Update 1.18.11

Hello, 

Did my first injection on Sunday about 9:45 am.  Previously I had gotten violently ill from the pill form of Methotrexate (MTX) however, I made it until about noon on Sunday until I started to feel sick to my stomach.  That lasted for about 2 hours and then I was fine!  Yay!!

The injection itself was easy.  Per a recommendation from a colleague, I iced the area for a couple of minutes prior to the shot.  I just set my little ice pack on my thigh while I was getting everything else ready, then just stuck it in - didn’t hurt one bit!  I actually didn’t feel a thing.  That is great news; and on top of not feeling so bad afterwards, I am already a huge fan of this!

When I pulled the needle out a tiny bit of the medication came out of my leg.  “Ahhg, stay in there!”  I am wondering if that’s normal/okay, and if anyone has any tips on how to keep everything in there?  

Brad was there for moral support.  I said, “Don’t you want to come over here with me?”  He said, “I’m right here if you need me,” as he switched the trash bag in the kitchen.  After I gave myself my shot, I asked him why he didn’t want to watch me do it and he said that he can get shots, and see other people get shots, but he didn’t know if he could watch me give myself a shot.  Haaha!  He’s so funny.  Well, either way, everything went just fine and that is something that we’re both very happy about!

I got my lab results back from last week.  Red blood cell count was low, and my white blood cell count was back up in the normal range.  My LD (a muscle enzyme marker) has been high, and didn’t deviate from that norm.  My C4 (an inflammatory marker) has been consistently low, but is now high - but has never been normal.  This information is of course, for anyone who understands this, because I sure as hell don’t.  Every dang time I think I have it all straight I quickly realize that I really have no idea what I’m talking about.  

More on that next post.  I’m calling to check out another doctor this week!

Other than all of the above, I have been approved to work from home!  Today was my first day; I'll be back in the office tomorrow.  We're doing a system upgrade at work that will greatly affect my position so I have to be in the office for related training through mid-March; any days that do not have training will be "Telework" days for me.  Thank goodness.  As I write this I feel pretty good!  Brad and I just had dinner, and my body doesn't hurt nearly as much as it does on days that I head into the office.  I am really excited to see how "listening to my body whisper" will affect me long term.  It sure feels great now!

XO, M