@naturegirl5

You're very welcome! Thank you for your kind words. It has been so hard watching him go through this past year. When he developed PMR we were devastated because it was so limiting. However, after they figured it out and got him on Prednisone, his pain was relieved and we felt we were on our way to his recovery. He had tapered from 30 mg to 12.5 mg of prednisone daily when he got hit with some serious new symptoms. He then developed giant cell arteritis - the worse case of GCA his doctors had seen. His was resistant at first to treatment so he had to have very high dose infusions of steroids to get it under controlled, followed by 80 mg per day for some time. He's now tapered to 20 mg but the affects of prednisone are pretty ugly. His poor arms are so bruised and he bleeds easily. His face is swollen and his eyes look puffy. This should resolve once we're able to get him off prednisone.

Probably the most complex thing of all, and most difficult to understand and learn to deal with, is the osteoporosis. The other conditions have limited treatment options that are very straightforward. Unlike osteoporosis.

I have had to do so much research and thank God for Connect and people like you who helped me figure out what he needed. Then finding a doctor who even knew the names of the drugs was another task. But in time we've found who we need in our corner - a rheumatologist (we finally got the chief of rheumatology after his first one royally messed things up for him), an endocrinologist who we love, our GP and a physical therapist who we meet with virtually who is awesome and so caring. So we feel we're headed in the right direction. All this happening to a very strong, healthy guy who had never stepped foot in a hospital since he was born (except to visit others). It's been a very hard year but I feel like I'm beginning to see that light at the end of the long tunnel.

And I'm also reminding myself often that there are so many people who have it so much worse, including two friends with cancer who are close to giving up their fights.

I do believe once his fractures stabilize he will be able to resume activity and exercise at the direction of his endocrinologist and physical therapist. Fortunately they are able to see what the other is recommending and are working together. They both know the first rheumatologist could have cost him his vision or his life because she didn't believe me initially when I said I believed he had GCA. That was a horrifying time. Thankfully we went to the ER and the doctor there did the right thing and told us he was not being treated properly for his condition.

None of this is easy and it's compounded when you've never had to deal with anything like it. And again, the fact we haven't is something to be thankful for.