Also, during his physical, he did not have to give a urine sample or blood or even so much as lift up his shirt. The nurse took his temperature, blood pressure and weight. The “doctor” looked in his ears and nose. She then had David fill out the form to get his records from his old doctor. Then she looked at David’s lengthy list of medications and offered to refill whatever he wanted.

Yeah, that’s really not a good sign. I guess that’s how people are able to abuse prescription drugs. We’ve just never seen a doctor so negligent. We will definitely keep looking for that one.

David is still loving his job, and I’m still hating New Jersey. I think I didn’t adequately prepare myself. Everyone was so positive about the move. Friends kept saying, “It’s going to be great,” and “You’re going to love it,” and “You’ll get to see so many interesting things.”

That’s not been the case for us so far. David’s arthritis is actually better than it was in Dallas. I’m not sure if it’s the decreased humidity and more stable weather or if the Humira is really kicking in, but he is better overall. Still, he’s working a lot, and evenings and weekends he has to rest and recuperate. Maybe with summer coming he’ll feel really good and we’ll get to go see all the sights, but I’m not counting on it. (I am counting down the days till my brothers visit. And our trip back to Dallas in August. And Christmas.)

I don’t like it here. The people are not nearly so friendly, even in churches. The standards of cleanliness and appearance also seem to be lower, and I’m not just talking about the doctor’s office smelling like cigarettes. I sent a letter to the corporate office of our apartment complex outlining the dirty carpets, dust-caked light fixtures and mud in the washing machine. They sent a response saying they were “sorry the apartment wasn’t up to your standards” and we would get $50 off this month’s rent.

Anyway, I just wasn’t prepared for it to be this bad. David is really happy, so I’m trying to be content and not complain. I mean, praise God, David has a job! We have health insurance and food to eat. I do count my blessings. I also have been singing that song, “When I die, I may not go to heaven. ‘Cause I don’t know if they let cowboys in. If they don’t just let me go to Texas. ‘Cause Texas is as close as I’ve been.” It’s probably blasphemy for a Christian to sing that, but Texas really is as close as I’ve been.

If you follow me on Twitter, you might have seen that I had to call the police on my neighbors. Domestic disturbances seem to follow me here. My neighbors have horrible, obscene, hours long screaming fights every so often during the day. Friday, I head a loud slam in the middle of one of these. I wasn’t sure if someone threw an object into the wall or the other person into the wall, but I called the police. I was fine with giving them my name and address. I was impressed with how quickly they arrived.

I was NOT impressed with them knocking on my door asking which neighbor it was when I’d already explained this to dispatch. I had to practically slam the door in the officer’s face when his partner started knocking on my neighbors’ door and they opened it. I don’t want my neighbors to know it was me who called the cops! Hello? Even the police aren’t as good up here.

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• 1st Week in Jersey
• Searching in Vain for New MDs
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We’re still not sure where we’re going to live in New Jersey. We have found a rental property manager for our house here in Dallas. He was such a nice man. Our house is a disaster right now. It’s covered in boxes and we have stuff spread out all over the floor. He said, “This is a clean house. It will show really well.” Bless his heart. Just pray we find renters immediately!

Plans keep changing. First, David was going to fly up on the 28 and then start working on the 29. I would follow by car with Henry. Now, we’re thinking about driving up together the 27 and 28. Basically, all we know is that David starts to work on the 29.

David keeps telling me I’ll have so much to blog about with the move. I keep thinking, “I don’t have time to blog! I’ve got to find new doctors and a pharmacy! I’ve got to select movers and pack! And once we’re up there, how long will it take for us to get the computers unpacked and internet hooked up?” So we’ll see how much blogging I do over the next few weeks.

Poor David did too much this weekend, packing and getting ready to move. He was in a lot of pain Sunday night. I was almost asleep when I realized David should have taken his Humira shot Friday. Oops. That’s probably why he was hurting.

