Today is Day 2 of the SITS Girls Back to Blogging event. Thank you to the event sponsors Standards of Excellence, Westar Kitchen and Bath and Florida Builder Appliances. Today’s assignment is to re-upload a post you wish more people had read and explain why it was important to you.

I originally published this on October 23, 2009, and called it, “I Didn’t Kill My Husband”.

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I didn’t kill my husband. Let me just get that out there. David is alive. And so am I. For that we are truly thankful.

I was only sick for two days. David will finish his antibiotics, but the rheumy’s office said that if he felt okay, he could take his regularly scheduled Humira.

Things got pretty ugly last night. David gave himself his third Humira injection. You may recall the first injection occurred at the rheumatologist’s office. The nurse helped David give it to himself. The second one was two weeks ago at home, and it took him about an hour to do it. We were screaming at each other.

Last night was no different. Well, it only took forty-five minutes this time. David is really disturbed by self inflicted pain. He thinks it’s unnatural to give yourself a shot. In my mind, we inflict pain on ourselves all the time for the greater good. I mean, I don’t like the chiropractor snapping my neck, but I feel great for days afterwards. And David’s in so much pain with his arthritis, what’s the big deal with a little shot?

David had an awful experience as a child. He was sitting on the table in the exam room. His mother was with him. The nurse comes in, grabs the syringe and jabs it into David. Overhand. Hard. I think that’s probably the reason why he doesn’t like shots. I try to remember that when he’s freaking out, but I just don’t get it. Needles just aren’t a big deal to me. I’m having a hard time feeling sympathetic.

I’ve offered to give him the shot. He’s refused. I will say this. It’s not a normal syringe.

You put the injection against your skin

and then push a button which shoots the needle into your body. You hold it still for a few seconds while the medication is being injected. And the Humira burns really bad going in.

Last night, when David finally gave himself the shot, he pulled the injection away too soon. Half of the Humira sprayed all over David and his office. The medicine worth more than gold. I so angry! The cost of one injection is $750.

So the plan is that every other Thursday when David needs a shot, we’ll go to my parents’ house, and one of them will give David the injection. And so my parents prevented me from receiving lethal injection.

My mother gave herself shots when she had gestational diabetes with Brother #3. My father is a paramedic who can start an IV on a screaming infant in the back of an ambulance doing sixty miles an hour. If David can’t trust them, well, I guess he’ll just have to go to the doctor’s office every two weeks.

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This is one of those posts that tells you how bad it can get with chronic illness. I’d love to be the perfect caregiver, and never get frustrated, but that’s not how it is. Thankfully, David and I are able to do the shots ourselves now in about two minutes. It would be really hard for my parents to help him now that we’ve moved to New Jersey! At the time, this was incredibly stressful for us. I’m really glad we’re past this.

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Recently, I’ve been asked a few questions that I thought perhaps I should answer here just in case any readers were wondering the same things.

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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Here’s a quick update on our status.

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 has had a lot of pain in his ribs and neck lately. The doctor said that even though the ribs aren’t joints, it is psoriatic 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

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I’m afraid to say this. But I think David might be a little bit better.

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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