Relief!

That's all I can say as I got the call from the nurse the other day on my lab results. Everything is going back to "normal." I'm back on the meds and they are working as usual. Awesome news to start out the new year! Speaking of the new year--I just looked back at my old posts a year ago from now. Wow--what a difference makes is so many ways....

Nolan will be 2 in a little over a month and as I write this I still don't believe it. I'm excited, sad, and scared all at once. Excited to see more of his personality come out and experience more things with him, sad to see him get out of diapers and lose the last of his "babyness" and scared well--because of the terrible twos:) He is talking like crazy. Some of it I understand and some I just pretend to understand. He just learned my name this weekend and has been calling me "Anne" all week. It was funny at first and now I'm just annoyed! I just ignore him when he calls me Anne now and wait until he finally calls me mommy. He also has started potty training. He goes about 3-4 times a day on the potty but is still in diapers full time of course. He loves trains, Elmo and vacuums! Literally--he's obsessive compulsive over vacuum's. I can't wait until he's older so he can vacuum the house. I'm sure by then he will hate vacuums!

We will be taking our first trip as a family in February. All 4 of us are heading to Orlando, FL! We are super excited.and a little nervous to be flying with two kids for the first time, but I know everything will be fine. Just need patience is all:)

I hope everyone has a wonderful blessed 2010!

Photo Shoot

A few months ago I realized I really needed a "pick me up". After a year now of struggling with growing my hair back, losing the prednisone weight, and dealing with the other side effects of the multiple medications I was on, I was due for a "feel good day." Luckily, our 3rd Anniversary was soon approaching so what better gift than a gift to myself AND my husband all in one??!!! So, I spent the afternoon with some wonderful women who did my hair, makeup, and outfits and then put me in the front of the camera for some fun photo shots. Though some of the pictures are "private" and some might wonder why I would post pictures like this to the world, I am proud of them. I am. I have been to Hell and back and am alive to tell about it. I have lost a lot of my hair and grew it back. I had gained 20+lbs and lost it all, I had been put on 20+pills a day and am down to 7.I went from being told I could never run again to training for a half marathon. I can finally once again look into the mirror and say that I-am-beautiful, and that is worth it right there. So.....here are a few of my favorite!!!!

Update

The test results showed that my kidneys are again starting to fail. We are assuming it is from getting off the medication and once I get back on it, within a few weeks the tests should be 'normal' again. Right now it's showing the results that I had when I was at my worst, just a little over a year ago, so hoping the medication can kick in quick! I'm really upset about it, basically because i want to be on the less medication possible, and I've been so healthy lately i just don't want this starting into something worse. I also am starting to train for a 1/2 marathon and really don't want something like this to get in my way again! Praying this too will just be another hill we have to get over:) If I don't post before Christmas, my family and I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! PS: Look how big Nolan is getting.....he will be 2 in February already. Oh how time flies......

Happy Thanksgiving!

I am hosting my first Thanksgiving this year and had a few minutes to sit down and relax and figured it's a good time to update my blog!

We said goodbye to my Grandma last week, which was incredibly hard. She had been struggling for a long time, but it's still hard to see her gone. It seems like a part of my childhood is gone. She was a wonderful Grandmother and I am at peace knowing she is watching over us and is in no more pain. We will miss her so much!

I am down to two medications, which is so awesome! They dropped the first medication almost a month ago and then just tested me this week to make sure my body is handling the loss of the drug ok and that my kidneys are still doing good. Unfortunately it showed I was getting protein and blood in my urine again so they are waiting one more week and testing me again. If I still have it in there, I will have to go back on the medications. By having protein in my urine again, it's showing that my kidneys are back to not functioning like they are supposed to. Praying that the next test will show I do NOT need that drug and can remain free from it.

Finally, with Thanksgiving tomorrow, I have a few things that I am especially thankful for this year:

1. My family. Healthy & Happy!
2. My Grandma being at peace with her Heavenly Father
3. A Job! With the economy these days, it's good to know I still have a job!
4. God.
5. My family and friends!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

November already?!

Wow has it been awhile or what?! No news is always good news though! Everything here is going G-R-E-A-T! Recently, they took me off another medication, so I am down to only two different medications a day which is awesome!!! I get tested in a few weeks to see how my body is reacting to the loss of the last medication we dropped. So far I feel the same and have not had any swelling or flare ups that I can tell, so I think it's working!

Ive had to go in to get some injections into some of my joints a few weeks ago, but other than that, I have remained healthy (knock on wood) during this crazy time of H1N1 scares, and all and all feel great!

Nolan is now 21 months! I'm sad to think that in just a few more months he will be 2 and I won't be saying he's "month" old anymore, it will be years. He's at such a fun age though and learning new words everyday. Some not the best words...like his new word last week which starts with a "sh" and ends with a "t!" OPPS! We have introduced him to the potty chair, but he doesn't seem to really care about it. He went one time on it and that's it! I guess when he's ready, he's ready!

Until next time!

Back to my "old self"

Well kind of anyways! My nurse called me the other day to tell me that my labs showed no signs of lupus right now! What awesome news! Basically that means my body is in complete remission (back to where it was BEFORE my flare up, before I had Nolan). If a doctor were to test me for Lupus today, it would show no signs in my lab work. Crazy hu?! Who knows what would happen if I came off my medication...but for now, it's showing nothing while on medication, so that's great!

The Lupus Walk for Hope was last weekend and what a GREAT turnout! I had about 30 people alone just on my team-Thanks to everyone who came out! We dont have final numbers in yet, but I'm thinkings it is going to be over $25,000 raised! The ambassador role was very exciting, but of course...I started crying during my speech! Someday I will be able to talk about my experience with Lupus without crying. I'm hopeful anyways!!!

The new house is starting to feel like "home". Boxes are unpacked, rooms are decorated, neighbors have been introduced. We are really enjoying the town and neighborhood and excited to raise the family here! I feel 10 times safer here, which is worth it in itself!!! We are also starting to look into a new church here. Our church now is in St.Cloud, and we just are having a hard time making it on Sundays considering it is a 1/2 hour drive one way. A closer church would be much easier!! We are going to try out a Lutheran Church on Sunday. Excited for that!

Can't believe Fall is just around the corner. SOOO excited to have a normal fall this year and for family pictures in October! Last year at this time, my face was HUGE so there was no way I was taking family pictures and I also held myself back in a lot of the fun fall activities. Very excited!

I probably won't update for another few weeks unless something VERY interesting in my life pops up:) No updates usually mean healthy Anne:)

No Thyroid Problem!

Tests came out good. I have a very normal thyroid! YEAH!~ I guess my metabolism just got better with age. Is that possible?!