Bring It On ......

Well, after app. 10+ years of performing regular self injections, the madness has finally come to (as my Dad would have said) a screeching halt. During an appointment with my neurologist, Dr. David Blake in Lexington, it was jointly decided to forgo the shot regime in favor of the newer drug Tysabri. I figured, in my more perverse moods, that over the years with both Avonex and the every other night Betaseron, that I have done in the neighborhood of 1600+ injections. I don't like needles - especially when they are stuck in my body (and even more so when I'm doing the sticking). I was beginning to feel like some kind of human pin cushion.

I am very excited about the possibilities with Tysabri. I have read many accounts of persons with MS who are on Tysabri and the ways it has affected them. Most very positively. The drug is closely monitored due in large part to the deaths in the initial phase and has to be given at a pre-approved facility. In my case, I will have to go to St. Josephs Hospital in Lexington once a month. I will have to sign papers absolving the drug company, Biogen, of any blame if something happens. No sweat! I'm so ready and anxious. The only down side for me being that I have to wait until the middle of January so the current doses of Betaseron drift out of my body and go to some undefined place before I can begin the infusions (It's administered through an IV and takes about 1 hour). Did the early deaths scare me? No, not even one little bit. As I explained to my wife, there are several thousand MS'ers like me out there who understand. Tysabri was pulled from the market (because of the deaths) and reintroduced after intense lobbying by individuals with MS and MS groups. After the close monitoring there have been no newly reported problems (other than not being able to tolerate it).

I just hope that I'm not overly optimistic, because I do realize that we with MS all react differently to meds. But this one offers something I haven't had in recent months due to my declining condition - that being HOPE. BRING IT ON!!!!!