Here’s what’s on our to do list:

Find a place to live in New Jersey
Select movers
Get haircuts
Get oil changed, tired pressure checked
Move stuff to storage (We’re leaving a lot of things here for the time being.)
Cancel internet service
PACK

Am I forgetting something? We’re going so fast, I’m sure I am. I’m also trying to get into see my TMJD specialist before we leave. They’ve got me on a waiting list, so pray that I can see them. I don’t know if I could make it till Thanksgiving or Christmas!

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1. Why doesn’t David take an entry level job while he looks for a mid-level developer position? Well, most entry level computer jobs require physical work, such as lifting heavy equipment or moving and installing computers. With David’s arthritis, he cannot do that sort of thing. Other jobs you might suggest that he can’t do: waiting tables, being a sales clerk or cashier. He cannot be on his feet that long. So keep praying for David to find a job.

2. You guys want to have a baby!? Um, yeah. Really bad. David’s done a cost/benefit analysis of cloth diapers and everything. Unfortunately, with all the medication David is on, we are currently unable to conceive.

3. Is David going to the rheumatologist for each Humira injection? No. He gave himself the first few, and then my parents had to help him once. Usually David gives it to himself now, but I keep my hand over his so that he doesn’t pull away too soon. The last time David needed an injection, he was having trouble, so after two or three minutes he asked me to push the button. We are really proud of our progression! We no longer yell at each other when it’s injection time.

Any more questions? I really like getting questions, because it gives me blogging material, and it clears up any confusion or misperceptions. I love good communication, so please, ask away.

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David’s arthritis has been pretty bad lately. David had to leave church early two Sundays in a row in January. His back and neck hurt too much for him to sit down that long. Sunday week he had to take a pain pill before church so he’d be able to make it through the services. Yesterday he was bedridden.

This is so frustrating and discouraging, especially since David’s Humira injections have increased to every 10 days instead of every 14. He’s supposed to be going into remission! Why is he flaring now? He’s gone all winter without being bedridden.

David’s job search continues. He’s been approached by a few out of state companies looking to hire a developer with his particular skills. We’ll see what happens.

Thank you all so much for your prayers!

Love,
A Young Wife

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I called the Humira Financial Assistance Program yesterday and they were so helpful. They said that it was no problem. They told me to have the rheumatologist’s office call Humira to give a verbal prescription (I’d never heard of that before.), and then I should call back and schedule a supplemental shipment.

It was so simple. The whole phone call, including pressing 5 for Humira and working my way through the directory took less than two minutes. After all it took to get the Humira, it seemed too easy that they would just say, “No problem.” When I hung up the phone, I bounced around the house saying, “Thank you, Lord! Thank you, Lord!”

The nurse at the rheumatologist’s office has me a little bit worried. She isn’t the nurse I’ve dealt with in the past, and she asked me twice “What pharmacy am I faxing this to?” I’ll find out this afternoon if she understood that the drug manufacturer provides David with his injections and if she gave them the verbal prescription.

I’m not sure how David is going to handle giving himself the shots every 10 days. Things have been much better since that one night where he pulled the injection out too soon. Now he’s able to do it quickly, without it becoming a big deal. I just keep my hand over his so that he doesn’t jerk away. If he makes any worrisome comments before hand I just remind him that he can go to my parents’ house and have them give him the injection. I can’t handle stress!

I’m fairly certain that David will be okay, though. We got off track with his last injection. He has been taking the injections every other Thursday. We forgot about one until Friday night, and we were so tired, we knew it would be too difficult (i.e. we’d end up yelling at each other) to do that night, so Saturday morning as I was dropping him off at a friend’s house, we did the injection in the car. If he is to the point where he can give himself the injections in the car, surely he’ll be okay with the new schedule. Right?

Still no job offers, although David continues to have frequent phone interviews and head hunters and contracting companies call him daily. We’re trying to decide if we should pay for Cobra or get an independent policy with better coverage. They’re the same price, so I imagine that we’ll get an independent policy.

Thank you all so much for your prayers.

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David has had lots of interviews, and one very promising interview yesterday with a company that is located very near my part time job. If he got this particular job, it would mean we could carpool sometimes!

David saw the rheumatologist yesterday. I’ve worked quite a bit more than usual at my part time job lately, because the receptionist has been out sick. So, yesterday was the first time David went to the rheumy without me.

