Genogirl doesn't know this yet, but she's going to get a 2-3 day break from her shots. We are going to Alaska for 2 weeks starting on Saturday, a few days of which we will spend camping in Denali National Park (assuming the weather cooperates).
I called Pfizer and explained that we'll be in the back country without access to refrigeration, and asked for advice about how to store the meds while we are camping. They said that they have no information about the stability of the drug outside the recommended 36-42 degree range.
I find this kind of strange. In fact, I doubt that they have no information about its stability outside the proscribed temperature range, given the amount of research I assume they have done on this drug. Or maybe they haven't done as much research as I would hope they would have.
So anyway, I called her endocrinologist, who basically said to leave the stuff in the fridge at my aunt's house and just not do the shots for the few days we are away. I haven't told Natasha. I wonder how she'll react. I imagine it will be a relief, but at the same time I know she is happy to be growing. I'll report back...
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Monday, May 19, 2008
I had to sit down
An unexpected package arrived from Pfizer today via FedEx. I was so thrown that I went weak in the knees out of anxiety and had to sit down. The funny thing is, I don't even know what I was nervous about.
Turns out they want me to return the supposedly malfunctioning pen and sent a whole bunch of pre-paid packaging in which to do so.
On the good news front: G-Girl has definitely grown in the 4 weeks since she has been taking this drug. I measured her day one and my husband measured her again at a 2 and 4 week interval. At each measuring, she grew. Our measurements may not be exact, but there is no question that there is progress. Hooray! All is not for naught.
Turns out they want me to return the supposedly malfunctioning pen and sent a whole bunch of pre-paid packaging in which to do so.
On the good news front: G-Girl has definitely grown in the 4 weeks since she has been taking this drug. I measured her day one and my husband measured her again at a 2 and 4 week interval. At each measuring, she grew. Our measurements may not be exact, but there is no question that there is progress. Hooray! All is not for naught.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Love songs
So Genogirl has been singing love songs to her daddy on her blog. That is very nice and all, but who has been there every day for her for the last three weeks? Who is there every day when she comes home from school? Who makes her lunches and buys her clothes and helps her in the shower and volunteers at her school and takes her to yoga and... well, you get the picture.
I guess the plight of a mom is to do it all and be taken for granted.
I guess the plight of a mom is to do it all and be taken for granted.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Her head hurts
One of the main side effects of Genotropin is headaches. Natasha is suffering from a headache tonight. I don't use suffering lightly. She is not moaning in agony or anything, but she took herself to bed with a cool washcloth at 7:30, which is pretty unheard of. And she never gets headaches.
We are on full disclosure with this whole Genotropin thing. To that end, I told her that headaches can be a side effect, and that I want her to really keep me up to date on when she has headaches, what they feel like, etc.
I also need to keep things in perspective: not everything is tied to this drug. For example, I almost never get headaches and last night in the middle of Finding Om I had a killer headache and was pretty positive I had a fever, although I didn't have either by the time I got home. So maybe it's just a teeny virus or something going around.
Every little thing is suddenly bigger. My ass, tummy and double chin included.
We are on full disclosure with this whole Genotropin thing. To that end, I told her that headaches can be a side effect, and that I want her to really keep me up to date on when she has headaches, what they feel like, etc.
I also need to keep things in perspective: not everything is tied to this drug. For example, I almost never get headaches and last night in the middle of Finding Om I had a killer headache and was pretty positive I had a fever, although I didn't have either by the time I got home. So maybe it's just a teeny virus or something going around.
Every little thing is suddenly bigger. My ass, tummy and double chin included.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
New pen coming right up
So I called the Pfizer help line to have someone walk me through the cartridge-change process. Genotropin didn't squirt quite so vigorously all over my kitchen table this time, but a whole lot more than one or two drops came out.
No one could figure out why this was happening. I suggested that pressure could be building because the meds are sent up to altitude. We are only at 6,200 feet but it can definitely make a difference in strange things, like yogurt occasionally flying out of the newly-opened container, or needing to make those side-of-the-box high altitude adjustments to baking. But I don't think the Pfizer people really gave that idea any credence. Their solution: send me a new pen.
Okay. We'll give it a try. Why not. I'm not sure how much the meds cost aside from our monthly co-pay, but the endocrinologist told us that no one goes on them unless insurance covers it because the cost is prohibitive. So I will play along and do my best not to waste any precious formula.
After all, if it's a contest between who I'd rather see grow, Natasha or the kitchen table, she wins hands down.
No one could figure out why this was happening. I suggested that pressure could be building because the meds are sent up to altitude. We are only at 6,200 feet but it can definitely make a difference in strange things, like yogurt occasionally flying out of the newly-opened container, or needing to make those side-of-the-box high altitude adjustments to baking. But I don't think the Pfizer people really gave that idea any credence. Their solution: send me a new pen.
Okay. We'll give it a try. Why not. I'm not sure how much the meds cost aside from our monthly co-pay, but the endocrinologist told us that no one goes on them unless insurance covers it because the cost is prohibitive. So I will play along and do my best not to waste any precious formula.
After all, if it's a contest between who I'd rather see grow, Natasha or the kitchen table, she wins hands down.
Monday, May 12, 2008
That time again
Last night's shot was kind of weird.
In preparation for each shot I attach a needle to the pen and turn the knob at the pen top clockwise 5 clicks to "dial the dose" to 1 mg, which registers by .2 mg increments on a digital LCD window. If the knob doesn't go all the way to 1 mg that means we are at the end of the cartridge, which I can kind of tell anyway because there is a clear part of the pen through which I get a sense of how much is left. In addition, the plunger that pushes a little bit forward after each injection has a numeric countdown on it, so I can get a sense of how much is left on a daily basis. It's not exact but it gives me an idea.
Anyway, if the dial doesn't go all the way to 1.0 mg I can just inject Genogirl with whatever remains and then change the cartridge the next day. Last night it only dialed to 0.6, which is fine. But when I went to inject her it didn't seem like anything moved. There was still the same amoung of liquid in the window, and the plunger was still in the same place. All the meds seemed to stay in the pen. I played around with it again but everything else was in the correct post-shot position. No idea what that's about.
It's kind of exhausting, always having to face something new and never being quite sure that I'm doing anything right. Well, not never. Some days go just fine. But there's always the possibility of the unknown cropping up, as it did yesterday.
In any case, I need to change the cartridge again today. I am going to call the help line and have someone walk me through it during the day when no one is around and I'm not tired or distracted or anything and see if it goes any better.
The good news is Natasha is taking this all really well. I was touched by how excited she was about getting her new pen covers, which provide "fun" alternatives to the plain color it came with. And saddened. Touched by how well she is incorporating this all into her life, and saddened that it has to be in her life at all. I mean, nothing about this is really very fun. Her excitement at the cool new covers (kittens! hearts! flames!) just underscore what a little kid she is, and it kills me that this has to be something that becomes normal to her and that "pen" covers are something for her to be excited about and look forward to changing. I'm glad for whatever can make it more bearable, but I'm so so sorry that she has to be bearing this at all.
This is one of those times I think I need to go count my blessings.
In preparation for each shot I attach a needle to the pen and turn the knob at the pen top clockwise 5 clicks to "dial the dose" to 1 mg, which registers by .2 mg increments on a digital LCD window. If the knob doesn't go all the way to 1 mg that means we are at the end of the cartridge, which I can kind of tell anyway because there is a clear part of the pen through which I get a sense of how much is left. In addition, the plunger that pushes a little bit forward after each injection has a numeric countdown on it, so I can get a sense of how much is left on a daily basis. It's not exact but it gives me an idea.
Anyway, if the dial doesn't go all the way to 1.0 mg I can just inject Genogirl with whatever remains and then change the cartridge the next day. Last night it only dialed to 0.6, which is fine. But when I went to inject her it didn't seem like anything moved. There was still the same amoung of liquid in the window, and the plunger was still in the same place. All the meds seemed to stay in the pen. I played around with it again but everything else was in the correct post-shot position. No idea what that's about.
It's kind of exhausting, always having to face something new and never being quite sure that I'm doing anything right. Well, not never. Some days go just fine. But there's always the possibility of the unknown cropping up, as it did yesterday.
