which included my cyanocobalamine in 1 mL vials, alcohol swabs, eyedrops (which I am having to use because of eye dryness), and of course 20 needles individually wrapped. I have what they call pernicious anemia, which is due to lack of intrinsic factor, diagnosed initially through a Schilling's test. I used to take shots at my doctor's office but then it was determined that the pills would do, which was not true after all due to malabsorption. Therefore, shots are the only true way to alleviate symptomatology manifested from this. For those of you who don't know intrinsic factor is a natural substance normally present in the lining of the stomach. It is essential to the digestion of vitamin B-12. Lack of intrinsic factor leads to pernicious anemia and vitamin B-12 deficiency, which is what I have and will need treatment with injections.
Here's the rundown on the needle ... which is scary looking and long!
Before I left my doctor's office I was pretty sure I could give myself an injection, however, what I didn't realize was that this is not a subcutaneous injection such as one would give for a diabetic, this injection I have to give myself is intramuscular, which means it has to penetrate at least to muscle, which means of course a longer needle and a stab with the world's sharpest needle, and as you can see, the whole length of the needle (which looks longer than an inch) indeed goes in. The nurse at my doctor's office said to basically throw it in like a dart, just like you hold a dart and stab.
Freak out time! I took the cap off one of the needles and realized that I would have to basically stab myself with that? I don't recall that needle in the doctor's office looking THAT long. sheesh. I have the pharmacist look up the original order because I was sure that was wrong. Heck you could hit a nerve with that thing, speaking of which I am a bundle of nerves!
I have to keep telling myself, I can do it, I can do it.
The nurse in this video makes it look easy, but I'm not convinced yet.
As you can see, she did make it look easy. I am going to have to take a nerve pill and watch this video a few times to pump myself up for this big event, which is suppose to happen Wednesday. I am not going to like this, no sir reedy, not one bit.
Hope everybody has had a good day. If you haven't seen me ... well, I got into stripping wallpaper off my kitchen, what a job! and once I started I had to finish it. Tomorrow I'm on the clock for 4 hours. I am about ready to peter out myself.
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I don't recall that needle in the doctor's office looking THAT long. sheesh. I have the pharmacist look up the original order because I was sure that was wrong. Heck you could hit a nerve with that thing, speaking of which I am a bundle of nerves! 