David’s ribs and neck have been bothering him a lot. The doctor said that even though the ribs aren’t joints, it is in fact arthritis in his ribs. The rheumatologist said he is seeing improvement in David’s Psoriatic Arthritis, just as we are, and in fact, he recommended that David contact Humira and ask them if they will approve David for injections every ten days instead of every fourteen. I imagine this won’t be an issue since they simply ship us whatever the doctor prescribes.

And well, apparently many people have David on their minds today. My boss asked me a lot of questions about David’s arthritis, and then called me from his house to ask how to spell “Psoriatic”. Then my doctor’s office, my TMJD specialist, called to say that there would be a special on the Channel 11 News tonight about new breakthroughs in arthritis. They’ve never called to tell me to watch a show on TMJ Disorder.

It is sweet that people are thinking about him. I really appreciate all the care and concern. But I had to call my mommy and ask her if she’d make her special Martha Washington candy that she only makes at Christmas for me for my birthday in January. She said yes. And she asked how I was.

Love,
A Young Wife

P.S. Stay tuned for a special guest post by a personal trainer!

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First of all, we’ve had rain and cold fronts pass through without the drastic flares that leave David bedridden.

Second, two nights in a row this week, David came home from work and didn’t head straight upstairs to soak his back. We actually ate dinner at the table. (The table in the kitchen. Not the table with the Christmas tree.)

Third, the last time David worked out he complained that his KNEES were sore from swimming. Not his back or neck. His knees.

Lastly, several people have told me they can tell a difference. One person said he looks happier. A couple people said he looks like he’s moving around better. One friend even told me his color looks better.

I’d say the Psoriatic Arthritis is very close to being in remission. Thursday night he had another Humira injection. He didn’t have to go to my parents’ house so they could help him. I held my hand over his, and he pushed the button within two minutes. No screaming involved, thank you Jesus.

Thank you all so much for your prayers and encouragement! I’m really hopeful.

Love,
A Young Wife

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*My amazing family. David and I could not have survived this year without you.
*David’s Humira
*Our church. Their prayers and encouragment have been invaluable.
*My husband’s employment. I know there are a lot of folks looking for jobs.
*My country.
*And all the service men and women protecting it.
*Being able to eat at the law firm’s (where I work part time as a secretary) Thanksgiving luncheon without too much trouble or embaressment. I was so afraid my jaw would spasm in front of one of the partners, but my TMJ Disorder is pretty much under control.
*Our chiropractor. He’s half the reason why my TMJD is under control, and he helps David so much.
*Diet Coke
*Online banking and the miracle of the internet.
*David’s new rheumatologist.
*The house being off the market.
*The fact that David and I have yet to get the flu, even though I never got my flu shot, neither of us got the swine flu vaccine, and David is taking immuno-suppressing drugs.
*Netflix
*Our energy efficient appliances that give us such a low electric bill.
*The leaf blower my parents gave David for Christmas last year. I was able to clean up the leaves so much faster this year!
*Two cars that run, even if my Explorer’s check engine light is on and the driver door won’t open.
*And of course, Henry.

Henry at 3 Months

What are you thankful for this year? Happy Thanksgiving!

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Why am I afraid? I’m not superstitious. I’m not going to jinx myself. God is sovereign! DAVID MIGHT BE BETTER!

A few people have asked me if the Humira has started working. They said David seemed to be moving around a little easier. David and I can’t tell a difference, but we’re very excited and hopeful.

The arthritis in David’s fluid joints (hands, knees, elbows, etc.) has been better lately because he’s been taking his Plaquenil. David still has excruciating pain in his neck and back, though.

We’ve also had perfect weather here in Dallas for over a week. Steady, moderate temperatures and no rain. So, maybe that’s why he’s moving around better. But we’re hoping the Humira is starting to work.

My mother helped David with his last injection. The got it done in five minutes vs. an hour when I was helping David. (Thanks again Mom!) That makes four injections.

Please continue to pray that David’s Psoriatic Arthritis goes into remission.

Love,
A Young Wife

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