I am so upset, although some good this week! I love my FH so much! (Sorry Long!)

Here is some new drama in my life. On top of running around to plan my wedding, I was suffering every single week since the week before FH proposed. All of the sudden on Thursday, as we were booking a DJ (which is now done!), I started getting my weekly 'pinkeye' with horrible light sensitivity and shooting pain...i thought I was going to puke. Now, I went to two eye docs and was told by the first that it was allergies, and when it got worse, one said viral conjunctivitis, which is super contagious (getting me a week off from work to do wedding stuff from home), but FH, whom I share pillows and towels with never got it. Fast forward to last Friday...with this blinding pain, I see my rheumatologist (I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis as a teenager), who took one look and said that he thought this could be related to that, and called for me to see a specialist in autoimmune diseases of the eye for Monday (the pain was so bad that FH almost took me to the ER). Well, apparently, I am one of the lucky 10 or so percent of rheumatoid patients whose immune systems start attacking their inner eye. So, I have been forced to put steroids in my eyes every hour plus I have to dilate them 3 times a day (fun for driving, reading, and working). I go back to the specialist tomorrow, and it is possible that I will need oral steroids...all 3 months before my wedding! This thing is called uveitis, and my doctor said that it could take a month to get it back under control. It also will reoccur likely at some point (hopefully it will wait until after the wedding). I am so upset...besides the vanity issues (no e-pics since I cannot wear my contacts and I am near blind, no makeup trial, since I can't see or have irritants in my eye (my immune system will just start attacking it again), chipmunk cheeks from prednisone-although i heard that it shouldn't be as bad since I work out 5 times a week). The timing could not be any worse...and to make matters ever more complicated, my insurance is trying to deny me my medication for my RA, since it is expensive. With all the wedding stress, my RA is not in control (hence the eye), and I am freaking out because of all of the side effects (some hair loss-not noticeable thank God, extreme exhaustion), swelling, and stiffness, I am in tons of pain and scared that this will happen on our wedding day!!! Thankfully, I have two amazing specialists in autoimmune diseases who will try to get me stable again.

Also, thank God for my amazing FH who ran with me to both doctors, helped me walk when I couldn't see, and ran like a psycho to get me my meds. My angel also called my insurance company and reamed them out and now it looks like I will have my medicine (which is an injection that he gives me weekly) in time for my next dose. He also cleaned our entire house for me, took me to work, cooked for me, and he helps me get ready for work in the morning, as I am having trouble.
My amazing FH also took me to Serendipity before the eye doc and to Mama Lombardi's for dinner (although I can't eat much because the steroids and blurriness are making me very nauseous). I love him sooo much!

Here is the good news though: we booked every vendor and my hair/makeup. We booked Sensational Sounds for a DJ and Jeffrey Photography for our photographer. My mom and I are going for fittings on August 30th, and BM dresses are coming in Sept! Also, we are halfway done with stuffing invitations!

Oh, and we got our guestbook and pen (ivory with a crystal butterfly...love it! FH got it for me when we were in the city Monday for the doctor...will post pics when I feel better)

Please cross your fingers for good news for me...I am really scared! Hopefully we can get my RA under control for the next 3 months!

Wow!!! Sounds like a nightmare!! It is wonderful that your doctors are two of the best and that they are being proactive in getting you stable and hopefully cured!! And your FH sounds like a superstar!! What a catch!! He has shown his true colors and it is obvious that he adores you! Try to get as much rest as you can and don't push yourself. Your immune system needs all of the help it can get right now!! It will all be alright! I know it!

you are very lucky to have such a wonderful guy!!!! good luck and i hope you feel better

so sorry you are feeling so bad- it seems like the docs are helping you and i hope they can get you some relief SOOOOOON!!!! and what an awesome man you are going to marry- sounds like a real doll!!!! best of luck to you on feeling better really soon!!!!!!!

oh how terrible for you!! I hope things get better and you seem to have a wonderful guy!!

Oh my goodness!

It sounds like your doctors are on top of it, but I just want to make you aware of the ordeal that my MOH went thru when we were in High School and College until she was finally properly diagnosed.

She would get these awful eye infections, swollen and red, and they could not figure out what it was. Her doctors put her on steroids to treat them and it didnt work. She also had crazy migranes, just to add to her suffering.

For years she suffered with both and then finally one doctor suspected a GI problem and ran some tests and diagnosed her with Crohn's Disease and said that her eye issues were actually due to ulcers in her cornea (cuts in her eye!) caused by the Crohns.

You may want to check it out and make sure that these things are not GI related or something else that is also not related to the RA.

Don't want to scare you or anything, but sometimes doctors dont recognize all of the symptoms of diseases that have nothing to do with the condition you come to them about.

Hope you feel better soon!

i will pray for you sweetie!!!!!

I am so sorry that you are going through all of this!! The good thing is that you have such a wonderful & caring FH.

I am so sorry to hear about this. Although my eye issues were to the extent of yours, I know how much of a pain it can be (I was at the eye doctor EVERY week for months).

Luckily you have a wonderful FH! Take it easy and get better!

Good luck with everything. Try to stay calm so that you don't get more sick.
It sounds like you have a great man who will stick by your side during anything...congrats on that!

thank you everyone for making me feel a little better...the Dr. said that the inflammation in my eye is starting to go down, so no oral steroids! Also, I finally got my injection approved, so hopefully this wont happen again! However, I have to dilate my eyes every day for the next 2 weeks

But I am happy that I am making progress!

so glad to hear you are getting better!!!! sending you lots of

You poor dear! I'm so sorry you are not feeling well and dealing with all this pain

Your FH sounds like a one in a million! I hope you are feeling better today and I will keep my fingers and toes crossed for a speedy recovery