Three Hour Tour: Two

I don't know how long you've been reading my blog, but back in June, I wrote about my “Three Hour Tour”. Here's the link, if you want to see it. 

No, it was actually a different 3-hour-tour

Anyway, today I go back for my end-of-study three-hour tour. No, you're not hallucinating; it hasn't been a year since I started the clinical study. 

The study was supposed to last a year after I got randomized to take Copaxone. For a year. I did not tolerate Copaxone well at all (you know, the medicine with the “least” amount of side effects), so it was decided that I shouldn't take the Copaxone anymore. In (what I think is) an odd twist, I'm still part of the study, I'll just be listed as non-medicated. For whatever reason, the makers of Copaxone still want to follow me. Even though, if all goes well, I'll be starting Tecfidera fairly soon. I guess the pharmaceutical companies have to find a way to spend all the money they make from MS drugs.

So I just got back from my visit. I told you an untruth, my visit was only 2 ½ hours today not a 3-hour-tour.

Today, my balance was much worse than my June visit. I had a hard time standing with my eyes closed. My vision was worse, too . I have no idea why. Maybe my eyes have a migraine hangover?

The last part of today's visit was getting my blood drawn. I'm sure you've had blood drawn before. Have you ever looked at the nurse and thought to yourself, “She is gonna hurt me”? Well, I had that nurse today. She missed my “beautiful vein” (her words), and tried to catch it by moving the needle around inside my arm. Few things bother me about getting blood drawn. That's one thing that activates my gag reflex; I wanted to vomit.

“I'm so sorry; I have to go in again. I caught the side of your vein.”

“Fine. You get one more try. One.”

I so badly wanted Clara Also to walk in the door just to draw my blood! On the second attempt, she managed to get the vein, but by the time we were on the third vial, she said it wouldn't fill. Oh joy. I did the clench and unclench my fist, and finally she realized the vial was full; that's why the blood wasn't drawing.

She did apologize profusely, and I was fairly understanding about it, I mean it does happen. She's used to putting needles in for infusions, not drawing blood out. I just hate it when I'm right about things like that.