Entry 04: I've got my prescription!

2000-Apr-14 : Dr. Di Bisceglie finally called me back today. (No apology for the delay, grumble grumble.) We've got the summer details worked out (I will be seeing my previous doctor in Philadelphia, Dr. Muñoz for the 4-week test and meeting) and so I went in to get my prescription.

His wonderful assistant/nurse, Kathleen, set me up with the prescription. She asked my weight and I said 180, maybe 175. (The maybe was because Lisa and I have been doing some long walks and I've felt reasonably in-shape.) Kathleen said that I was right on the cusp of whether I should take 5 tablets of ribavirin a day, or 6. So we weighed me. The result--scales at doctor's offices LIE! There is no WAY I am 188 pounds...must have been my wallet. Anyhow, 6 tablets a day it is.

The Walgreens pharmacy did not have the medicine in stock but (thankfully) are able to get it by tomorrow, so I will be starting my treatment on Sunday night (Apr-16). There was a several-hour problem with the insurance (I didn't have my prescription card when I dropped off the prescription) but thankfully it was resolved, and instead of paying ~$1400 for the month worth of medication, I'll be paying...
.
.
(drumroll, please)
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...$15! w00t! Yay!

I'm dreading Sunday night, but am heartened by the fact that the video I watched today as a refresher on how to administer the shots was filled with people saying "Yeah, it sucked the first few times. Yeah, I had panic attacks about it. But after a few times you don't really even notice it. You just get on with life."

Here's to getting on with life...

- Gavin

To continue, visit Entry 05, the first entry inside the Treatment section of this journal.