Thursday, May 10, 2007

Say it Ain't So...

Just when you think you have things figured out, something weird happens. So as you all know, I went to the blood sucker's office yesterday fully expecting "yada yada yada, high white blood count yada yada, don't know why, yada, more tests yada."

Go figure. My white blood count was not only better, it was normal. Will anyone EVER figure me out? I have been on Avonex for 4 weeks now. In all reality, if anything the Avonex should have raised my white blood count. I'm tired of trying to figure me out and I'm ME!!!!!

(We still made an appointment for three weeks and I STILL had to pay him $50.00. Some things never change.)

Wednesday, May 09, 2007

MS Ain't For Sissies!

Yes, I did! I used the AIN'T word. Sometimes, it is necessary!

For those of you who have never seen the hypodermic needle that an MS patient has to use to give themselves a shot...This one's for you. The larger of the two needles is the MS drug needle. The smaller needle is an insulin needle. The insulin-sized needle was what I was expecting. The larger needle is what I got! I have to poke that thing into the muscle of my thigh. It is no fun to give them to myself, so I just try to get it over with as fast as possible. From set up to finish it probably takes five minutes. There is no room for procrastination. It just has to be done.

I am still having no obvious side effects from the Avonex shots. I haven't even had the slight headache after the last two shots. I was a bit more active today (I had the shot last night) than I have been most weeks on the day after the shot, so I think I did notice that I became tired a little more than usual today (or it could have just been the heat. It was fairly warm in Ohio today and I was out in it a good bit.)

Nonetheless, I still feel very fortunate that I am not having the terrible flu symptoms that most MS patients get from the medication.

Tomorrow I have an appointment with the hematologist again. My white blood count will be up. We won't know why. We will make another appointment in three more weeks. I will pay him $50.00