Showing posts with label vivaglobin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vivaglobin. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Monday, August 30, 2010
Does this make you happy?
Below is the list of shit I will need in order to do these injections. Injections which are allegedly made to make my life easier. I will copy and paste the 2 attachments I got. Lemme know what you think.
ORDERING SUPPLIES
As soon as possible after your first visit, phone Medicalmart at 905 624 2011. You will need to set up an account. These items will be delivered to your house. If you spend $100 delivery is free.
You can also order similar supplies via websites or drug stores. Prices may vary.
The cost will be approximately $1.75 per injection. If you have private health insurance you need to know that some subjects have been successful in having the cost of their supplies reimbursed. It depends on the individual’s policy.
SUPPLIES NEEDED FOR INFUSIONS
• Cat # 113 MM 05507 box 200 alcohol pads. Or you can buy cotton balls and rubbing alcohol at any drug store.
• Cat # 308309661 box of 40, 20cc luer lock syringes (optional)
• Cat #308309604 box 100, 10cc syringes
• Cat # 280SVS 25 BL surflo winged infusion kits (25 gauge) 12 inch tubing
• Cat # 308 305195 box of 100 18G x 1” needles
Walmart will supply sharps containers free of charge. Pharma Plus and Shoppers Drug Mart may also (depending on the store’s individual policies)
Hand washing and clean technique will be essential. You may prefer to use PURELL hand sanitizer rather than do prolonged hand washing.
Insulated lunch bag to travel with vivoglobin.
And:
SUBCUTANEOUS VIVOGLOBIN TRAINING PROGRAM
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW.
Address:
650 Sammon Ave
K Wing, Suite 404,
Toronto, M4C 5M5
416-465-7999
Schedule
You will start the week after your last intravenous infusion of gamma globulin. Ideally this first day of training will be a full day. Three infusions will be given subcutaneously (under the skin) on this day. The first will be given by the RN, (myself), the second will be given by both the RN and you, and the third will be given by yourself.
If you feel comfortable and confident with your ability to self-administer your injections, the visit schedule will be as follows:
1 month
3 months
6 months
1 year.
At each of these visits you will be given a requisition for blood work and a prescription to pick up Vivoglobin for your home infusions. This will be picked up either from St Michaels Hospital or the hospital closest to where you live after your second visit. Details of the pick up will be discussed further at your visit.
At each visit you will bring the vivoglobin for that day’s injection and your infusion log book which you will be given on your first visit.
At all times you will have a 24 hour contact number and as many visits as needed to be able to do the procedure safely yourself.
Costs and Ordering Instructions.
You will be given enough supplies for ONE MONTH.
Supplies can be ordered from Medical Mart. Details on how to order will be given at your first visit. The cost will be approximately $50 per month.
FIRST VISIT
Many people feel better if they bring along a spouse/friend to the training visit. There will be a lot to learn and four ears are better than 2!
As you will be taking a lot of things home, please bring a bag to carry these things home. (About the size of a carry on bag) If the weather is hot, please bring some gel packs.
You will be given a consent form to fill out. This is like a letter of information or a contract. We would like you to try the subcutaneous infusions for a t least 6 months. It takes about this long to become completely comfortable with the process.
You will be given a lot of teaching and an information binder to take home. You will have to fill out an infusion log each time you give yourself an injection. It is easy and you will be shown how to do it.
Are we having fun yet??
WHAT HAVE I GOTTEN MYSELF INTO?!?! *sigh*
I am just so fucking frustrated. This was supposed to make my life easier, not make it more insane. The injections were supposed to obliterate the need for montly IVs and time away from work but instead it obliterates nothing and takes me away from work!!!! *bashes head against wall*
I would like to fall into a well. I would like to fall into a well and drown and make this all go away. But now i feel like i have once again fucked up royally.
And it's a 6 month commitment nonetheless!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ORDERING SUPPLIES
As soon as possible after your first visit, phone Medicalmart at 905 624 2011. You will need to set up an account. These items will be delivered to your house. If you spend $100 delivery is free.
You can also order similar supplies via websites or drug stores. Prices may vary.
The cost will be approximately $1.75 per injection. If you have private health insurance you need to know that some subjects have been successful in having the cost of their supplies reimbursed. It depends on the individual’s policy.
