Hard Truths

When I met with my immunologist this past week he had some hard truths for me. I can't say that I was excited to hear them, but as I have reflected on what he had to say I appreciate his honesty and that he is helping me see the big picture.

I had made the comment to him that I was not expecting to be on two treatments a week for this long. I was hoping that I would get up to a therapeutic level and we would be able to back off to one treatment a week. He looked me in the eye and said, "You know that you will be on treatment the rest of your life?" And yes, I did know that, but I think it is probably good to be reminded every once in a while to keep my expectations in line with reality. And then he looked at me and said, "The level of treatment that gets you to a therapeutic level of antibodies is the levels of treatment you will probably have to stay at to maintain that level. No, I did not know that. In fact, it is not what the last immunologist who treated me had indicated. He had always held out that perhaps I could back off treatment once my antibodies were at the right levels. I felt like I had been kicked in the stomache, but yet it was really important for me to know that.

But there  is the possibility at some point that treatment could change, or they will come up with something better. But I will have to come to terms that at least for the rest of this calendar year, treatment can only increase, not decrease. Next week, as the treatments increase it should get my antibodies up to where they need to be. I am praying for big numbers in 5 weeks when they do another blood test.

I am glad for doctors who will speak truth into my life, even if I tear up or don't like what I am hearing. I truly believe that God has put my doctors into place. This is a great team and I do appreciate them.

And that is good to remember, even when they share those hard truths.

Just Conne