OK, the withdrawal is over

Phew!  That was fun. NOT!

My body, being the genetic addict that it is, really takes a shine to certain drugs.

And when it takes that shine, it doesn't like to let go.

Very quickly after finding something it likes, it wants more of it, and it wants it more often.

Of course, that wasn't going to happen with the Prednisone, since the negatives far outweighed the positives. Not to mention, it wasn't doing what it was supposed to do.

So stop it we did.  But my body just didn't want to give it up.

Now I'm over it.  My body has now learned, and accepted, that it isn't getting any more.

Nothing.

Nada.

Too bad, so sad.

I'm left with hands that are much sorer than they were going into the 'experiment.'

Before, my hands might get inflamed for a few hours or for a day or so at a time.

Now, they became quite inflamed during the weaning off period, and the inflammation has become chronic.

It hurts to perform the most simple of every-day tasks:  washing/drying my hands; cutting my food; making the bed; lifting items of minimal weight; holding a pencil/pen; holding my coffee cup (or, horrors -- my wine glass!); and yes, working the keyboard!

Thus far, the weight hasn't started coming off.  Not one ounce so far.  The doctor assured me that it would happen once I was off the Prednisone.  Well, helllllooooo, it's been a week already!!!!

I'm back on the treadmill again too.  Not up to very much time yet but at least I can do it again so that's progress.  Yesterday I managed 15 minutes with relative ease.  I'll keep it at that time for a few days so as not to sabotage my own efforts.

I had a wonderfully refreshing seven hours' sleep last night too.  It's amazing what a massage can do.  What I need is a daily massage.  Would that it could be possible!

Yesterday, I received the appointment for my MRI -- April 8th at 6:00 am and I'm supposed to arrive 30 minutes earlier.  That's going to be a trick!  Have to arrange some fancy footwork to pull that off.