South Park and Yesterday at the Hospital

Thanks to Jody at DUST BUNNY CLUB OF NORTH AMERICA I now have the South Park version of me, PrincesssAurora, in my 'All About Me' section! 

Jody has just had her 40,000 hit on her journal, please go visit her to get the link to making your own South Park character and to read all about her and her wonderful family.

Her eldest son is serving in Iraq right now as well, another reason to support Jody and her family via her journal!

Yesterday I had my appointment at the hospital in NYC to be evaluated and pre-tested for the Orencia study.  A new drug for Rheumatoid Arthritis. 

I survived, all is well, and I was accepted into the study, as expected, but it was a loooooooong day.

We left the house at 9:30 am for the 11:30 am appt, hoping that we would be early enough to grab breakfast at the cafe there and still get to the appt a bit early.  We were parked by 10:30 am and done eating by 11 am.  I was taken in at 11:15 am, all in all, good so far.

The RN who runs the study and I did oodles of paperwork and reviewed my medical and surgical history then she examined me.  Then, the MD who runs the study also came in and examined me, they spoke and agreed, I am perfect for the study!  YAY!

Now, the blood work, as I may have mentioned before, my veins are very difficult, so I warned the RN, but I could tell, she hears it all the time and at first, didn't believe me.  Then, she put the tourniquet on my right arm, then my left, then back to the right and said, " You are right, your veins are shitty!!!  And, I usually say 'crappy' but you said 'shitty' first and you are right!"   Yes.  Yes I am. 

She then narrowed it down to a good spot and missed in drawing blood for the first time in about 4 years.  Then, she went and got one of the two rheumatology lab techs who spent about 20 minutes checking for where to stick, and convinced me to let her try my right hand and then, she also missed.  The study RN then told me that in over 10 years she has never seen this woman miss with blood draw, only IV. 

Yes, I am a special patient.  @@

Next, she tried the left wrist, and she did succeed.  However, by then, I was so over wrought that my blood pressure plummeted, I turned white as a sheet, and almost passed out.  I know, I am weird, most people have their blood pressure go up, no, not me.  So, then 15 minutes of lying down with my feet up.  And I had to get stuck for the TB test too.  ugh

Now, it is 1 pm and off to radiology we go.  To sit and wait.  Finally, around 2 pm I was given my 1-2-3 chest x-ray and we were ready to leave.  At 3 pm, we made it across Manhattan and I dropped Glenn at his office for a meeting he could not miss.  I then made 2 quick right turns into the Lincoln Tunnel and got home about 3:25 pm.

It was a lot longer than I expected considering I didn't even get the medicine infusion!  Yikes.  And I was starving.  lol

Anyhow, my first IV infusion is Tuesday, 12/6 and since I am a 'hard stick' my infusion room RN's that I went to with Remicade, will draw my blood and get my IV in and then the study RN will give the infusion of the new medicine.  It takes 1/2 hour via drip and then 1/2 hour of observation.  Second infusion will be Tues. 12/20 and third 1/3. 

The third will be in the infusion room (yay, I love them!), and then each month afterward, once a month IV infusions at the infusion room.

So, there you have it!  The exciting world of RA and bad veins...

Be well,
Dawn