even though my white blood counts had been good for a year or so before the surgery.

It's treated with high-dose steroids so last night I took 40 mg of prednisone and will slowly taper off over the next nine days. You know that 2.8 (or excuse me, Dorky Dad, 3) pounds I lost yesterday? I'll probably see it again next week and even more the week after. But that's okay. I'd rather be fat, happy and blister free. And I'm just glad to know what the mystery blisters are.

Labels: kids, medical

Mused by Jenster :: 12:28 PM :: 16 People musing:

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