Well big shocker. Since last Wednesday I have been camping out here again at the hospital...good news is that its not MS related, nor heart problems. Wahoo. However before we all start rejoicing with the peasants, lets take a step back and talk about how shitty it is that I'm here because its due to the colitis. Which as we all know, is seriously one of my favorite things to talk about. Remind me again, how much I hate my life.

So I'm here. Have been here. Hate being here, however am becoming a regular here. Nurses know me, people go out of their way to visit me. We're regular old friends around here.  Its like cheers except minus the liquor, fun, and Kirstie Alley.

So I'm gonna talk about the colitis for a bit, just because I think the education aspect of it is important. I do apologize that because of my medical disasters this blog has branched out a bit from MS, but hey since my MS is in remission right now, its clearly more fun to talk about as my disease ridden asshole. 

Long story short, the GI and I have decided that I have been in a colitis flare since about June. We thought we put it into remission but we were wrong and since I've been on steroids since June and nothing has changed, it appears as though I have a severe case. I am not lucky enough to have a mild to moderate case, nope, I just jump right in and go for severe. Go big or go home, I guess. Now many of us MSers know the whole problems with being on steroids for long periods of time and I have been on them since June, with increasing and decreasing dosages. I'm officially experiencing ALL of the shitastic side effects. The obvious weight gain, mood change, hair loss, high blood pressure, high glucose, red skin, and the list goes on and on. I'm ready to do something different here....even if that means taking on a scary medication.

Normally when people have Ulcerative Colitis they take a category of drugs called 5-ASAs, which include Asacol, which is the drug that they think gave me the pericarditis. Needlesstosay I cannot take any of the 5-ASAs because we fear a repeat in the heart problem category, which then makes treating my UC a lot more difficult. After the 5-ASAs you move into a hardcore category of drugs which are basically immunosuppressants and many of which are used to treat different kinds of cancers. Even the package that the drug comes in is a little scary. It basically says "CANCER" all over it.

This is where I am now. After not being able to take Asacol, not responding to steroid treatment, and having a "severe" case, my doctor has decided to put me on a drug called 6-MP. This was not a decision taken lightly as, while this is a drug used to treat lukemia...it can also cause cancer. My life just keeps getting better doesn't it. You're jealous, aren't you?

Today in the hospital is officially day one on 6-MP. If you want some more info on 6-mp check out this link. I would be lying if I said that I wasn't a little nervous about starting this drug, however not as nervous as I probably should be. That trial drug I was on, was an immunomodulator so that whole thing didn't scare me that much. But the simple fact that this drug, treats cancer patients is enough to show me that I'm not effing around anymore. This isn't just some simple thing that I'm going to take a normal pill for. I'm going to require a lot of testing and observation which is annoying but it is better than taking the other options which involve monthly infusions. One of my future options, which is appealing, yet scary is to take Tysabri and knock out the MS and the UC in one swoop. Taking tysabri scares me, so I'm not quite ready to jump on that train just yet. But the idea of treating two diseases on one infusion is incredibly appealing. That whole dying from PML thing...less appealing. So for now we'll stick with the 6-MP and let the MS stay in remission for as long as we can. I'm over 2 years into remission now, so thats encouraging.

Jesus I was a healthy person before 2006. Never was sick, never in the hospital, never had anything wrong with me and it just seems like the last 3 years have been a literal shit storm of medical issues. Did I ever picture being 24 and living the last 3 years as I have? Nope. Never. Its amazing what gets thrown at you. I keep saying that I should just accept it because it can always get worse...and so far I just keep proving myself right. It can and will get worse.

Anyhoo...so here are some pictures of my new medication.