We’ve decided to stay in our house! I’m so happy we’ve made a decision. Won’t it be lovely to have photos back on our walls? We could decide to sell later, if David doesn’t go into remission or if the market picks up, but for now, we’re staying right where we are. Does anyone need moving boxes? I’ve been collecting large boxes for months now, and you’re welcome to them.

David saw his rheumatologist today for a regular checkup. The doctor and his staff were great, as always, and they took the extra time to discuss things with us and not make us feel like a statistic. Although David is going to my parents on Thursday for his injection, the nurse told David she really wants him to give himself an injection once in awhile. She said the weather in our area is so unpredictable (And boy do we know all about that!) that he needs to be able to give himself the Humira in case we’re stuck at home. He really doesn’t need to miss a dose. David seemed to agree.

We discussed David’s exercise regimen with the rheumatologist. David swam twice a week all summer at my parents’ house, and now he swims twice a week at the gym. It takes him a few days to recover from swimming laps, even though swimming is the gentlest exercise David could do. (Well, maybe yoga, but David is a big manly man, and he won’t do yoga!) The doctor wants David to try swimming more often, but for shorter amounts of time. We’ll see if this is even feasible with our schedule. All of David’s doctors want him to exercise, but it’s just so painful. Maybe when the Humira kicks in…

The very encouraging news from the rheumatologist was that even though David isn’t feeling the effects of the Humira yet, the rheumy thinks that he will respond to it, based on the fact that everything except David’s back feels better when he takes Plaquenil. Since David’s Psoriatic Arthritis is responding to Plaquenil, the Humira should work on his back. This gives us such hope!

Thank you all for your prayers!

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• The New Rheumatologist
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Our house is off the market! David and I wish it would have sold, but we’re just so thankful not to have to keep the house staged all the times. Our realtor asked if we wanted to keep it on the market for another month since the first time homebuyers’ tax incentive expires in December. We said no. It’s been on the market since March. It’s been a long six months keeping the house super clean all the time.

A little side note: I bought a bunch of pumpkins and have them decorating our kitchen and dining room. They look so cute against the black and white in the kitchen and the blue in the dining room. Now I’m thinking those cute pumpkins could have sold the house! I’ll take pictures in the daylight and post them.

We’re not really sure what we should do now. We need a one story house so David doesn’t have to climb the stairs. But now that he’s started taking Humira, maybe in a few months he’ll be in remission. Or, in a few months we’ll have a cold snap and David’s Psoriatic Arthritis will flare and he’ll be bedridden and I’ll be calling the realtor saying, “Get me out of this house!” We could rent the house out. We’ll see. For now we’re just enjoying our house again.

The Humira hasn’t started working yet. It could take up to six months, but I’m hoping and praying for David’s arthritis to be in remission by Thanksgiving. David just got a gym membership so he can continue swimming this winter in an indoor, heated pool. Soaking in the gym’s hot tub is also very nice!

Thank you all for reading and praying for us!

Love,
A Young Wife

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It looks like we won’t be selling our house. There have only been seven showings since March. We’ve spoken with our realtor, and we’re not willing to do any more price reductions. Our contract with the realtor ends in September, and if it hasn’t sold by then, we’ll just wait until the market is better. We might rent the house out, and rent a one story for us to live in. Truthfully, we have no idea what we’re going to do.

This winter will probably be very difficult physically and emotionally. I love Texas. It is the greatest country on earth. And now, with David’s arthritis, I am sooo thankful we were born and continue to live here. Imagine how much worse it would be if we lived in Canada.

Also, we’re considering going to just one car. I drive my Explorer less than once a week. David’s currently carpooling, but even if that stopped, I could drop him off at his office on my way to work and pick him up on my way home. On the days I don’t work he could take the car since I’m usually cleaning house on my days off anyway. Or again I could take him and pick him up. We could totally make it work, even if we moved closer to our family like we want to. However, since we have no idea what’s going to happen in the next few months, we’re hesistant to make any major decisions. So, we’ll wait and see what happens with the house and the car and the Humira…

I’m sick of waiting. I’m sick of staging my house. I’m sick of David being sick.

So, I guess I’d better do a Three Minute Thank You and count my blessings. God is still good, even when life is hard.

Thank you God for:

Our new church location and for the people who helped us move
Friends who let me borrow their books
My parents pool and their generosity in sharing it with others
My in-laws and their servants’ hearts
Good preaching
Letting me be born in Texas
A new bed
A new bedspread and pillows
A job that I can leave at the office
Giving David a job he loves

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