The biopsy results once again came back great. No signs of rejection and all my medication levels were where they were supposed to be. The blood work for my stomach however came back "inconclusive" but I was feeling better by this time so it was no worry anymore.
The following weekend I began to get a sore throat. I took Tylenol and cepecol drops to try to make it feel better but nothing seemed to help. I went to my general practitioner as soon as it started. The doctor I saw prescribed an antibiotic and did a strep test, which came back negative. After a few days of it continuing to get worse, I went back to my doctor. I explained how everytime I swallowed it felt like I was swallowing razor blades and the pain was shooting up into my ears. He prescribed me a Z-pack and increased my prednisone to 40mg a day. This was the day before I was supposed to go from 5mg to 2.5mg. I called my doctors in Philly to make sure the change was ok. They said it was fine but it would most likely cause my next biopsy to be pushed back because I need to be on the lower dose of prednisone for two weeks before I can have a biopsy. They also said that with me getting sick so frequently, it would probably be best if I didn't return to work yet. They pushed my return to work back to May. They said most transplant patients don't return to work before a year after transplant and that I was being very ambitious with hoping to return by November.
Prednisone: A nasty drug! |
After about a week with the increased medication I finally began to feel better and my next Biopsy is this Wednesday morning (pushed back one week). I have a couple meetings with the social worker and the insurance coordinator to help figure out what will happen once I get layer off from work, whenever that may be. They are trying to be advocates for me in trying to collect as much information as they can for me so things aren't so stressful for me. My doctors want me to avoid high stress situations. Easier said than done when your future is uncertain and people are being less than cooperative with them. But I'm trying to take things one day at a time and not worry about anything other than my health. There is also a Transplant Holiday Party Wednesday night but unfortunately I won't be able to attend. With having to be up so early to get to the hospital I would be completely exhausted and then would have to still drive home after. If someone was coming with me I would feel more comfortable with going. Hopefully next year I can attend.
That's all the news for now. Hopefully my health continues to get better and I don't get sick again. I feel like this will be extremely difficult with it being cold and flu season but hand sanitizer and I have become even closer the past few weeks. I will post the results of my biopsy soon. I would like to say by the end of the week but that's being ambitious lol. Thank you everyone for all of your continued support.
-Bryan
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