My Tysabri Diary... Last night 12/20 at 7:30 pm,

I just got home from my 3rd infusion of Tysabri...After waiting over 1/2 the day at Kaiser, they finally started my Tysabri at 1:30 p.m. No problems just had to see my neuro afterwards...which by the time she could fit me in after the infusion center screwed up not only my schedule, my caregiver's schedule, and my neuro's schedule, it was after 5 pm so, of course, coming home we hit all the rush hour traffic again...(sigh).

There was a different nurse there that gave me my infusion, the jerk couldn't hit a bullseye with a brick standing 2 feet away. When he tried to set the infusion needle in my arm initially, I said, "Are you insane???" Give it to me in my hand or wrist...my veins might be small but they are certainly not collapsed! Sooooo, after 15 mins of intense pain, the Benadryl drip started, I thought, "Self, you're being punished"...until.........,

A young girl took the infusion seat across from me (pretty black girl, thin, she had Crohn's Disease and was receiving her Remicade infusion). Well, I thought I yelled loud when this jerk stuck me...this pretty, young, demure patient just about peeled the paint off the walls with her screams! He was soooo awful, she kept asking "Is it in the vein yet?" When he'd answer "no, it only broke the skin", this poor girl just kept saying, "Are you kidding me?!?!?!" She reminded me of someone...hmmmmm, who could that possibly be? (heehee)

Finally, she said, "Look, try my right hand instead, because if this damn i.v. is not in my vein in the next 5 mins with my Remicade going through it, duck a**hole because I'm taking a swing at your @#!$^%* head, and I'm not telling you which head either!" Ray and I looked at each other and just cracked up laughing (although I swear I saw him wince at her words ever so slighty before we both started laughing).

All in all, I'm glad today is almost over. I'm drained of emotion (other than getting into a mild verbal altercation over my Jan. infusion being set 31 days away). Ummm, I don't think so! I'm sure you all know who won that battle - heehee.

Oh, and I found out 2 other Kaiser patients in another Kaiser facility are being infused with Tysabri also...wooooohoooo!
(((hugs)))
Love, Lauren
A very proud member of www.MSpatientsforchoice.org