Hi, My name is Athena Mortenson and I (feel like I) am an addict.....

Well ok not quite but that was my experience yesterday at the doctor.

So I finally got to the point where I can start taking my miracle medicine to help me battle my AS. It's been over a year since diagnosed so this has been quite the wait. I had to have a TB test - negative, and blood work done - that was horrific, and pre-authorization from the insurance company - nothing like having to have faith in your insurance company.

So the drug I have to take is a weekly injection........for the rest of my life. And that is ok - because I am supposed to feel like a new/normal person again. The drug will combat my disease, make me feel better and then my body will start to heal itself - thank god!

So all things were a go and I had to go to a teaching session to learn how to give the self administered injection - oh great says the girl who hates needles. At one point she asks me if I am coming down with anything or think I am - to which I completely lied and said - no, I feel fine. That morning I woke up with the beginning of a sore throat but was like - I am not backing out of this, I have waited too long. The nurse was real nice and very informative and in the end here is how it pretty much went down.

We got to the point of teaching and I thought - I got it! I can do it in my abdomen and that will be great because I have some fat hanging out (compliments of the baby) and I have a dead zone where nerves were severed as a result of the c-section which means I can stab myself without feeling it! Sweet!!!

No dice. She tells me right before we do this that first she teaches to do it in the thigh and then once you get comfortable with your self injections she suggests moving to the abdomen. But then, she throws the bomb out there - I can't inject it within an inch of....a scar, mole, freckle...yes she really said freckle.......or stretch mark. :O

What?????? No, no, no, no. I think. Are you serious? Yes she said.

I'm screwed!!!! Why you ask? That would be because my beautiful son did a lovely number on my body and my stomach has so many stretch marks on it that it looks like the labyrinth from the Shining. Seriously - it's almost as bad as Kate Gosselin's stomach was when she had 6 kids! So she takes a look and goes - oh no, you won't be able to inject on your abdomen.

Dammit Jim!

So now on to the injecting. At first it doesn't look so bad -the needle isn't that long - only about 3/4 of an inch - until she tells me I have to stick the whole thing in my leg. Oh excuse me........dart the needle into the fat tissue. THEN, I have to pull the plunger back to see if there is a blood swirl that comes into the syringe. Yummy!!!!! Starting to feel like all of those junkies you see on the show Intervention. After that you then have to count to 5 and PLUNGE the burning medication into your leg.

SO how did I do? Well I first had to take a small timeout after I had the needle ready to dart myself - I needed a small (second) pep talk with myself first. Then after I grossed myself out with pulling up on the plunger - no blood swirl and usually there won't be one apparently, I then had to plunge the fluid in to my leg at which point I turned my head because it is just too much that I am injecting anything into myself. Not to mention I was trying to count to 5 but I wasn't pushing the medicine in fast enough and then she tries to push the needle back down because I apparently was letting off the pressure.

Gee, I can't imagine why.

But in the end - I gave myself the shot and we are supposed to start feeling better in about a week or two. And fully feeling better by week 6. So we shall see how I feel around New Years. Right now, I will just settle for a good night's sleep.