Can I Do It? Give Me Encouragement ...

Do I have to?

If any of you have ever had anemia or chronic fatigue syndrome, then perhaps you have some sympathy here. I happen to be one of the lucky people whose stomach lining does not absorb the Vitamin B-12 that most people take for granted and never even know they are deficient; however my body does not absorb it or store it, nor does a supplement taken orally suffice, so I have to give myself vitamin B 12 shots into my bloodstream directly via an intramuscular injection. I can tell you that the first time my doctor suggested I give myself shots (a few months back) I was a little squeamish, and I am still a little squeamish!

So her nurse proceeded to show me how to load up the needle, and where to inject it, what she didn't say was that that intramuscular needle looked like a big harpoon and it has to go all the way in?! Yikes, if you don't think an inch is long look at a fine needle, one which you have to insert all the way in your own skin? uh...I think my words were, "I don't know if I can really do that..." She made it look easy. She said to jab in the needle in one fluid motion. We are not talking about subcutaneous needles like insulin users use, those are babies compared to these puppies! Like I said she made it look easy.

What is really frightening is when you are faced with doing this the first time

ALONE!

I remember the first night I was faced with doing this, and supposed to do it regularly on a weekly basis, before I ran out a couple of months ago. I was scared stiff I tellyuns! I even went and looked at video on how to give myself a shot, and tried to "hype myself up" for it?! Yeah, just how does one hype themselves up to poke themselves with a dagger? I noticed that the drug store had given me itty bitty vials which was only one dose, and trying to load up the needle was difficult, so that stressed out to begin with, and then there I sat. Needle loaded, thigh exposed, eeeek!

Well, let me tell you that trying to inject yourself slowly is terribly painful! You will definitely learn to jab it, which is what I learned to do, and it wasn't so bad after all, and most times I didn't even give myself a bruise.

At this juncture with all my stress lately and not getting back to my doctor to get a refill on this, I have unrelenting muscle pain from the neuropathy of this pernicious anemia at this time. On top of this I am hypothyroid. Aren't I just the lucky gal, huh? I do have a doctor's appt. this next week for a checkup as I am so tired here lately, I am having palpitations for months now, and I nearly fall asleep every day. Yep, couple hypothyroid that with of anemia and I'm pretty much dead.

Even lifting my arms is a chore. My energy level is nil.

I am going to go gather up my supplies ...

An intramuscular needle (which is terrifying to look at) GULP!!

Okay maybe I CAN'T do this after all??

Oh Stop being whiny and go get the vial of bloody red B12!!

and off I go.

Wish me luck?