31-Aug-2010 (Infusion Day: Status Indeterminate)
"Prednisone makes me hungry and I mean fungry[sic]. But I have to take it the three days on and around my infusion day to help with my allergic reaction to the Remicade. Prednisone itself should help my symptoms because it reduces the inflammation in my colon, but it also forces me to ingest a tremendous amount more food than I am not used to eating.  See fungry."
VC lays out his preparation leading up to receiving his 3 hour infusion of Remicade, an immunosuppressant.  He takes Benadryl and Tylenol in addition to the Prednisone to fight the side effects of Remicade.

"On the day of [the infusion] I have to eat something;  Me and needles on an empty stomach is not a good idea.  But by this time all the extra food I consumed from the previous day starts giving me trouble, so I rebound back to not eating very much.  I eventually eat something neutral, but I have to be careful not to eat to close to my infusion start time so that my blood pressure doesn't drop to low.  Needles and low blood pressure is not a good idea either.  All the while drinking plenty of water and [electrolytes] so that my veins don't collapse during the stick."
VC pauses a beat.

"Getting the IV stick hurts, I mean I feel every millimeter pierce my skin and advance into my hand.  After my third infusion, the Remicade put me into remission for 97 days.  After having suffered for 9 consecutive months,  [during] those 97 days I felt so incredible; almost invincible.  From that point on no matter how many times I relapse, no matter how many days I suffer with symptoms, I no longer view the stick as causing me pain.  It pales in comparison to the alternative.  I sometimes catch myself smiling when I get stuck... sometimes I laugh too."


-xxxx

Today could be the day...