Copaxone

Hello there my dearest of family and friends! About 4 weeks ago, I began the process of starting my new MS medication. It is Copaxone 40 mg. I had to have another MRI completed to have a baseline for when I need to have another. It showed that I had some new lesions and some inflamed current lesions. However, I am not or was not having any side effects or problems. I just wasn't on any medication. So...here's to beginning another medication! :) What is Copaxone? Copaxone (glatiramer) is a combination of four amino acids (proteins) that affect the immune system. I have to start giving myself a shot 3 times a week. It is a subcutaneous needle, so nothing too scary. :) I use an injecting pen so it doesn't even seem like I am giving myself an injection, which is nice. I rotate between my arms, legs, hips/bottom, and stomach. I don't get to do my stomach very often because of my stretch marks. I can't inject into one of those so I have only a few options to choose from on my stomach. The injection does not hurt, but the 20 seconds to 30 minutes afterwards are the bear. It's not too bad when I do it in my stomach, but everywhere else it burns, turns hot and red, aches, and all that sort of jazz. However, I think I will take the 30 minutes of pain instead of 1/2-1 day of flu like symptoms associated with Avonex, when I was on that. The other day, K started asking questions...like "Why do you have to give yourself a shot?". I panicked a little and looked at my husband. I know I need to tell her at some point what is wrong with Mommy, but I still am not sure what to say to her. My husband, being good with words, said kindly and gently "You know how sometimes people need to take medicine to keep them healthy and strong? Well, Mommy needs to give her these shots to keep her healthy and strong." I wouldn't have been able to say it like that. K took that with acceptance and went on her merry way. I was getting emotional because I don't ever want anyone to think I am sick and can't do anything. I want to be strong and "normal". I am so grateful for a supportive husband who knows exactly what to say when I can't say them. That is the point of this blog. One day I can give this to my daughter and she maybe will be able to understand what my challenge is in life.

Changes...again

Let's see...all has been going well in my life. I can say life is good. However, within these last six months have had a few stressors: Becoming CPT certified...which was a 5 hour 40 minutes exam in May, but a 10 week prep course consisting of class two days a week, Roxy having issues with her tumors, which led into us having to put her down, K finishing preschool, Graduation from Metropolitan Community College, and Vacation to Texas. Although these events have been exciting, sad, exhausting, happy, stressful, etc it has been an eventful few months. A few weeks ago, the area below my right cheek bone toward my lip became numb. It felt like I had dental work done and my face was still numbed from the novacaine that is given. Then on Sunday I started become weak and overly tired. My right arm and leg are the problems again. My leg muscle seems atrophied and is sore all the sudden, like I overworked it. I felt like I had a little bit of vertigo and was dizzy. My gate was unbalanced when I stood up and so I decided to send my neurologist a note explaining to hear what was going on. I asked her if I needed to do anything or if it was just something I needed to deal with as a symptom caused by all my stress. Well, she responded that it sounds like I was having a relapse. I went in yesterday and she did the exam and ordered an MRI for that evening. She called me a few moments ago and advised that the MRI shows new active lesions and that we need to change medications. Being on Tecfidera for 6 months should have prevented this from happening. So...back to square one. I was put on Prednisone to get me back to normal, which is consisting of 25 50mg tablets in the morning! AAAHHH!! It was so weird taking that many pills at once. I was scared to take them, not only because the taste is NASTY, but because taking that many pills at once would be like an overdose of medicine. I decided to do the pill steroid instead of an IV this time. I am still able to function and do all of my normal things, so this relapse is different than all the others. Of course, every episode that I have had these past 13 years of being diagnosed have been different. All is well, just another hump to jump over, but remembering to keep a good attitude, trust my doctors, and find the positive in all things will make this that more bearable. K is starting to get to the point of asking lots of questions, but she is not quite to the point that she would be able to understand things fully. One of these days I will be able to find the best way to tell her what I have and why things happen to me that don't with others.