Blog #10 Freedom for all

Hello Fellow Bloggers,

I hope everyone has enjoyed their weekend and survived 'Ida' the tropical storm and their day off today for Veteran's Day. Everyone in my neck of the woods is still hanging in there. I've had this blog opened all week and have so much going on in my head that I can't focus on finishing it at all this week, so I'm giving it my best shot. Nini is still battling breast cancer and she starts chemo by the end of the month hopefully. Thank you to everyone for the many wishes sent her way.

This weeks blog is about the M&M simulation. M & M's are no longer a fun, tasty snack. If I were positive I wouldn't be healthy at all right now. Maintaining such a strict schedule is not as easy as I thought. I have put every excuse in the book to take them later. I take other medications that interfere with everything so its a tedious affair.

All in all if I didn't have my blackberry keeping me on schedule somewhat... I don't think I would be anywhere close to keeping on schedule. I feel like a corporate executive with my alarms and schedules.

I did talk to my sister and she said that the medications have advanced so much in the last ten years that there is no way to be even close to accurate of the ones he was taking back in the day. She said there were alot though 'the cocktail', everything was still very experimental and everything made him sick. I'm back to researching the meds on my own.

Did you know that the interactions between these medications are very difficult to overcome and not all of the anti-convulsant medications are even given to HIV patients due to the reaction of the virus with the composition of the pills themselves. I have a seizure disorder and have to take Dilantin. I have taken Tegretol, Klonopin, Cerebyx, Neurontin, Phenobarbital, Topamax, Depakote, and Zonegran. That doesn't leave many anti-seizures medications for me to take due to rashes and dizziness and other complications I had on the other meds. I'm not even HIV positive so that makes it even more challenging for those who are as these medications have heavy affects on the liver and must be monitored closely. That leaves Valium, Lamictal, Trileptal, Mysoline, and Gabitril. (Nursing Drug Handbook 34C) All of these medications have side effects and some can't even be taken for long periods of time or with an HIV/AIDS diagnosis. At the end of the day when your adding the side effects of a seizure disorder it doesn't help that they all don't work for you.


Works Cited:
Hodgson, RN, OCN, B. & Kizior, BS, RPh, R.(2000). Nursing Drug Handbook 2009. Missouri: Saunders Elsevier.