It has definitely been a while since I have got to update on the progress of my iritis. Please forgive me. This post will get you all caught up on everthing!!
At the end of June, I had a follow up visit and everything was looking great and right on track with my eye!!! The dr was very pleased and reduced the amount of steroid drops to twice a day of each for two weeks!! Then I went back the second week of July for my next appointment and he said everything looked great and he wanted to keep me on the drops at the same dosage for just two more weeks then after that I could completely stop!!! Praise the Lord!! He also said that I wouldn't have to come in for anymore appointments!!! Huge relief!! Even though he had really been blessing us throughout this whole process with his generosity financially, it was a burden lifted off my shoulders to not have to pay out anymore in doctors visits for this.....at this point, we have probably paid out about $700......ON AN EYE!!! Crazy!! Yes, I know it could always be worse. But I know Satan was really attacking us in every way with this....especially financially!!! In May, Mike and I had finally jointly decided that we were starting the Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace Program to manage our finances better and eliminate the little bit of debt we do have....and BAM! here we go in June and we get hit with this and other things that have came up throughout the summer!! Thank heavens for our emergency fund we had in place and for God always being faithful and providing above and beyond!!
So my eye was right on track and on the Monday of the last week that I was finishing up the eye drops, my husband's brother passed away unexpectedly. This has been a really difficult time for all of us. Nothing can prepare you for a death that happens suddenly. About a week and a half after Jeff passed away, I started noticing my eye was becoming blurry again even though I had continued on the drops. I gave it a few days and then called the nurse at the drs office.....verdict, stress can cause iritis to flare up. When you are under an enormous amount of stress, your body becomes really out of whack. Your immune system doesn't work as it should and even though you try your best to take care of yourself during this time, its just not enough....it takes a toll on you physically. Therefore, once again, it is taking it out on my eye. Yes, this was kind of devastating because I had been so diligent about taking care of my eye and was so excited about being at the end of this. And I felt like I should have done more to prevent it from flaring up again. But in reality, there was nothing I could do. Nothing that I would have done differently would have made things better. So now I am back on the drops more and have to work from there.
This has not discourage me at all!!! I know now that Satan's clock is counting down and this attack that he has placed on my body is coming to an end and God will be victorious!!! The attacks of the enemy are only temporary but the faithfulness and mercy of God are eternal!!!
Ashleigh
