My 21st ACTEMRA

I had my 21st ACTEMRA today. The chemotherapy room was so busy and I could finally find my bed to lay myself. There are many beds and reclining chairs separated with curtain in chemo-room. I heard a conversation between a patient and a nurse. She was also having ACTEMRA. She said it was her 9th injection. Mine was 21st. I won!!! She said (I heard) she got up at 6:30 today and often snored during her madication. I know patients get relaxed and get sleepy on getting injection. I dozed of a little too today. Getting chemo therapy every 4 weeks is like dating every month with sweetheart. I can feel ACTEMRA delivered all over my body during having drop infusion of the medicine. I can feel ACTEMRA gurgles into my peripheral joint. It is true.

I have written it is terribly cold these days in my district. Fortunately my arthritis is getting better and better despite of this cold whether. My physical therapist measured cm around my fingers. Almost all numbers of circumference of my finger joints got smaller than last month. GREAT !! There is NO SWELLING! I only feel stiffness on my fingers everyday. I hope this would be disappear in near future.

KEEP WARM and SLEEP ENOUGH!   That’s the point to live good with RA.

My 20th ACTEMRA

Today I finished my ACTEMRA administration with no problem.  This was my 20^th shot. I usually get 480mg of ACTEMRA with 100ml of saline solution by drip infusion every 4 weeks.  We need take time for the first 3 ml of dissolved ACTEMRA and check allergic reaction. If nothing wrong, we raise the rate of infusion and finish it in an hour. I am so happy I’ve never experienced serious reaction.

People say we can get effect of treatment very slowly with ACTEMRA.  And would get effect in 3 months.  But in my case, I got good result on the day when I got my first infusion. I’ve had been suffering from sever pain all over my body before starting the infusion.  I had taken small steps and walked like a penguin. I could never had rolled over in my sleep because of my shoulder pain. So I had found my bed sheet with no ruck every morning. But next morning after my first infusion, I found my sheet got crushed.  I was so surprised to find it.  I could roll over like healthy people. And my doctor was so glad to see my natural walk.  It was only 20 months ago. I feel this 20 months very long .  After my first ACTEMRA there were so many changes, good changes, healing and cure.

(I will write about “ After my first ACTEMRA” next time.)

I place photo of today’s shot of myself getting infusion on reclining chair in my hospital.  I’m sorry I’m not brave enough to put my face.  One of my friends gave me warning about opening my privacy.  We on the glove have many cultures.  Countries are countries all over the world.