Monday, November 21, 2005

$39.95 Plus Shipping and Handling

$39.95 Plus shipping and handling!  Yes folks, that is how old I am today!  Not 40, how droll....nope, $39.95 plus shipping and handling.  That's my story and I am sticking to it!!!

I wish I could say that this decade is rolling in for me with a sense of certainty, but since I can't I will fill you in on the situations at hand.

Medically, things are still up in the air, although a plan has been etched out.  Next week, 11/30, I will go into NYC and meet with an RN who runs a study on a new med that is not due out until sometime early next year.  The RN and I did have a long telephone conversation and it seems that I will fit nicely into their study.  However, formalities must be observed, so on the 30th I will go to fill out mounds of paperwork, bloodwork, a chest x-ray and TB test.  As long as all is okie dokie I will be able to be entered into the study and begin to receive the drug.

The drug in called Orencia and it is a biological response modulator which means it has been manufactured to specifically target part of the immune response in RA.  Orencia suppresses t-cell response in inflammation.  The drug has been tolerated very well and shows little to no side effect, unlike the drug I was just on.  It is also given via IV infusion though and I will go to the same unit as before to get it.

The first month you receive three doses, day 1, day 15 and day 29.  Thereafter, the infusion is every 28-30 days and it should only take about an hour!  That is also good news, much less time than before.

I will keep you posted about it.

The family is good!  Football season has just ended and Fuzzy had his dinner last night and received his trophy and jacket. He is thrilled.  My little football man looks quite handsome in it, I will post pics as soon as I have them.

Hammer will be starting wrestling soon, which will be his first sport since pee-wee soccer, t-ball and karate, all of which ended by second grade.  He requested this, I hope he likes it, I would love to see him finding something physical that he enjoys.

Pumpkin Muffin is doing great in dance and piano, and is very busy practicing for an outdoor Christmas concert that is coming up in a couple of weeks. 

That is all for now, sorry I have been away so long, I missed you all, and have been reading here and there.  I will try to get back to reading more and commenting too.  I hate the ads... and I am really hopefu that AOL will let us turn them off soon and only non-AOL people will have to see them. 

Be well,
Dawn

24 comments:

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday Dawn:) Glad you are back

Deb

Anonymous said...

happy birthday, dawn!! welcome back -- and big hugs for not spilling the beans on the half blood prince ending -- i read it all yesterday -- omg, omg, omg!!~  hope that all goes well with orencia ...... it sounds promising :0) my thoughts and prayers are with you!!~  ((( big birthday hugs ))) tracey/one*hip*mama

Anonymous said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!
Hugs, Marina

Anonymous said...

(((Happy BIrthday to Dawn..{singing softly, tossing rose pedals around her})
(Happy Birthday, dear Dawn! Happy Birthday to you!!!) confetti anyone?
dawn ahve agreat birthday and a great time! you are so great! I hope that this new medicine is th one that tops the others ! love,nat

Anonymous said...

((Happy Birthday!!))) - Nice to hear from you again!

Tilly xx

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday !! I missed you too. You can block the ad's (in case you didnt know) just click on the "blocking popups" on the bottom of your screen and choose to block animated media from AOL.  Take care
I'm glad your back!

Ellen

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday Dawn!!!
I like the 39.95 stuff.  Good luck on the new med.  I hope it works for you.
Hugs, LuAnne

Anonymous said...

God!    i have socks that old!

Anonymous said...

DAWN!!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Ahhh so far I can say 40 has been pretty good..amazingly its just like the day before I turned 40, lol.

Hope you have a good day, and was able to do something for YOU! AND going to the doc doesnt count!

If I dont chat with ya, Have a wonderful Holiday!!! BE WELL!

Jodi

Anonymous said...

Happy birthday, Dawn! I just loved this about your age. I'll have to remember that as I near 50 in a few years.

Enjoy your day.

Will want to see pictures of Fuzzy and his trophy and jacket :)

wishing you much success with that new drug.

betty

Anonymous said...

Hi Dawn,
Happy Belated Birthday. I'm kind a confused when I first read your first lines but I figured it was your birthday. I hope you had a wonderful one.
I have not been online for days...even if I have I was only going to ebay to check out gifts. So far..no luck! :-)
Well..I'm feeling a little bit better after this ad chaos.
I wish you wonderful things on Thanksgiving!
Gem :-)

Anonymous said...

OMG!! I can't believed I said Happy Belated! I didn't even realized today is Tuesday! gosh..I'm still "off"....my head is still spinning obviously....guess I should continue my "vacation" LOL!
sorry about that..ok...... here..Happy Happy Birthday!
Gem :-)

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday! Happy Birthday, happy, happy birthday to you! I hope it's great. " )

Hugs,
Susan

Anonymous said...

LOL Happy Birthday dear!  I am so excited for you that you have opportunity to participate with the new infusion.  I am praying it will do well for you!
loving you
karyl

Anonymous said...

Oh, you beat me to it!  I was going to send you a happy birthday email!!!  I like the $39.95 + S&H.  Wish I had thought to use it before you did...  40 isn't so bad (until I remember how old I am), but I did have to have my mammogram today.  And the cheerful doctor just loved telling to get used to it cuz its an annual event from now on...

Yay.
Dawnie
http://journals.aol.com/dawngepfer/endlesslaundrylistofthingsundone

Anonymous said...

Happy birthday?!!! I am glad their are other options for you medically! take care, ~Brandie

Anonymous said...

YOUR WORTH WAY MORE THAN 39.95 + SHIPPING. A ZILLION DOLLARS WOUDN'T BE ENOUGH. HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY SWEET PEA.......STAY WELL & HAPPY
LOVE YOUR MOM

Anonymous said...

I hope that too, Dawn, about the ads, but I am very hopeful for your new treatement. Here is to praying and hoping that it works well - I know this decade will see many wonderful changes for you!
With peace and love,
Charley
http://journals.aol.com/CDittric77/Courage

Anonymous said...

I hope that too, Dawn, about the ads, but I am very hopeful for your new treatement. Here is to praying and hoping that it works well - I know this decade will see many wonderful changes for you!
With peace and love,
Charley
http://journals.aol.com/CDittric77/Courage

Anonymous said...

Good luck with the medication and have a Happy Thanksgiving.
Dianna

Anonymous said...

lol HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Did you know that I'm a Nov 22nd baby too? lol Turned 18, woo hoo, I'm legal! lol

Glad to see you're back. I hope everything goes well for you!

Oh and I moved out of AOL:

http://dreaminglily.blogspot.com/

~Lily

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday, Dawn! Good luck with your new medicine. Happy Thanksgiving with wishes for good health.

--Tom

http://journals.aol.co.uk/iscribble4u/TheSunriseandtheSunset/

http://thesunriseandthesunset.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

Hi Dawn..
...stopping by to wish you and yours a wonderful and feastful Thanksgiving!
Gem
http://journals.aol.com/libragem007/JournallyYours

Anonymous said...

Well now............. you are full of beans.........................

I have seen your picture sweetie pie.

You dont look a day over $ 19.95 cents............

SO THERE