SUPPLIES NEEDED FOR INFUSIONS
• Cat # 113 MM 05507 box 200 alcohol pads. Or you can buy cotton balls and rubbing alcohol at any drug store.
• Cat # 308309661 box of 40, 20cc luer lock syringes (optional)
• Cat #308309604 box 100, 10cc syringes
• Cat # 280SVS 25 BL surflo winged infusion kits (25 gauge) 12 inch tubing
• Cat # 308 305195 box of 100 18G x 1” needles
Walmart will supply sharps containers free of charge. Pharma Plus and Shoppers Drug Mart may also (depending on the store’s individual policies)
Hand washing and clean technique will be essential. You may prefer to use PURELL hand sanitizer rather than do prolonged hand washing.
Insulated lunch bag to travel with vivoglobin.
And:
SUBCUTANEOUS VIVOGLOBIN TRAINING PROGRAM
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW.
Address:
650 Sammon Ave
K Wing, Suite 404,
Toronto, M4C 5M5
416-465-7999
Schedule
You will start the week after your last intravenous infusion of gamma globulin. Ideally this first day of training will be a full day. Three infusions will be given subcutaneously (under the skin) on this day. The first will be given by the RN, (myself), the second will be given by both the RN and you, and the third will be given by yourself.
If you feel comfortable and confident with your ability to self-administer your injections, the visit schedule will be as follows:
1 month
3 months
6 months
1 year.
At each of these visits you will be given a requisition for blood work and a prescription to pick up Vivoglobin for your home infusions. This will be picked up either from St Michaels Hospital or the hospital closest to where you live after your second visit. Details of the pick up will be discussed further at your visit.
At each visit you will bring the vivoglobin for that day’s injection and your infusion log book which you will be given on your first visit.
At all times you will have a 24 hour contact number and as many visits as needed to be able to do the procedure safely yourself.
Costs and Ordering Instructions.
You will be given enough supplies for ONE MONTH.
Supplies can be ordered from Medical Mart. Details on how to order will be given at your first visit. The cost will be approximately $50 per month.
FIRST VISIT
Many people feel better if they bring along a spouse/friend to the training visit. There will be a lot to learn and four ears are better than 2!
As you will be taking a lot of things home, please bring a bag to carry these things home. (About the size of a carry on bag) If the weather is hot, please bring some gel packs.
You will be given a consent form to fill out. This is like a letter of information or a contract. We would like you to try the subcutaneous infusions for a t least 6 months. It takes about this long to become completely comfortable with the process.
You will be given a lot of teaching and an information binder to take home. You will have to fill out an infusion log each time you give yourself an injection. It is easy and you will be shown how to do it.
Are we having fun yet??
WHAT HAVE I GOTTEN MYSELF INTO?!?! *sigh*
I am just so fucking frustrated. This was supposed to make my life easier, not make it more insane. The injections were supposed to obliterate the need for montly IVs and time away from work but instead it obliterates nothing and takes me away from work!!!! *bashes head against wall*
I would like to fall into a well. I would like to fall into a well and drown and make this all go away. But now i feel like i have once again fucked up royally.
And it's a 6 month commitment nonetheless!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
More medical crap
Why is it that the most stressful part of medical appointments isn't the appointment itself, it's how you'll get there?
I havent really mentioned this aspect of myself before, so I will elaborate now.
I get IVs every 4 weeks - everyone knows that - because I was born with no immune system (ADA SCID it's called). I have been getting these IVs since I was 5 years old. How it works (more or less) is basically this way: you donate blood, and they put it in the bloody spinny thing that separates plasma and crap from other crap and single out the crap that I need - the immune system crap, the T and B cells. I get the the immune system T and B crap. And no, it doesn't look like blood, it's clear, and I do find a grotesque sense of joy as I watch it infuse into me. And yes I can feel it, because it's cold.
Anyways...
Finally, after the last 20 years of IVs, shitty veins, and finally a port, they've invented a new way of getting the stuff (IVIG): instead of IVs every month, they have managed to make it available in self injection form. HURRAY. This stuff is called vivaglobin and you can learn about it (and watch an incredibly long video) here: http://www.vivaglobin.com/
So my immunologist has been suggesting that I try this little ditty out for the last year, but since I was fresh out of transplant last year, it kind've wasn't the right time to introduce something else into my system just yet, seeing as I was still mastering my new meds and the like. Well now, a year out, i felt it was ok to venture into a new world and will be giving it a go.
