May 22, 2007 started out extremely sunny. I remember feeling relaxed; and of course, hearing the blue jays chirping as they flew past my window certainly helped keep my mind stable. I thought to myself: No anxiety, not yet. However, a few hours later, more toward the time my minor surgical procedure was scheduled to take place--i began to worry, as it became clear to me that it was not feasible to locate a cream called KMB-4 to numb the area, that may or may not have worked, but was certainly worth the try.
Every Walgreen's I called had no cream in stock. And of course I tried looking the day of.
Stabilized in my mind, like a big girl would be, i remained calm, situated in my room, staring up at this serene environment, where candles burned a fresh, relaxing lavender aroma...thinking 'how bad could this really be?' It seemed logical to attest that it is only about thirty some odd needle injections in each hand. Though that sounds painful; i really imagined I'd feel the initial injection and be okay.
That was not the case. My eyes saw what my heart could not handle first.
Across the room, on a surgical table across, Dr. Yang began mixing, diluting... and sterilizing the needles--that from where I was sitting were entirely longer than the ones I imagined.
"I will not be using this needle for the Botox treatment, okay?" She said as she noticed my eyes enlarging.
"Okay," I murmured with slight reassurance.
This is when I began to breathe. It was at this moment that I felt breathing was the only mechanisms...one of the only, to maintain what people describe as my calm disposition.
Just when I thought I was okay, my mind raced...and I vividly remembered my recent diagnosis of a mild hyperhydrosis--which, after a year of research I found, that this is a condition in which glands excessively sweat. These glands happen to be in my hands. Other people who suffer from this potentially debilitating condition have the sweating under their arm pits, in their face, feet or other places in their body.
I recalled all the phone calls that I made in the last year to one of the leading hyperhydrosis medical clinic's in Miami pertaining surgery for this condition--to
my consistent research that landed me in the hands of a leading thoracic surgeon at Brigham And Women's Hospital, who actually diagnosed me as a mild case, last summer and suggested that I give it some more time and thought--considering that the procedure that he does involves overnight surgery, cutting the nerve. Which in turn has some repercussions that can cause horner's disease. After taking some, doing some research I'll call it. I came across Dr. Williams at Carney Hospital in Dorchester, who referred me to a leading surgeon: Dr. Andrew who went as far as scheduling an appointment for the Botox procedure to be done. It was during that time that Dr. Williams informed me that I would most likely grow out of this condition by the age of thirty--which is in fours years for me. He suggested that I consider botox injections, explaining that the radio active frequency ablation, paralyzes the gland so it won't produce sweat. Which is a less risky, not permanent more reasonable approach.
I agreed and appreciated his insight, which brought me on a totally different research avenue. Botox Injection.
As I considered the treatment and even set up an appointment with Dr. Andrew one of Carney Hospital's pain management doctors, there was a discrepancy with my Carney's Hospital gaining the approval to preform this procedure at the facility. That fell through....
But I continued with the faith that this road to a cure for my condition will prevail. And it did as I met a dermatologist Dr, Andrew Werchniak, at Brigham who, after performing a biopsy on my to figure out what I had, which turned out to be eczema, answered my question about, "How I go about getting Botox treatment," for this condition. I explained what I knew: He enlightened me on some more facts.
Except that this would be the most painful experience, I've encountered to date.
And it was.
More details forthcoming....
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