Dr. Foster,
My name is Patrice Price. I am a 44 year old hospital administrator/social worker from Evansville, In.
Your web-site has been a miracle to me as I have suffered nearly 3 years with iritis. In spite of being prescribed hourly Prednisone drops, this disease quickly spread frommy left eye tothe right eye. Treatment after treatment failed. They all worked for a little while—just long enough to get my hopes up and then out came the rug. I became depressed and angry because I felt so alone in this battle. I was so angry that an unknown disease can come out of nowhere and take over one’s life—especially my life. All the doctors could tell me was, “Patrice, your disease is idiopathethic.” It wasn’t idiopathethic to me. It was simplyidiotic. Why can’t they fix a little eye disease? I can’t even explain this disease to people. Most people look at me and think nothing’s wrong with me. “You don’t look sick. What is this iritis stuff, people would ask? I never heard of it”. Well, neither had I but let me tell you, it’s not a disease I would wish on anyone. My doctors, and there have been many, were shaking their heads in total disgust. Everything they tried failed. While I became a medical challenge to them, my frustration and anger grew deeper inside of me. I soonbegan therapy and taking an antidepressant.
One night I couldn’t sleep. I got up, and decided to surf on my computer. What else is a girl to do on a Friday night at 2 o’clock in the morning? Sleep had become a thing of the past for me. I was in too much pain to get any sleep. By the grace of God, I ended up in your web-site. Ibegan communicating with a lady from Boston named Liz. She e-mailed me some literature as well as her story. I was amazed by what I was reading.This is exactly what I am going through. Finally, someonewho truly understands!! I read the information she sent with great interest. Immediately, I took it to my doctors. I was so happy to learnthere waslife after kenalog injections.
During this time, I had also developed one respiratory ailment right behind the other one. My medical doctor began running the tests you described and he discovered my inflammation rate was way too high—-49. He immediately started me on methotrexate. Currently, Itake 25 mgs of MTX weekly, plus Voltaren and Pred Forte drops (from which they are having trouble weaning me) 3 times per day in each eye. I am feeling better today than I have since all this began—that isminus the nausea! Now we are finally getting somewhere. Now, we know why my iritis keeps coming back! It is not the primary culprit but is secondary toanidiopathic autoimmune disease.
I couldn’t have made it this far without you,your organization, and Liz. After years of spinning around in circles, we have finally been ledin the right direction. Now I feel I have the right treatment plan. Not only does my treatment plan consist of the right medication but it also consists of a very supportive work family who has and continues to rally around me whenever I need them, an understanding and persistent medical team, very supportive friends and family, and a wonderful spouse who picksme up when I get down and who allows me to borrow his strength whenever I feel I need it.
This is the first time I feel hopeful this disease can be driven into remission. My inflamation rate is now at 25. I believe I would not be on the “right road” today without you and Liz.
I can say, I have been blessed with the best of everything important in lifeand one needs it when they have to fight this disease or one that is equally as debilitating.
Again, I thank you for all your great work. I can finally see a light at the end of this tunnel andthis time I truly feel it won’t hurt my eyes.
Sincerely,
Patrice
Evansville, IN
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