Downhill Racer

Dad's taken a turn for the worse. His SJS is on the upswing, and the doctors are debating what his course of treatment should be. Some say he needs to get back on the steroids (which, in higher doses, had been effective in reducing the symptoms) for an indefinite period. Unfortunately, being on higher doses of steroids for an extended period has undesirable side effects, like mood swings and high blood sugar. Being on steroids would require that insulin injections be administered on an ongoing basis.

Other doctors are suggesting we begin treating him with suppressive drugs... those that suppress the rejection mechanisms of the body, and hopefully eliminating the sensitivity to the drugs that is causing the SJS. This course of therapy might make him more susceptible to infection, since his body would be less likely to fight the foreign body.

Neither course of treatment is particularly appealing, but things are getting pretty desperate. As my dad weakens, he loses his appetite and becomes listless. At times, the fighting spirit that's kept him going for so long seems to get dimmer. He swears he's not going to give up the fight, but it's really tough when everything you hear going on around you is discouraging.

There was one small victory today. He was breathing without aid of oxygen. Unfortunately, he was running a fever for much of the day, so that indicates to me that the infection may again be getting the upper hand.