29.11.07

Day 1 of

New Miracle Treatment commences with the nurse in charge of my infusion missing TWICE. Well, to be fair, she didn't actually miss my veins. That would be like dropping a ball and failing to hit the ground. The first attempt apparently intersected a valve or some such thing, and was not usable. The second either went too far, or hit something that wasn't supposed to be there, because it hurt like hell and I had them take it out and there's a bruise now.

Third time proved to be the charm, and two hours after that poking session I had some sort of super-drug pumping through my body doing strange things to my immune system.

For reference, Remicade. It's the first time one of my drugs has listed "Remote chance of death" as a possible side-effect. You know, along with nausea, fatigue, dehydration, those more mundane things. I have had no side effects, however, and I was assured (by the same nurse who missed the ground) that they usually show up within the first half hour of the infusion.

I am also extremely lucky that I am working in a place that offers some of the best health insurance coverage in the world. If I was not, and these treatments were my responsibility to pay, I'd have been out $1,000 today. And again in two weeks. And a month after that.

Who doubts that our health care system is fucked up? Are there still any of those people?

No comments: