Entry 09: My, I am nauseated...

2000-Apr-25 : Well, things aren't feeling so well. I have been getting 10-11 hours of sleep a night, but it's a restless, repeatedly-waking-up-and-drifting-in-and-out-of-dreams kind of sleep. I feel aches on and off, but mostly my problem now is nausea.

For the last 2-3 days, throughout the day and night I get hit with these long attacks of nausea, where I just feel gross and unhappy in the stomach. The exertion of a trip walking up and down the stairs kicks it into high gear, and I have to sit rather still for 5-10 minutes. UNPLEASANT. We haven't yet found the card to trump this latest move--TUMS (though fabulously flavored) fail. Kefir seems like it may be doing the trick...still not sure.

It's a little discouraging, whereas I had woken up after the 1st and 2nd shots feeling excited about getting through this with no bad effects, to now be waking up and (this morning in the shower) feeling nauseated, a little weak, a little dizzy, and sore. If I can find something to trump this nagging persistent unwell feeling, life should be a lot better.

Lastly, I didn't do too well with my shot on Sunday night. The after effects weren't bad, but I tried to give the shot itself on the outside of my left thigh, using my left hand. I was feeling weak, was unable to push the plunger down with my thumb, tried to switch my grip, jiggled the needle, and when removing did not pull along the axis of the needle. On the upside, I took Advil beforehand and it hurt very little during the shot itself. On the downside, an hour later the injection site complained bitterly of my unsteady hand. I think I'll be using my right hand from now on.

I'm also thinking of hacking together some piece of plastic to attach to the pen, to pull against with my fingers while pushing with my thumb, like a syringe has. You try holding a pen very steady at a shallow angle in your leg and then working your thumb to push the end of it, and I think you'll understand the beauty of the design of a syringe. I sure am (though I still prefer the pen, as evil-looking as a syringe is to me).

Hoping that the nausea will soon pass...