Remicade Mishap

Uh oh! I'm feeling a rant coming on! Sorry for the negativeness of this post, but I just have to let some steam off. Today was a really crappy day. I knew I had my Remicade infusion today so I've been stressing all week about it. Every time I get my infusion here in Utah something goes wrong. The first time, it took 5 pokes and 4 different nurses to finally get my IV in. The second time, something went wrong between my doctor out here and the infusion center and they didn't have my order for my meds so I had to make a dozen phone calls to get it straightened out. I've been trying to hydrate all week long just so they could get my IV in today. I get there, get checked in, request a certain nurse that is really good, and then the receptionist calls me back to the front desk and tells me that they don't have my Remicade order so they can't give it to me. I'm due this week for my meds and they can't give it to me. Every year, on January 1, my doctor has to renew my Remicade order with the infusion center. Well this past January, something happened with our insurance that my nurse called me about and they had to get all straightened out and I specifically asked about them renewing my order on my meds because I knew it had to be done. My nurse, Dr. Bodily's assistant, assured me that Dr. Bodily had just approved it and that I was all set to go for my March infusion. Well apparently not because I had to reschedule to go back on Monday to get my infusion! So Josh and I leave the clinic and I immediately call my mom in tears. I already stress out about getting Remi out here because something always goes wrong! And now I'm due for Remi and they can't give it to me because someone screwed something up! I know I'm in the adult world now of medicine and not in Pediatrics anymore, but I shouldn't have to hold anybody's hand to get my meds ordered for me! And the office even assured me that I was all set for my appointment today and that was a complete lie. I'm just so frustrated! Oh and the icing on the cake? Dr. Bodily and his assistant aren't in the office today, so I couldn't just call them and have them fax the order over because they weren't there. So now I have to make some calls bright and early Monday morning to make sure that when I go to the infusion center Monday at 2 pm, my Remi order is there and ready for me.
I've been on Remicade for going on 7 years! I've been getting Remicade out here in Utah at the same doctors office for 2 years; you'd think they could get it right. Nothing goes wrong when I get Remi back home! Lately, I've started hating the fact that I'm on Remicade. They can never get my IV in my arm without at least 2 pokes every time. I have so many calluses built up on my veins that they just can't get the needle in. I stress out so much every time I know I have to go because I know they're aren't going to get the needle in. I'm just so ready to be off this medication. I know I should be grateful for it and most of the time, I am. I am grateful that the doctors were able to give it to me and that it was able to work for me. I've been flare-up free for almost 7 years! I just don't know if I can do this anymore. There has got to be a better way to control Crohn's.

If today wasn't bad enough, last night I was in the BYU Urgent Care. Last week Sunday, I started birth control and on Tuesday I noticed a rash on my hands. I waited to see if it was just a rash and if it would go away. Well it didn't. It hasn't spread or gotten worse, but it hasn't gotten better either. So last night I went into Urgent Care and they told me to stop the birth control and she thought it had something to do with the fact that I was on Remicade. I think I'm just having an allergic reaction to this specific brand of birth control, but we'll see. For now, I've stopped the birth control and have to wait and see if the rash goes away. If not, I have to go back in and see a dermatologist. And if it does go away, I have to go back in and try another brand of birth control to see if I react to that. This week has just been busy and long and stressful. Today was no different besides the fact that I got to have lunch (Costa Vida) with my hunny and after I was upset about the appointment today, he sat with me and held me while I cried and vented to him. What a great boy! :)