Today went a whole different way than we thought it would, but it was really exciting! I’ll tell you all about it! With some backstory, to catch you up.
Brady takes a medication for spasticity in his right leg. I’ve mentioned clonus a lot – when Brady’s leg jumps on its own. That, paired with some unceasing tone, is a real pain. His medication makes him incredibly drowsy, and has negative effects on his nights of sleep and the morning to follow. It works, but its not ideal. So a few months ago, Brady started seeing a new physiatrist, and they talked about botox.
Quick thing first – a physiatrist sounds made up, but it isn’t. Its a physician who specializes in physical medicine and rehabilitation. They hang out in the brain, spinal cord, nerves, etc. A very important position to fill for someone in Brady’s position.
Botox! I know some of you will have feelings about botox and injecting crap into our bodies. I totally get it. But hear me out. Botox is actually a pretty common thing for paras and quads when it comes to mobility! Bradys nerve damage in his spine directly affects his muscles, specifically in his right leg. That sucker is either spasming, or its seized up and stiff. The meds he’s been on do not in any way enhance his quality of life. His physiatrist said he is a fabulous candidate for botox, but the only hangup was the cost.
Botox is expensive. YIKES! If it became a good solution for Brady, he would need it every three months, and it would be about 2K each time. There is just simply no way. Dr. Guselle insisted it should be covered by Sask Health, but City Hospital rehab told us it was considered elective and would be out of pocket. So in Brady’s conversation with his physiatrist, he expressed that one issue, and his doctor said he’d have someone dig into it and apply for some funding on Brady’s behalf. Hopefully we could at least get some off the top, and if we had to cover the rest, we would find a way, because the man needs and deserves to function the best he can.
We were notified a while back that Brady had a followup appointment at his physiatrist, presumably to discuss going forward with the botox treatment. But a few days ago, Brady received a call from a pharmacist, asking some questions in order to get things going for his upcoming injections 😳 His injections we knew nothing about. Brady asked her if he was covered for it financially, and she didn’t know.
Over the weekend, we were a little annoyed that this appointment was already booked without funding. Who knew how long it would be until we were actually covered, and then we’d have to wait however long to actually receive the treatment. But there was no way to confirm anything until Monday, which was appointment day.
As Brady was on the road, driving in to his appointment today, he received the call that he was covered financially. FULLY. Between the Saskatchewan drug plan and the SAID program (Saskatchewan Aids to Independence) he is 100% covered for the treatment!!!
So Brady found out about 20 minutes before his appointment that he was getting botox!
Ok, so, by “botox” I actually mean Dysport. Its basically the same. It spreads easier and it better for larger areas, like in Bradys case, his calves. Botox is more concentrated for little areas like crows feet. So in this case, Dysport is the name of the game!
From Brady: “The cleaning process was cold, which I assume means wet. I felt the ultrasound wand on my leg. The applicator was an average sized syringe with a 4″ long needle. The injection felt like a pinch next to my shin, and then there was an ache deep inside in the muscle. Only one injection on the front (anterior tibialis) and four or five in the back (gastrocnemius.) I was back in my van two minutes after my appointment was set to begin.”
Brady says his leg is very tired now, which makes total sense! It feels under pressure, like its wearing a compression stocking. But its not uncomfortable, and he feels optimistic! If this is all is takes, quarterly, to keep his leg in check and his body off of his spasticity med, we are here for it!
We will keep you updated as time goes by! Apparently botox peaks around the six week mark, which will be right around Christmas! Here’s hoping for more comfort and control in the coming season!
This was such a welcomed surprise today. Happy Monday, friends! 💜