Gosh UB, 6 weeks in the hospital, that must have been rough but I'm glad you made it through. You were in a really bad way, physically and mentally. This stuff can really take a toll, that is for sure. Given your situation and how much you have to do to maintain a remission of sorts, not working is a good idea. You deserve a good quality life and working would just be too much. I'm glad you are able to do the things you enjoy, you've been through more crap than one person should have to endure. You have certainly earned the " U B Tough" name.
I've been alright, the usual, was on weekly Humira, failed that, now I'm on Entyvio. It was hell to quit Humira, because of my other stuff, psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, thyroid eye disease and uveitis. Yep, all those went haywire after my GI doc booted me from Humira. So now I also take methotrexate, which I hate, that stuff fatigues the bejeezus out of me. Oh and the stupid mesalamine enemas, hate those things too. My health care situation was a stress point because I changed careers. I worked in electronics for a long time with the thought of going back to school to get a teaching degree. Well, I was forced to do that when the company I worked for got bought out by a bigger company and promptly laid off the department I worked for. Panic, panic, over my healthcare, my husband's work healthcare was ridiculously high priced and the Affordable Care plans were outrageously higher in price. Well, I got a reprieve when my company called me back to help decommission all the equipment in our fab, so I made the leap and got in a teaching program. It was crazy but I made it through and got licensed. I now teach middle school math, it's been pretty good. I'm lucky that I never flare, where I'm running to the bathroom 20 times a day, my issue is around 14 centimeters of imflamation at the end of rectum that is stubborn to any medication. It's doing OK now.
Sorry about
the Stelara side effects. At my prior insurance, that GI doc wanted to eventually get me on Xeljanz but GI doc I have now says he would put me on Stelara, given my other autoimmunes. I've gotten sick more off the Entyvio than the Humira, had pneumonia last spring, that was awful, spent half my spring break in the hospital...and as you know, hospitals are not exactly the fun zone. I dunno, I guess at this point, whatever, fine, give me the Stelara. I'm OK with being on a biologic long term but would like to ditch the methotrexate.
The one thing I did, which saved my sanity was see a therapist, still see him once a month. I had through the roof anxiety from worrying about
health insurance and all my medical crap. My primary care doc wanted me to be on Wellbutrin but I couldn't bear adding another frick'n pill so I agreed to see a therapist. I take Cannibus oil too, not sure if that's helping or the therapy but it's been way better since I started both.
Well, sure was good hearing from you, glad you are doing OK. Yes, caramel corn is the bomb! I miss popcorn. I won't even go to the movies because it ain't the same without a big tub of popcorn with all that fake butter stuff all over it to munch on during the show.
