Harvest to Heal

This is misery. As is the case with any autoimmune disease. Why do our bodies betray us by attacking perfectly happy, healthy tissue?

Although the initial uveitis symptoms have calmed down, my eye has not been right for over 8 weeks now. Whether it was at 80mg of prednisone a day, or 30mg… it just does not want to heal. My eye is so tender. Burns. Turns red throughout the day. Although I’m tapering off the steroid, I am still in the same boat.

So am I not responding to steroids? I certainly don’t feel like I am. How is it that my ophthalmologist says “no active inflammation” or “it’s looking quiet,” yet my eye still hurts and feels inflamed?

I see my rheumatologist in a couple of weeks and I think humira might be next for me. Although he said he was going to refer me to a uveitis specialist, and that has yet to happen. I’ve called his nurse, no call back. I’ve called the specialist’s office, they won’t schedule me without the referral. Healthcare in Texas is absolutely atrocious… do better.

I have so much fear and anxiety about this, wondering if it is ever going to get better. Is this just my life going forward? Is my eye stuck in this weird limbo? I’ve gotten used to my vision being poor in this eye, which is sad too. At first that was one of the most challenging parts of all of this…now it’s become my new normal.

So that’s it really. Just a quick rant. I expect to have something more positive to put out into the world in the next few days as we approach the new year. Despite my emotions today, I am looking forward to 2024 and healing my body.

^{Photo by Akil Mazumder: https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-holding-a-green-plant-1072824/}