Learning Curve

The fact that one can buy syringes at the pharmacy and that they won't blink an eye when selling them is something I learned a long time ago due to kittens I was feeding (needless to say, without the needles..), and there's also my sister who used syringes (again, without the needles) as a way of giving medicine to her sick child (I actually like that method - a. you know exactly how much; b. much easier to slowly push the syringe than to force him to swallow from a spoon). So today, buying the Menopur (which, yay, they approved it quickly and with no problem!) the pharmacist asked if I needed syringes. Seems it comes without. Saying yes, she poured more and more syringes onto the counter (20* in all. Should have waited with the pic on last post..). Looking at those big needles, I asked if she doesn't have any smaller ones (because part of my previous learning was that you can get different sizes..), to which she replies that not to worry, those needles are for mixing and gave me another 20 small needles. So my second lesson for today is that one can buy small needles without the actual syringe at the pharmacy... [I'm sure that one day this information will come in handy!]

Second lesson.. first was regarding the white, blue and pink cards at the clinic. Up till now I had a white card, which meant I was a patient there and no problem with scans and blood work and beta, but couldn't quite figure out the blue and pink cards. I understood they were for outer patients, but not the difference between them. Today, as head nurse heard I wanted my blood results faxed to where I'm doing IVF (unfortunately they are not equipped to do IVF at the clinic), she threw my white card to the trash and kind of scolded at me for not showing the referral I had (didn't know my status would change..). So now I have a blue card for blood and a pink one for u/s which are both a one month card (the white was for as long as), and every new cycle (of course hoping and believing this will be the cycle, but just in case..) have to show referrals to get those cards, making me treatable. And Beta will now be done locally (which actually beyond the advantage of being near, is also better since results will be by computer, i.e will not be hearing a human voice saying - no, your not pregnant..).

[actually I think today's first was that sub-q is not into the muscle, lol, and not sure how the menopur works (on the box it says both), but hopefully I'm "getting away" without those IM injections..]


* I really doubt I will be doing 20 of these injections, lol. I mean I still don't know how and what and when, and am taking things a step at a time, but 20?? Well they are really cheap and came with a discount (funny thing was getting a discount for them. I mean I do have a discount on the meds and they love showing that on the receipt, but instead of paying 4.44 shekels [about 1.11$] to pay 0.67 shekels for the syringes.... oh, I am not complaining, it is just funny) and no harm having them around.

EDT - Friday 16:30 can sigh now with relief - phew! Had a scan this morning, faxed results to IVF place, phoned to see if received (as was instructed), and nothing, couldn't get hold of them. O.K, don't panic, it's Fri you will get a call from them with instructions. Only at about 15:30 [=very, very late on a Fri] did I get those instructions - today 250 ml and tomorrow 250 ml. O.K time to panic!! I have a pen of 450 which I started yesterday, no way do I have the amount he wants. And yes, of course it has to happen on Fri when all the pharmacies close at about 13:00 and while there are emergency pharmacies for the weekend, I need one that is with my HMO and that does fertility drugs - how the hell do I find it???
After trying to see if anyone (on the boards) has anything (actually there was someone who jut announced she has a 900 pen to give, but that kind of seems wrong as I will probably only need one dose, pity to waste it all if she can give it to someone else who will use more of it). Finally called dr. who told me I can start tomorrow with the menopur. Phew, good thing I did manage to get it today. I suppose that all's well that ends well.