April 22. I stood for n hours watching the Good Friday procession. Around 40-something saints and holy stations of the Cross paraded past. When we got home, I started to feel some chills.
April 23. Black Saturday. I already have fever, as high as 38.6 degrees Celsius. My lower back had pain and both my thighs were having rheumatism-like pain. Plus I had some cough. Took the usual meds, but decided to increase prednisone dosage. I took one more 5mg tablet in the evenings
April 24. Easter Sunday. Felt better but still had some pain in my legs and some in my back. Continued to take additional 5mg prednisone tablet at night.
April 25. Took a leave to have some tests taken at Medical City: CBC, Platelet count, ESR, Fecal Analysis with Fat Globules. Haggled myself a last-minute schedule with my doctor, Dr.Penserga on Wednesday. Her appointment list was full but I begged to be on it, I didn't think I'd last that long. Scheduled myself for Hepatobilliary Tree as well for the next day. The latter required fasting so I didn't eat starting 10pm.
April 26. Had my ultrasound done by 11:00 and had the results out by 1pm. All normal. Went to the office to work but I really didn't feel like 100%. I really had to see my doctor.
April 27. Asked my co-manager to cover for me in my afternoon meeting so I can take off for my doctor's appointment. Made it to San Juan De Dios Hospital in time. Key findings: ESR is abnormal, high. When I mentioned my lower back pain and the thighs, my doctor went on about risk of myelitis, and about my spine getting inflamed. Scared the s**t out of me. She ordered for a EMG - NCV test. We tried to get me admitted to The Medical City but the schedule was full. All I knew was that I needed to get that test done. My doctor recommended bed rest for the remainder of the week. I didn't argue.
April 28. Called up The Medical City Neurosciences department early to check for available slots within the day. Their earliest was May 5. I called up the San Juan De Dios Hospital Neuro department instead. Scored a 2:30pm schedule for the day. NCV meant Nerve Conduction Velocity test, where they had some current run through me at certain parts of my legs. EMG meant electromyography, where the doctor inserted a needle in some of my leg muscles and asked me to flex and contract. They were measuring my nerves and muscles now. I didn't think lupus would reach this point. Result came on a few hours later. "Motor-sensory mononeuropathy...multiplex of combined axonal-segmental demyelinating type...concommittal myopathy characteristic of SLE patients". Huh. Scheduled my doctor's appointment the very next day.
April 29. Doctor says my muscles have inflammation. We are now in a major active state of SLE now. She doesn't want to be too cautious now that the nerves and the muscles are impacted. She increased by prednisone dosage to 30mg/day and gave me a new friend, Methothrexate, which I need to take in 3/day every Friday for two weeks. As for the Myletis, the doctor says it can only be tested via spinal tap which I don't want. Her main advice is for me to be more aware about my body's condition.
Now I'm in bed, supposedly resting, deciding if I should go test myself by going to work tomorrow. Hmmmmm.
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