Discouraged, encouraged...the HHC swings.

Iron Jak finally updates the blog. After a rocky emotional start on this journey, the results have been felt and the mood is decidedly UP!

Ankle: after being diagnosed with bone spurs and serious arthritis damage to my right ankle, it was surgically repaired on October 16, 2008. Now, it's March 22, 2009 and I'm limping but still much better than before. I fit in my ski boot without pain, I have a normal walking schedule and if I over-do the exercise, I limp for a day. Gradually, it has improved - and faster than many ankle surgeries.

Hemochromatosis: after removing more than 5 gallons of my blood, my ferritin level has come down from almost 3,000 to 208 (in mid-February) New orders were written last week and I'm now on a once/month schedule of phlebotomies for 6 months. According to the general medical consensus, I'm "out of the woods" for HHC. BUT - just because the blood level is down, at 208, it's not normal (25-35) quite yet. The concern I have is for the organs that were damaged prior to any therapy. Only time will tell how the liver and kidneys function. The knuckle damage will never be undone.

So - dear HHC friends, the HHC front continues to improve and twice weekly phlebotomies weren't all that bad. They were helping keep my weight in check - and since turning off the blood spigot, I've gained some weight.

Take heart - that dark cloud has turned into rain and the skies in the HHC direction are turning brighter shades of blue.