I know you’ve all been wondering.  YES!  I slept last night.  All night.  I don’t think I woke once.  First time in a little too long.  Everything was the same.  One cat at my head, one cat on my legs, snuggled into the memory foam, fluffy blankies, CPAP strapped to my face.  I know it’s an attractive picture…  I started off with a movie to calm my mind.  It shut itself down, and I kept on sleeping.  I didn’t wake up to go to the bathroom.  There was no brain chatter.  I was sound enough asleep that I was really stiff this morning simply because I didn’t move most of the night.  No anxiety, no palpitations.  Just some solid, much needed sleep.  What was the difference?  No prednisone.

My hands and face don’t have that inflated feeling today.  I’m stiff and sore, and my joints are yelling at me today, make no mistake.  Prednisone helps with joint pain.  But I’m so much more comfortable.  The brain chatter isn’t completely gone – I keep distracting myself today at work – and I’m still very tired.  My lungs aren’t any worse for the wear not taking it, and I have an inhaler in case I need it for the next little bit while I heal.

A friend sent a list of long term side effects of taking prednisone on a regular basis – diabetes, compromise immune system, bone death (!!), osteoporosis, muscle wasting, thinning of the skin… and I see on line I can add cataracts and easy bruising.  I already have an excellent chance at developing diabetes between family history and weight, I already have a compromised immune system, my bones and muscles are thus far okay and they may as well stay that way, my hair’s so thin I don’t need my skin to thin out too, I have plenty of problems with my eyes, and already bruise darn well.  There’s not much for benefit here.  Sore joints or a boatload of other issues or a compounding of other issues?  Not worth it – at least not for me.  And thus steroidal medications are laid to rest.