New Normal

I just shot myself.  In the stomach.  Twice, on purpose.  With syringes full of B12.  Welcome to getting older and breaking down a bit I guess.  This will be my new normal.  Once a month for the rest of my life I get to shoot myself full of vitamin B12 because my stomach decided to quit absorbing it from the foods I eat.  Just another autoimmune disease to add to my list of hypothyroidism and hives. Thanks a lot.  Last year at this time I was feeling numbness on my left side so I thought it was my thyroid acting up.  Nope, B12 deficiency.  I was low but not in the danger zone yet so my endocrinologist told me to see my regular doctor about it.  With all the trip planning going on I totally forgot about it and didn't remember again till September when I was going through paperwork to find my lab request for my thyroid test I have every six months.  Oops.  So this time the test came back with numbers far below the danger zone for B12.  If I didn't get help I would start having nerve damage, plus other stuff, plus death.  Blah, blah, blah.  So I started getting monthly injections at the clinic here in town but the annoyance factor of scheduling it every month and taking Bree in with me and the inconvenience on my time was enough for me to request being taught how to do it at home.  I REALLY hate needles so this was a huge step for me.  For some reason (Oregon law) you can't give yourself a shot intramuscularly but you can do subcutaneous shots on yourself.   Now for some other reason you have to split the B12 into two shots if its done subcutaneously.  Lucky me!  I practiced at the doctor's last month and the first shot was perfect.  The second I didn't poke fast enough so I kind of ended up pushing it in and the whole thought process and  pain behind it made me almost pass out!  I'm such a wuss.  I figured I would give it a try and if I couldn't do it on my own I could always head back to the doctor every month.  But this morning I was able to give myself the shots just fine!  I'm so proud of myself!  Walmart hooked me up with some needles that were tiny so I didn't feel a thing.  I kind of have to disassociate myself with what I am really doing to myself and then I'm fine!  I'm also glad I can do it this way since we have a mail order pharmacy that sends 90 day supplies so I actually have a couple vials in case of an emergency and I can't get to a doctor on time.  Its great for my thyroid meds too.  I am able to keep extra in our 72 hour kit.  I always worry about those who need regular doses of meds who might not be able to get to them in an emergency.  Not me!  I can shoot myself no problem!  I know there are many others out there who have it much rougher than I do, my sister for example with rheumatoid arthritis who shoots herself in the stomach once a week, but I am pretty proud of myself for being able to overcome my deathly fear of needles to take care of this minor inconvenience.  And, I have a great excuse now to keep a permanent roll of fat on my tummy so I have an injection site.