A New Round of Labs in a New Town
Before every infusion, my neurologist orders fresh lab work. Since I now live in Mebane, NC with my partner, this was my first time getting labs done outside Atrium Health. Fortunately, the office called the Thursday before and I snagged a sameāday appointment at LabCorp inside Cone Health.
The only downside was my timing. I had eaten right before the blood draw. Therefore, it was no surprise that my glucose level ran high. When I was diagnosed in 2023, many tests were outside the normal range. Now only one number drifted. Progress is progress, even when breakfast gets in the way.
This visit also came with a twist. There was a student onsite who they inquired if they could draw my blood. I confirmed that I would not be first test subject. She said she had done it 40 times. That week or total remains unclear! Still, if you are going to be a trial run, a blood draw is one of the easier medical adventures to approve.
My Sixth Infusion and a Few Small Surprises
This was my sixth Ocrevus infusion since starting treatment. It was also my second and final visit to IVX Health in Charlotte. I asked to move future appointments to the Durham location, which is only 30 minutes away.
The appointment began at 9:00 am. After the usual prep, the infusion started at 9:30 am and ran for two hours. Then came the oneāhour observation period. During prep, they were prepared to hand me Tylenol tablets. I do not swallow pills, and this apparently was not updated in my chart. The tablets went back and the liquid version arrived for this 44-year-old child.
This was also my first infusion in my right arm. My left arm veins are tiny and dramatic. I donāt imagine the veins in the right arm are much bigger, but they cooperated. At least this time.
A Family Crisis Unfolds at the Same Time
In my first MS Journey post, I wrote about my grandma and her connection to this path. I never expected our stories to collide again on the same day.
While I was in North Carolina receiving my infusion, my grandma suffered a massive heart attack in Ohio. My mom texted my partner and asked her not to tell me until the infusion ended. Iām still grumbly about this. After I finished, we drove two hours from Charlotte to Mebane, then nine hours from Mebane to Ohio. We arrived early Wednesday morning to see my legendary grandma.
She had a successful surgery to place a stent. However, complications followed due to the rhinovirus and pneumonia. Even so, every doctor and nurse repeated the same astonished line: āSheās 92.ā She continues to defy expectations. If I were a betting person, I’d have her living until at least 116. There is no one like my grandma!
Looking Ahead With Determination
My infusion day is behind me. My grandma remains in the hospital with an uphill battle. Yet she has never met an uphill battle she could not flatten. I continue my MS Journey with gratitude, humor, and the stubborn belief that both of us will keep surprising people.
My MS Journey Series
- Homepage: My MS Journey
- Post #1: How My Grandmaās Legendary Fall Shaped My MS Mindset
- Post #2: Choosing MS Treatment with Humor and Panic
- Post #3: How My MS Symptoms Finally Forced Me to Listen
- Post #4: Why I Joined My First MS Research Study
- Post #5: Why I Spoke Up About NIH Funding
- Post #6: Feeling Like an Inflatable Tube Man at the Grocery Store
- Post #7: My First MRI Update Since Diagnosis: A Surprising Step Forward
- Post #8: Beat Autoimmune: The Six Lifestyle Keys That Changed My MS Journey
- Post #9: My First Ocrevus Infusion and the Three-Year Price Roller Coaster
- Post #11: The Mono Chapter I Never Expected to Matter
- Post #12: Mean Baby by Selma Blair
- Post #13: The Night I Went Searching for Answers at an MS Patient Event
- Post #14: Discovering the MeSsy Podcast and the Stories That Shape Us
- Post #15: You With The Sad Eyes A Memoir by Christina Applegate
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