In any case, I need to change the cartridge again today. I am going to call the help line and have someone walk me through it during the day when no one is around and I'm not tired or distracted or anything and see if it goes any better.
The good news is Natasha is taking this all really well. I was touched by how excited she was about getting her new pen covers, which provide "fun" alternatives to the plain color it came with. And saddened. Touched by how well she is incorporating this all into her life, and saddened that it has to be in her life at all. I mean, nothing about this is really very fun. Her excitement at the cool new covers (kittens! hearts! flames!) just underscore what a little kid she is, and it kills me that this has to be something that becomes normal to her and that "pen" covers are something for her to be excited about and look forward to changing. I'm glad for whatever can make it more bearable, but I'm so so sorry that she has to be bearing this at all.
This is one of those times I think I need to go count my blessings.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Her 11th shot
Last night was Genogirl's 11th shot. She said it hurt. And it bled a little.
We are all trying to normalize the situation as much as possible. I know she was not faking that it hurt. She said it was the worst one ever. I feel like the worst mom ever.
Is it because I botched changing the cartridge? I doubt it but I can't help but think that. What did I do differently? Did I not inject at exactly a 90 degree angle? Did I inject precisely into the site of a previous shot? Were her legs sore from her track meet earlier in the evening and so more sensitive? I know I shouldn't blame myself and yet of course my mind goes to that place.
We are both nervous about tonight.
We are all trying to normalize the situation as much as possible. I know she was not faking that it hurt. She said it was the worst one ever. I feel like the worst mom ever.
Is it because I botched changing the cartridge? I doubt it but I can't help but think that. What did I do differently? Did I not inject at exactly a 90 degree angle? Did I inject precisely into the site of a previous shot? Were her legs sore from her track meet earlier in the evening and so more sensitive? I know I shouldn't blame myself and yet of course my mind goes to that place.
We are both nervous about tonight.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Replacing the cartridge for the first time
I think I did it wrong. I tried to follow the instructions but when I went to check for air bubbles instead of a drop or two of the medicine flowing out we got kind of a geyser. Like, I think about 3 days worth of meds spouted onto my kitchen table. I guess that's what the Pfizer 800 number is for. Today is Sunday. I will call tomorrow. Or maybe I should wait until I have to change it next time and call and have them walk me though it. Or both.
Is there anyone out there going through this? Is anyone reading this? I had to make a batch of cookies and eat about 1/2 of them. This is really killing me. Both the shots and the fat intake.
Is there anyone out there going through this? Is anyone reading this? I had to make a batch of cookies and eat about 1/2 of them. This is really killing me. Both the shots and the fat intake.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Getting easier every day
Last night Natasha let me stick her in the booty for the second time. No butt-clenching, either. Went really smoothly and quickly.
We are both getting more confident about this: she that it doesn't hurt all that much, me that I know how to do it. From my side, that allows me to do the injection much more efficiently. In fact, the other day I was cooking dinner and set the kitchen timer for 5 minutes. Just then Natasha decided she wanted her shot, so we did it. And I was back in the kitchen with 2 minutes still on the clock. She was pretty impressed when I pointed out that the whole thing had taken about 3 minutes, start to finish.
In a few days the meds cartridge will run out and I will need to replace the Genotropin cartridge. As Roseanne Roseannadanna said, "it's always something. If it's not one thing it's another."
Wow. That was fun. I haven't quoted Roseanne Roseannadanna in a while!
We are both getting more confident about this: she that it doesn't hurt all that much, me that I know how to do it. From my side, that allows me to do the injection much more efficiently. In fact, the other day I was cooking dinner and set the kitchen timer for 5 minutes. Just then Natasha decided she wanted her shot, so we did it. And I was back in the kitchen with 2 minutes still on the clock. She was pretty impressed when I pointed out that the whole thing had taken about 3 minutes, start to finish.
In a few days the meds cartridge will run out and I will need to replace the Genotropin cartridge. As Roseanne Roseannadanna said, "it's always something. If it's not one thing it's another."
Wow. That was fun. I haven't quoted Roseanne Roseannadanna in a while!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
