My Tysabri Diary... Nothing new to report about my 16th Tysabri infusion today, as I stated before, they are becoming pretty routine now (I like that!). No mudslides and pizza tonight as we are having leftovers from Christmas dinner last night (I taught Ray how to make my pineapple baked ham with maraschino cherries, my sweet potato pie with marshmallows, and my broccoli/cheddar cheese casserole). These three recipes are special and I only make them once a year (errrr, Ray made them this year as I can no longer cook). But they are Sooooo good and so rich! I think he is going to teach his wife how to make them now - heehee.

I was a little worried about leaving Noël home alone for the first time since she arrived here... I was contemplating coming home and finding our little Christmas tree tipped over, with all the ornaments broken that Chuck's wife Sheri had so painstakingly selected. But we only arrived home to find Noël sleeping on my bed with her little mouse...soooooo cute! When she saw me, she immediately jumped into my lap, mouse in mouth-LOL.

I did find out that my small infusion center now has four additional Tysabri patients (all added within the last month!). I wonder if they will be able to handle more because the infusions center today was jam packed full of patients.

I also chatted briefly with another Tysabri patient that was there, but she wasn't in a very good mood (I presumed she was having a bad MS day, as it was pretty cold outside and severe weather changes can definitely affect MS symptoms in a majority of most MS patients). She was also disappointed that she hasn't had any improvements after only four infusions.

I told her to never lose hope and that she might start seeing small improvements by her sixth infusion, but they could happen at any time. I told her that even though I was receiving my 16th Tysabri infusion, my MS is now stable and I haven't had a relapse nor any disease progression in over a year. Tysabri is doing exactly what it was designed to do... prevent further relapses and their accumulating disabilities, including slowing/stopping the disease process with superior efficacy of 67%. I also told her that I never lose hope that I will start to see more small improvements, and I hope to walk again one day. Tysabri = Hope.

She definitely seemed to brighten up a bit, but I still pretty much left her alone after that to contemplate what I had told her, but I also told her I would see her next year, same time, same place (that made her smile again), and if she had any questions about Tysabri, I would be happy to try and answer them (cautioning her that I was not a doctor). We exchanged names, and I left... wanting to get home for a quick bite of dinner, and then turn early.

That's all for now, other than I can hardly wait for tomorrow!

I hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas yesterday... woooohoooooo!

Lauren :)
A very proud member of http://www.MSpatientsforchoice.org/