Gone, but not forgotten



Forgotten Pumps of the Past
Classical Gas Museum, NM



School started a week ago for both me and my son - so, time has not been a commodity.  I just shot some pics of my knees and elbows this morning and after I study today, I will try and sit down this evening and write a blog post (unless I am still studying).

Thanks everyone for following.  Hello to all the followers from InvestorVillage.com - hope you are getting the info you need from my journey.  Just remember, I am only one person and how my body responds is different than any other person's experience with the trial.  As a reference point, to keep my psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis at bay, I have taken as much as 900-1000mg of Remicade in conjunction with Methotrexate.  That is a HUGE amount of Remicade - triple, in fact, of most people's dosages.  So, given that, I am already not your "normal" subject.

Ok, off to study ... more to come.  Promise I won't forget.

"Sunshine On My Shoulders Makes Me Happy ...

Day 96

... Sunshine on my Psoriasis makes me clear" ... c'mon sing along :-) ... ok, ok ... I promise not to launch into "Rocky Mountain High" next.



Juneau hiking in Santa Fe, NM

 So, last week I enjoyed a holiday in the beautiful hamlet of Santa Fe, NM ... a mile closer to the sun, clean air, cool temps - the perfect combination for this Psoriatic to be out in a tank top everyday soaking up all that natural Vitamin D.   Our White Shepherd, Juneau, was with us on the trip and as doggie good luck would have it, the very best dog park in Santa Fe (and the best one I've ever seen), Frank Ortiz Park, was right around the corner from where we were staying. 

Juneau and I would begin our days with an hour's hike through the canyons, wandering trails, up and down hills, across an arroyo, meeting other leash-free beasties and their humans along the way.  Sometimes the humans would stop and talk as our beasties frolicked and jumped and chased one another.  All the while, I could feel the sun's rays soaking into my skin ... and into my Psoriasis.  Our days were spent outdoors and the suitcase filled with clothes went largely untouched, with the exception of my tank tops.  Early every evening, Juneau and I would enjoy another hike and I'd feel that glowing burn of the late afternoon sun - a feeling I know well from growing up near the beach, that late afternoon sting on already sunburned cheeks.

Everyday I'd look in the mirror, getting prouder and prouder of my browning shoulders and slathering my Psoriasis with the study-approved topical, to help speed up/intensify the sun's handiwork.  Do I think about wrinkles?  No.  I think about breaking up these damn plaques and getting them to disappear!

The plaques on the backs of my upper arms absorbed the most direct light and are marginally better.  On my forearms a slight breaking up of the plaques and less scale.  I needed another few weeks in the sun.  Unfortunately, I am home now and the daily temps have been running between 104-106 degrees daily.  Not exactly the weather to be hiking around in or laying out and soaking up rays.



Day 90 - Left and Right Forearms

 So, more than anything I can enjoy my nice brown shoulders and arms and marginally improved Psoriasis plaques. 

Inventory time:

Joints
- For the most part pretty good.  No issues when I was hiking (yay)!!  Neck and fingers on right hand a little painful.

Skin
- See above.  Patches exposed to a lot of sunlight marginally better

GI
- A bunch of great day - until today :-(.   I really thought I was passed some of the stomach distress.
- Taking Zegerid most nights again

So, as we approach 100 days, my joints feel pretty good.  My skin, looks not so good.  And I really need to spend a month at the Dead Sea ...or on St. Barth's ... because sunshine clearing my Psoriasis make me very, very, very happy!