I came home yesterday to see this sitting in my kitchen.
Looks like I'm getting an organ transplant.I knew it was coming but still, I felt a little queazy when I saw it.
However, the little (warning) penguin on the top was quite cute.
The Copaxone has reserved a spot next to...
Sean's caramel syrup. I swear it's not mine. Really.With this new addition in the fridge, we had no choice but to inform D (8 years old) of mommy's current health situation. I don't think any 8 year old should have to hear that their mommy is chronically ill and will need to give herself a shot everyday. So we sugarcoated it a bit.
We told him that mommy is sick but everything is going to be OK. And that mommy will have medicine in the fridge that she has to take everyday but he is not to touch it. Maybe I should put it next to the onions instead of the yummy caramel syrup?
He took it very well. Sean asked, "Do you have any questions?" and D said, "Nope! Can we do something fun today?".
Meet my worst nightmare
Needles. My needles. Dammit!!!And...
the needle injector aka Autoject.
Much bigger than I expected it to be. I guess I was hoping for mini syringes and a mini autoject which would surely mean, mini pain.I use to (and still do) feel sorry for diabetics. I remember thinking, "I could never inject myself like they do." Surprise, surprise. I know there's an oral med in the works for MS so I can't wait for that to come out.
On to the BILL
Take a look below...
HOLY MOLY! For ONE month of Copaxone my bill comes to a total of $2,610.28. WTF!And DUE IMMEDIATELY from me is $0.09.
No Problemo!
I can guarantee you that if I didn't have insurance, I would NOT be on this stuff.
Thank you Sean. 143!
I asked the hubs if he thought I could just tape a dime to the bill and mail it back? LOL! He came up with an even better idea.
He said we should tape a dime to a bill to Copaxone for $0.01. HA! HA!
On a serious note, I am really handling this well. I'm ready to start this stuff and get to the point where everyone say's "It's easy". I'm a little worried about the side effects and I'm not sure if I should 'shoot up' in the morning and get it over with, or in the evening so I can sleep through the pain. I'm sure I'll find my way soon enough.
Right now, I'm waiting on a call back from my nurse so we can set up an appointment to teach me how to do all of this. Thank goodness for that, I'd be a wreck if I had to figure it out myself.
Have a good weekend everyone. :)
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9 comments:
Well, before you know it you will be a "pro" at doing this. I am sure you will come through it fine. Sorry I can't be there to help. But don't forget if you need me, you know how to reach me. And yes thank God for insurance. lol Or should I say thank the US Army? Love
Mom ( I have decided to drop the "#2". Did I tell you this before? Old age is great lol
LOL! Thank you. And no, you didn't mention it before but it's perfectly fine with me.
I love the emails to Sean and I that end with...
Love,
Mom #1 and #2
:) Too funny.
9 cents?! seriously. Too funny.
You will be fine. Here's a post which gives a few tips on reducing pain and irritation - http://www.healthcentral.com/multiple-sclerosis/c/19065/45202/reduced
Call Shared Solutions to ask for a couple of refrigerator boxes and travel-size containers in which to store your syringes. They come in very handy. Perhaps the nurse might even have these on hand if she works for Shared Solutions.
Warm skin. Room temp Copaxone (important!). Clean skin (soap and water, like after a shower). Avoid alcohol swab or at least let it dry first. Rotate injection sites.
Pain and irritation lessen over time (like many months time). And keep in mind that diabetics have the tiniest needles around; don't feel sorry for them too much. LOL.
Good luck.
Thanks for the tips Lisa! They forgot to send my sharps container so I think the OJ bottle will have to do the job until next month.
I called them about the $0.09 because I was afraid if I wrote them a check for more, they'd refund it. Luckily, they'll just credit the account & I can be done with it. At least for the next 5 years. :)
Wow...Seeing the meds is a shocking reality!
I was diagnosed 6/30/09, 4 days after my daughter's 2nd birthday. I just turned 40 a month ago, also have a 5 yo son. I haven't seen my Neurologist since my hospital visit, but I should, hearing your experiences has been encouraging...as well as Loobie's posts.
I don't think I'm in denial, but I'm just not sure about "the next step". It is so hard hearing some of the things you count as MS symptoms that I also have, but have been trying to right them off as normal...they seem so subtle.
Anyhow...thanks for your courage and straight-forward approach...I've been encouraging my wife to read your blog for a female perspective.
So, may I ask how you chose the Copaxone? I can't decide whether to go for meds after reading what Loobie and others say...but my wife would like me to start trying to prevent any future progression.
Yes, it is very real once that crap hits your doorstep. My first instinct was to tell my husband to just chunk it, but it was already in the fridge. LOL!
Was your last visit to the neuro the day you were diagnosed? I don't think denial was ever the right word for me. I knew it was very possible and I accepted it but it was like it was all a bad dream. In a way, it still is. The Copaxone is in the fridge but I don't think about. I'll have no choice but to recognize it when "Bonnie The Nurse" shows up.
I was lost until about a week before my diagnosis and like I said in a past post, when the dx came down, something inside of me said "GO!". And I am, not very fast, but I am. I feel I have no other choice, I have to fight for this life and I especially have to fight to have the life I WANT.
My reason for choosing Copaxone was simple, it's the only drug that doesn't include flu-like symptoms as a common side effect. When you get the binders on each CRAB drug, they all talk a good game but when you get down to the facts, 3 are the same, Copaxone is different. At least in my eyes it is.
As much as I hate needles, I'd rather inject everyday and just have injection site reactions (hopefully) then inject every other day and (possibly) have flu like symptoms after each.
Good luck with your decision. :)
Yea...well my diagnosis was not as drawn out as yours. I went to the hospital with high blood pressure and numbness thinking I might have had a "mini" stroke (after freaking about my symptoms on WebMD)...my hospital visit turned into a 3 day nightmare "vacation" where the package included head and neck MRIs, x-rays, sonograms, echocardiograms (everything but a spinal tap)...until the cardiologist bowed out...then concluded with the Neuro diagnosis.
I have let another Neuro look at my scans for a 2nd opinion...he said MS....get on the Meds :(
I guess that better explains the diagnosis being at the hospital...by the way, my name is Troy (rather than Anonymous)...so we've more properly met :)
Take care!
I love you Sarah! Good luck! I'm thinking about you!
Hi Troy! :)
Are you comfortable with your MS diagnosis? If not, I may go see another neuro if I were you.
My first nuero didn't diagnose me with anything (well other then carpal tunnel and nerve damage) and I knew something more was wrong. Then I found an excellent neuro (thank goodness) and he delivered the diagnosis after additional tests.
I guess if you see lesions on your MRI's and your symptoms match up you can probably bet that you do have it. Sucks!
I had my first Copaxone shot today, I'll post about it next week. :) If you or your wife have any questions you can always email me at sarah@thepitterpatterboutique.com. I'm no expert but I'm willing to help in any way I can.
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