First Remicade Day

As many of you may know, my Crohns is at a horrible point and I have been given limited options on what is next...so Remicade infusions it is with hopes of NO surgeries in the near future.  My flare-up this time is one of a kind with all sorts of complications that makes life so frusturating.  I know I'm not myself currently but I am hoping and praying that this "MIRACLE" drug does the trick and turns my life around.  One can only hope right?

Remicade is suppose to help put Crohns in remission and relieves symptoms (pain, diarrhea, fatigue, etc) by binding and blocking the effects of TNF-alpha, a protein involved in the inflammation process.  And as Crohns is know for my intestines are inflammed like no other.  Lets just say they are "pissed off" right now which makes me "very very mad!"

So today was the day to start my infusions.  As a health care professional, I could only think of the worst things imaginable that could happen to me and not the positives.  I think Brian thought I was crazy because I couldn't quit talking about the bad and what if's!  I arrived at the hospital and checked in to get my famous arm band on so everyone knows who I am.  I was taken to an infusion room with a reclining chair and tv and the dreaded IV pump.  I felt so awkward when I was in the area because here I am 28 years old and all of these other individuals are old people or people that truely look sick.  What was I doing there? I have a hard time thinking of myself as in the same classification of them when honestly I am probably in a worse position then them :(

Heres how Remicade day went:
--Checked in at 8am
--Got my IV started by an amazing nurse (went to high school with him so that helped) and hooked up to blood pressure cuff (BP every 15 minutes while getting the infusion)
--Given some Tylenol and reminded of option for Benadryl if I would have a reaction. To be honest I was hoping for the Benadryl so I would sleep part of the infusion and not worry a bit...it went ok nonetheless
--Infusion begins...This is where I felt like my heart was going to jump out of my chest and my throat was going to close :) Once the infusion began, it was a cinch. 
--The infusion lasted about 3 hours with some awesome visitors, my husband and of course, daytime TV. 

Overall, the Remicade process wasn't a bad one and I felt ok afterwards.  I went home and took a nap and just felt very nauseated but overall could function.  Lets hope the rest of them are the same.
I will get my next infusion in 2 weeks, then 4 weeks, then 8 weeks and with no "end date" in my treatment.  I'm crossing my fingers and praying for this to be the drug I need.