You Can't Have It All

Shot night was Friday night. In the past several weeks, I've been noticing more side effects, as well as feeling more pain when I took the shot. My Avonex nurse called on Friday to check in with me, and she suggested I take the medicine out even earlier, to make sure it gets to room temperature before the shot. So I took it out before we headed out to dinner.

This shot did hurt less. And I had fewer side effects the next day - just a mild fever, and I was tired out after shopping and going to the movies. But there's a nice big bruise on my left thigh, because I bruised myself when I gave myself the shot. I cannot win. Either I feel worse, or I look worse. My dad asked me if Tim hurt me while giving me the shot, but I 'fessed up that I was the one responsible for the bruise.

And now is not the time to start giving myself mega-bruises, with summer heat already making a brief visit this past weekend. I don't really want to spend 90+ degree days in long pants just to hide the mark.

Sun Care

The nurse gave me loads of useful information during our phone call on Friday. She talked about some of the issues associated with photosensitivity. My eyes may be more sensitive to light, so I need to make sure to wear my sunglasses. A light bulb went off inside my head when she mentioned that. Earlier in the week, I had driven home on an overcast day, but I still had to put on my sunglasses to avoid squinting.

(Psst, don't tell the nurse, but I forgot to bring my sunglasses to work today.)

She also mentioned that my skin is more susceptible to burning, so I need to be extra careful about using sunscreen. Yeah, that's just what a pale person with Swedish and Welsh in her background wants to hear. Like I don't have enough trouble already.

We're going to the beach over Memorial Day weekend, and I'm already planning some of the essentials. A crate of sunscreen (since Tim is even paler than I am!) is at the top of the list. And the last time I went to the beach, I had taken along a lot of water bottles that I had frozen. It turned out to be a great plan, so I'll make sure we're well-stocked again this trip.