Today was the true spirit of holiday rush.
Remember that four-year 29% bone loss? (Yeah, steroid meds are fun.) I was scheduled to have my first yearly IV infusion of an osteoporosis drug this afternoon. They needed a morning sample from the lab beforehand, preferably same-day.
At the lab, I asked, wasn’t there supposed to be a blood draw too?
With the place packed and signs pleading for patience saying that they had a new computer system in place and it would likely take a few weeks for everyone to get up to speed with it, they looked me up and assured me no.
Well okay then. I stopped by the house afterwards and then I was going to the annual lupus group luncheon. I look forward to it all year. There are old friends who turn out for it that I never get to see otherwise, and I’ve missed it too many times from having germs–you do not bring contagion to an immuno-compromised group. I had RSVP’d, I was germ-free, and I was good to go.
The phone rang as I was walking for the door. The doctor’s office: I was indeed supposed to have had blood drawn, and it had to be at least an hour, preferably two before that IV, the sooner the better.
I. Am. Going. To. My. Luncheon. And I did: and our group got seated at the door, which kept being left open and I kept getting up and shutting it. Lupus. Sun. Come on, folks, you know what group is here.
The manager, bless her, said to me that the whole restaurant was reserved and everybody was here and then she locked the door! And put a chair in front of it to try to get people from the other group to go out the far one or at least notice that a message was being conveyed. Go her!
I probably shouldn’t have ordered at all. My soup arrived, a little too hot to eat yet, less than five minutes before I really really had to bag it up and leave (but it was so good). We were supposed to be rung up as a group; they let me pay and go, glad to be able to help. Good folks there at Allied Arts.
But I was stressed out enough to trigger my cardiac cough. Back to the lab. Back home.
This IV was all something new and they told me I would feel like the flu for several days afterwards, maybe even a week. I had no idea how I would react. Richard wanted to come with me to be a support and just in case I wasn’t up to driving home, bless him. I offered him half my soup, still warm.
We arrived at the oncology clinic. The nurse clearly was used to people who weren’t used to IVs, and apologized at blowing a vein on the first try: my blood pressure was so low, it was hard to find a good enough one.
Eh. I knew there’s a world of difference between that and a vein that collapses after a couple days’ use in the hospital and screams at the saline they have to push through it; this was nothing, absolutely nothing. I assured her it was okay, and it took a few tries before she believed me that it really didn’t bother me, none of this stuff did.
Dem bones dem bones dem dry bones. An hour of sitting and quietly reading with no pressures to get anything else done in the moment. Enjoying the quiet.
I’m just glad there’s something they can do!
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Oh! I cringed when I read about the vein collapse! I feel your pain. My veins ALWAYS run and hide when they see a needle coming. Seldom does a phlebotomist catch one on the first try. I hope the bones shape up and behave properly for you!
Comment by Jody 12.15.11 @ 7:33 amWas that Reclast that you had? I got that for the first time in 2011. I won’t know how effective it is for a while, but I had no problems from it at all. Good luck with your and your other health battles.
Comment by Linda 12.15.11 @ 9:07 amThank you for your patience and understanding with the blown vein. It happens, and it’s humbling. I “never” missed in the field, which is unheard of, but I also never attempted an IV unless it was an emergency AND I had a plan. (I was trained by a Vietnam flight medic… I wasn’t just “that good”.)
I hope today’s agenda is a little calmer?
Comment by Channon 12.15.11 @ 9:16 amMy date for the same is coming up. They use a butterfly to get into my veins. Flu? No one told me about that!
Comment by Sherry in Idaho 12.15.11 @ 9:40 amI pray you have no further problems for the infusion, and that my wishes are not in vein (vane, vain?.
I’ve been getting those infusions for several years now with no side effects.
Comment by Don Meyer 12.15.11 @ 9:59 amoh, ow! I know when they doing anything on my dad they have a terrible time finding a vein and he always looks like they’ve been beating him afterwards —
I hope the infusion works it’s magic and you’re good for another year!
Comment by Bev 12.15.11 @ 10:04 amTalk about a busy day! I am happy, too, for your sake (and of those in your situation) that they can do something to help you. I love your take on the “quiet time”. 🙂
Comment by Suzanne in Montreal 12.15.11 @ 11:31 amEarlier this week I went to see a new (to me) podiatrist who apologized for running late. “Not a problem, it’s good knitting time.”
FWIW,after having had more than one phlebotomist break down in tears over my veins, and I’ve found that drinking extra fluid beforehand, getting up and moving around during the wait to help my b/p stay up, and being sure I’m really warm help both of us. (I give them 2 tries, then ask for warm, wet paper towels to my arm for 5 minutes which usually works.)
Like others who have responded above, I’ve had no reaction to the 2 Reclast infusions I’ve had other than my osteoporosis hasn’t become worse.
Hoping the same for you,
Carol in MA
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