Humira

So I've been dealing with Psoriasis since I was 11. It sucks. A lot. It is an incurable, non-contagious Autoimmune disorder and the symptoms are widespread inflammation of internal organs, skin, and sometimes joints (Psoriatic Arthritis). Someone without Psoriasis sheds their skin cells about every 28 days, an individual with the disease sheds every 3-4 days which is why you will see us with scaly patches on our arms or other areas of our body. For some people, they only experience small patches that flare up every once in a while. For some, like me, they are ultimately going through a constant flare up. I have been on several kinds of yucky medications, I have been without medication and been in a constant state of flare up, I've also been on nasty medications that made me sick and didn't work.

Two weeks ago I finally was able to start Humira. If you've seen commercials on TV for it, you know that it is being marketed for Psoriasis, Psoriatic Arthritis, Crohn's, and Rheumatoid Arthritis. I am fortunate to be able to try it. My Kaiser Permanente health plan only covers 50% of it which means it still costs $1600/month. Because Andrew is active duty I also am covered under Tricare military insurance which brings my grand total to $13 every two months.

Humira (adalimumab) is what's known as a TNF (Tumor Necrosis Factor) blocker. TNF is ONE cause of inflammation in Psoriasis patients and because our immune system is in overdrive we are producing more than we need. The Humira attaches itself to TNF and helps to reduce the inflammation and pain associated with it. However, this is detrimental to our immune system and can lead to an increased risk of infections and serious illness. Unfortunately, you have to decide whether or not the risks outweigh the benefits.

So, to start, they send you a Psoriasis Starter Pack. This includes 4 self injector pens. The schedule works like this: Day 1: Administer two 40mL pens, Day 8: Administer one pen, Day 22: One pen, and then one pen every two weeks after that.

Google image.

Injecting yourself with the pen is simple enough. You remove the caps on both ends of the pen, pinch the skin on your thigh or belly where you intend to inject, press the pen down on your skin and push the button. A spring loaded needle is released into your skin and the serum starts flowing. However, the serum burns terribly while going in and it takes 10 seconds for it to finish. Pressing that button is like ripping off a strip of wax from your own skin. Only, the pain lasts a little longer. Generally they say you'll see results in about 12 weeks.

For me, the results have started immediately. After the first day I started to immediately see a reduction in inflammation. Today, I am 85% clear of scales. There is some redness where the scales used to be but this is an amazing improvement. Hardly any itching, no cracking, no flaking. I'm starting to look like a human being instead of a Psoriasaurus. Will keep updating on the progress. Hopefully the positive results continue with very few negative side effects.

Anyhow, that was my informative post for the year! Carry on!

My Favorite Spot

All my life I've been drawn to water. I love to swim, I love to watch waves lap against the shore, I love the way light moves across the water. It was not too hard of a decision to move back up to Hagg Lake for the duration of Andrew's deployment. Sure, it's pretty out of the way and it takes so long to get anywhere. Sure, I don't get cell service at my house and the internet is sub-par at best. I wouldn't trade the convenience of living back in town to the feeling I get when I drive across the dam at dusk and the sun is setting and casting the most amazing colors across the water and perfectly reflecting them back to the sky like a flawless, otherworldly mirror. I wouldn't trade convenience for the hard emotional days when I just pull up to my favorite spot and sit on the edge of a cliff dangling my bare feet and letting the sound of those waves wash the stress away. This place is so special to me. I have lived here during a few phases of my life and it's just home. I actually wish I could just pitch a tent and live like a wildling, just to be closer to that sound. 

Medford: Deployment Ceremony

So this post is a bit overdue, but on Wednesday the 16th I got up early in the morning and myself and another military wife made the 5 hour drive down to Medford to attend the Oregon Army National Guard deployment ceremony that was happening for the 186th Infantry. For anyone who doesn't know, my husband is a Staff Sergeant and has been in the military the entire time that we have been a couple. This is his second combat deployment; his first was to Iraq in 2009-2010.
I got there a couple days before the ceremony so that we had time together. Conveniently enough, the hotel shared a parking lot with the armory and Andy was able to just walk back and forth between reporting and being released. 
Medford was unbelievably hot, breaching 100 degrees, and I think I had the AC in the hotel room at 68. Unfortunately, the ceremony was in a Gymasium in Ashland and there were no fans or AC and I'm fairly certain all of Oregon was crammed into those bleachers. I was smooshed shoulder to shoulder with a high profile politician and my M-I-L. 
The ceremony itself was ... disappointing to say the least. These types of things are never fun to be at but this event in particular was sort of botched. The speeches were very cookie cutter and those who got up behind the microphone could hardly peel their eyes from their scripts. To make things worse, our own state rep made the grave error of referring to the 186th as a cavalry division. There were a lot of perturbed faces under those camo caps. 
All the other speeches were redundant. "We'll take care of your family while you're gone." - "You are so brave." - "We WILL make sure your family is taken care of." Words like this are sort of a slap in the face to the soldiers and to those of us left behind. Once our men (and women) leave, we are pretty much on our own. Luckily, the ceremony only lasted about an hour and I watched as what could have become the worst Zombie Apocalypse situation formed around the only exit. It probably took us another 20 minutes to get out into the fresh air. We hung around for a little bit so I could take some pictures and then we all bounced to go get some Kaleidoscope Pizza (DELICIOUS). 
The following day we said goodbye between lots of tears and clutching. My friend and I climbed into the car in silence and drove away from our other halves. Fortunately, the scenery from Medford to Portland is unreal and I used it as an excuse to stare out the window in teary-eyed silence. One more leave before Afghanistan, this time in Texas. 
Have some photos:

Andy and Dad

Andy and Mom

Ishack and Jessica

Stosh, Johnny, Andy, Ishack

Stosh, Johnny, Andy, Ishack

Johnny and Allie

Photographed by Johnny. Thanks, Johnny! <3