The Never Ending Story

Here’s the rest of David’s story…

…or so it would seem to be never ending. If you haven’t read my previous post read it here before continuing. The reason I was so happy when i was diagnosed is because I thought “Ok, this guy is a renown rheumatologist and medicine will fix this.”

Medicine helps a lot of things, but I didn’t understand arthritis like I understand it today. Arthritis is a tricky thing with many causes, some untreatable and some easily treated. There is a great deal known, but still some unknown. I figured that this was something they knew backwards and forwards.

So I went on the medications, and I was very hopeful and happy believing this would work. We would go for the regular checkups and do exactly what the doctor said. I am not exaggerating when I say this: I had to wait 4 hours every time I went to see him. I got used to being two hours late or so just so I could wait less. I had to see him every eight weeks to make sure my liver wasn’t failing. But weeks turned into months, and a year later I was still hurting, feeling worse than ever and had a lot of medical expenses and time down the drain. My back was getting so bad I had to go into the doctor’s office and get injections in my back so I could tolerate the pain. Sometimes it’s very hard for me to walk, and once it got so bad i was on the couch for three days till I could go to the doctor cause it was the weekend.

We asked the doctor what we should do, and that’s when he said, “Oh everything I’ve been giving you doesn’t help the back only the fluid joints.” Though for six months at the end there and when I first talked with him I told him my back hurts the most and is the biggest problem. He prescribed Humira, and the pharmacy told us that it would cost $15oo a month. After exhausting every resource available at the time we were able to get that down to $1000 a month. Thing is Humira can take about six months to start working. We’d need to find six grand somewhere just to see if it would work, and it’s not possible for us.

We asked the doctor what we should do since we can’t afford the Humira or any drug similar. It seemed like my arthritis would be unending. He said there is nothing that can be done. It’s Humira or nothing. It was then that we decided to find another doctor. When we tried to switch, the new doctor charged more than the insurance would pay. It would cost us about $300 a visit.

Then we decided to try one of our doctor’s colleagues. He listened to us, answered our questions, prescribed drugs to help with my back and neck. He switched me to some drugs that do the same thing as the old ones, but won’t require  blood tests all the time and are safer. The meds have reduced my pain levels by about 25%.

It’s been a long hard road, but God is good, and He is faithful. He  is The Good Shepard, and He has gotten me through the valley of the shadow of death. He has delivered me from evil. I will trust in Him all the days of my life.

Now that I have gotten some relief I have hope that Humira’s financial assistance program will look more closely into the situation and provide me with the means to get it.

My wife has helped me through this time immeasurably. My families aid, support and encouragement have strengthened me. My friends’ help has meant a lot and has been greatly appreciated, My church’s prayers have been blessing. But I could not have made it this far without God; every moment He is with me. Though my body has been weakened, my faith is strengthened and in Him I find rest.

One last post to follow…

Tuesday we see the rheumatologist. I’m asking for a handicap parking permit, and we’ll fax the Humira financial assistance paperwork. I’ll post ASAP to let you know what happens. – A Young Wife

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