It’s the morning of day three. Donnie had me thinking that I’m going to greet this day feeling horrible about my life choice. I awoke feeling as good as I had the previous two days. Two days of infusion, and I don’t feel any different. After I have a shower and put on comfortable infusion appropriate clothing, I make my way downstairs to have my daily fruit filled oatmeal.
I wander down to the kitchen on my scooter in this amazingly restored old home in New Westminster. We are guests at Honour House where I am made to feel at home.
I have to give many thanks to the Honour House. It’s a beautiful heritage home near the quay that has been beautifully renovated for the specific purpose of providing accommodation to police, veterans, military and first responder personnel, and their families, who require somewhere to stay while attending medical treatment in BC’s Lower Mainland. The facility is sponsored by a society which is funded through many community-minded sponsors. It was just like being at home (except for the elevator).
After eating we make our way to the clinic. I feel pretty good on the morning I had expected to feel lousy. I feel like I was setup, and it didn’t work.
The clinic starts off like the first two days. An hour of steroids, and the rest of the time I’m filled with Lemtrada.
Donnie (again not his real name) arrives shortly after I with his family in tow.
From what he told me on day one, and the negative attitude he had about MS and Lemtrada, I thought it was time to have a serious conversation. I have a captive audience as his family went shopping. I couldn’t help myself. I just thought he had to be upbeat at the progress he has made. I look at a guy who had been bed-ridden, and is now moving swifter than myself.
We talked and talked while the Lemtrada dripped and dripped.
By the end of the day he explained how he was excited to be going back to work. He hasn’t worked for a few years, and explained his employer will put him back to work considering all the improvements his health has made during the past few years.
Work can be difficult for someone with MS. In Canada one is not required to tell their employer of an MS diagnosis. That’s between the patient and the doctor. I told my employer right away, and have been extremely fortunate. Many others are not so lucky.
Donnie also told me he and his partner have been making plans for the future which includes children.
His drip was done first. He bounced out of the chair, grabbed his walker and went to the kitchen for some lunch. He moved even better than the morning. I was sure he didn’t need the walker, but it’s one of those habits that MS holds you to.
He ate and walked through the clinic randomly talking to others and settling in to some friendly banter with the nursing staff. From Monday to Wednesday my new friend went from down-in-the-mouth to someone excited about new prospects in life.
Shortly after, the nurse removed my day-three drip. I settled in to being free of the equipment. Donnie’s family came to whisk him away to a better life. He walked out I wished him all the best for the future and watched them slide out the door. I hope he’s doing well. MS is such a cruel illness and I just hope to have the same response to Lemtrada that he has had.
While much of my attention had been focussed selfishly on myself and Donnie, I had observed there was a third Lemtrada patient who had joined us for the day. She, likely in her 20s, and her mom (I assume) sat quietly at an infusion chair to my right. Something about them told me she was not up for any conversation. My loss. I hope all the best for her.
The infusion room had been bustling throughout the day. There were several people receiving infusions on trial studies and others being infused with their twice-yearly dose of Ocreluzimab.
Day three was done so we made our way back to Honour House. We discovered a quick way (via Google maps) to negotiate Lower Mainland traffic through to New Westminster.
I arrived back at the house with the anticipation of some relaxation around one of the home’s fireplaces. We shared the 11-private bedroom house with one other person throughout the week. I expect a quiet evening to take me into Lemtrada days four and five with no steroids.
I wonder how that will go.
On The Road With MS 