So i got a call from a chick named Loris this morning, informing me of my training session on Monday Sept 13th at 9am. A 4 hour one. And i need to go to my local hosp and or blood bank the day before and bring with me 3 vials of vivaglobin. How big they'll be I don't know, but luckily for me I have a knack for massive purses so i'm sure my trusty red purse will be sufficient enough to cart around these gems. But here's the kicker: how the fuck do i get there? This appointment isn't at TGH or Sick Kids, or Princess Margaret, which are all across the street from one another, and a block away from the bus station. It's not at Toronto Western which is across the city but accessible through the TGH (free!)shuttle bus system. It's at Toronto East, a land I have never been to. I've googled, and can get there by street car, which I've never taken, or Subway, which my friend tells me "if u get on the yellow line up to bloor younge station, then go east on the green line to coxwell station then ur just a couple blocks down from the hospital" because that doesn't thoroughly confuse me enough.
Did i mention that this appointment is at 9am?! and i'd have to fuck around on the subway system pretty much an hour before that? This means I'd have to catch the 6:30am bus to get into TO at 8am.
Or, I could take a cab, if i wanted to pay $50.
Or I could drive, and risk getting lost, getting off on the wrong exit, getting stuck in traffic, screaming, crying, and being scared because I've only ever driven to TO ONCE in my life b/c i depend on the bus.
I'm sure by Sept 13th i'll have this sorted out. But for now: seriously?!
I havent really mentioned this aspect of myself before, so I will elaborate now.
I get IVs every 4 weeks - everyone knows that - because I was born with no immune system (ADA SCID it's called). I have been getting these IVs since I was 5 years old. How it works (more or less) is basically this way: you donate blood, and they put it in the bloody spinny thing that separates plasma and crap from other crap and single out the crap that I need - the immune system crap, the T and B cells. I get the the immune system T and B crap. And no, it doesn't look like blood, it's clear, and I do find a grotesque sense of joy as I watch it infuse into me. And yes I can feel it, because it's cold.
Anyways...
Finally, after the last 20 years of IVs, shitty veins, and finally a port, they've invented a new way of getting the stuff (IVIG): instead of IVs every month, they have managed to make it available in self injection form. HURRAY. This stuff is called vivaglobin and you can learn about it (and watch an incredibly long video) here: http://www.vivaglobin.com/
So my immunologist has been suggesting that I try this little ditty out for the last year, but since I was fresh out of transplant last year, it kind've wasn't the right time to introduce something else into my system just yet, seeing as I was still mastering my new meds and the like. Well now, a year out, i felt it was ok to venture into a new world and will be giving it a go.
So i got a call from a chick named Loris this morning, informing me of my training session on Monday Sept 13th at 9am. A 4 hour one. And i need to go to my local hosp and or blood bank the day before and bring with me 3 vials of vivaglobin. How big they'll be I don't know, but luckily for me I have a knack for massive purses so i'm sure my trusty red purse will be sufficient enough to cart around these gems. But here's the kicker: how the fuck do i get there? This appointment isn't at TGH or Sick Kids, or Princess Margaret, which are all across the street from one another, and a block away from the bus station. It's not at Toronto Western which is across the city but accessible through the TGH (free!)shuttle bus system. It's at Toronto East, a land I have never been to. I've googled, and can get there by street car, which I've never taken, or Subway, which my friend tells me "if u get on the yellow line up to bloor younge station, then go east on the green line to coxwell station then ur just a couple blocks down from the hospital" because that doesn't thoroughly confuse me enough.
Did i mention that this appointment is at 9am?! and i'd have to fuck around on the subway system pretty much an hour before that? This means I'd have to catch the 6:30am bus to get into TO at 8am.
Or, I could take a cab, if i wanted to pay $50.
Or I could drive, and risk getting lost, getting off on the wrong exit, getting stuck in traffic, screaming, crying, and being scared because I've only ever driven to TO ONCE in my life b/c i depend on the bus.
I'm sure by Sept 13th i'll have this sorted out. But for now: seriously?!
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