Doctors (Palmy, Christchurch, & Wellington) don't have any idea what is causing Dee's paralysis, so have been reluctant to 'treat' what they can't diagnose. It seems that they don't want to take liability for treatment if things go wrong.
So far, they have tried steroids, which had some immediate effects, but wore off within a few days/weeks. They have also tried plasma transfusions... like, lots! This had no effect at all. A second round of steroids have been tried recently, but with far less effect than the first round of treatment. The benefits of this immediately started to 'wear off' after the medication ceased. They have also tried physio/rehab work which has amounted to nothing. Through all of this, he has continued to get worse.
They have asked us to make a decision for his next steps.
There has been a suggestion to try a cancer drug called cyclophosphamide. This is normally used to treat various types of cancer and autoimmune diseases. It is a chemotherapy drug that works by slowing or stopping cell growth. Cyclophosphamide also works by decreasing your immune system's response to various diseases. It is highly toxic and has big side effects. Through all the testing Dee has had, they have found some calcification on his lungs. They are unable to biopsy it, and don't know if it is related to his paralysis, but this treatment may help with the lung also.
We have been praying for clarification, direction and answers about this. A friend of ours has had this same treatment for some similar (but different) issues, and has shared wisdom on this through their personal experience. It was a real blessing for us, giving us a lot of hope.
We are thinking we will give the Cyclophosphamide a go.
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