This afternoon I heard from an old and dear friend. She had read my "No politics today" blog of a couple of weeks back and wrote to express sympathy for Becki. (Thank you, Bobbie.)

Two weeks ago Becki began a weekly injection of the drug Enbrel. Enbrel is one of a class of anti-tumor necrosis factor drugs, shorthand "TNF," that includes Humira and Remicade. TNF drugs like Enbrel are essentially proteins that inhibit the immune system's production of tumor necrosis factor. People with rheumatoid arthritis and other immune system diseases have too much TNF.

There's a downside with Enbrel, of course. Just as with the DMARDs (like Arava), the risk for infection is increased. Enbrel and its cousins also carry an increased risk for lymphoma, tuberculosis and potentially fatal blood disorders. It's one hell of a choice to make, but if your quality of life has declined to the point Becki's has, you shoulder the risk and hope for the best.

Without insurance, we could not afford the drug. A four-week supply costs $1,600, or $400 per dose. For now, we are charged the standard prescription co-pay.

Thanks again to all who responded to my original post. I remain deeply grateful.