So without further ado, a description of the contents of boxes one and two.
Box Number One--Club Membership Materials
As I referenced in earlier posts, this is the box that contains my "welcome" packet to MS (or, more accurately, to the treatment I'm slotted to begin next week). This welcome packet contains:
- A welcome brochure with information about the treatment and MS LifeLines (the support network operated by Rebif manufacturers Pfizer and Serono)
- A friends and family brochure to help educate my people about what's what
- A Treatment Journal to record information about weekly injections, side effects, and questions
- Injection training materials, which includes a DVD with instructions on how to shoot up (er, inject--sorry) and an "injection preparation mat." Weird.
The box also contained my "Rebiject II"
With a name like Rebiject II, you know it has to be cool. Evidently, you can assemble this contraption to fashion a mechanism that will do all of the dirty work of giving myself an injection with the single push of a button. Sweet. I'm sure I'll have much more to say on this topic after I test the stuff out in roughly 9 days. In the meantime, I encourage you to think about how much fun it is to say "Rebiject" or other associated words ("Rebijected," "Rebijection," or "RebiReject;" now go ahead and make up your own definitions--see how much fun???)
And finally, the box contained my welcome kit (not pictured, because really it was just an ice pack and a foil bag with a needle disposal thingy). There's a good chance I'll be employing that puppy not once but twice in the first week following my Needle Advisory session. Go big or go home, that's what I say.
Box Number Two--The Lovely Liquids
My Rebif titration pack arrived as scheduled last Wednesday.
After I meet with DSO (Dr. Second Opinion), I will embark on my treatment journey. The treatment entails three subcutaneous injections per week. From what I have read thus far, the possible side effects associated with this treatment include:
- Flu-like symptoms, including headaches, fever, malaise, and muscle aches
- Fatigue
- Liver problems
- Injection-site reactions
- Depression and suicide
Because of the possible side effects, they recommend administering the injections shortly before going to bed, so the medicated folk can "sleep off" the flu-like symptoms, if they occur. I'm thinking my plan will be to give myself the injections on Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday nights--so I can (hopefully) have game days and weekends relatively side-effect-free!
My meeting with DSO is still on the calendar for Thursday--I'm anxious to see if he's ready to "make a deal," perhaps in the form of something behind a curtain? Or are the two boxes it for now? Oh, the anticipation... Surely I'll post.
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2 comments:
How do you even say Rebiject....? They don't really roll off the tongue now do they? Curtain looks pretty darn good....or is that DSO standing behind the curtain?
Yeah...this is where I misread the word "contraption", right under the "Rebiject II" picture as I quickly perused...thereby misconstruing what "Rebiject II" is and whether I actually wanted to read the entry or not.
Funny side-effect story: I saw one possible side-effect of Ambien (sleep-aid, in case you didn't know) that read "patient may fall asleep, and not wake up." Isn't that just a sugar-coated way to say "death"? (In reality, they clearly meant "patient may fall asleep, and be impervious to any attempts at arousal"...hehehe)
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