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Question:

Your trip sounds like a dream vaction.  I envy you! More details girl.  MORE DETAILS! Welcome home. Char "Remember, I’m pulling for ya’.  We’re all in this together."  Red Green

Response:

Welcome back!!  Don’t tell my SIL about the sharks — it’s his lifelong dream. Duckie – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > I’m back from Costa Rica, and had a blast. Literally… we watched a > volcano erupt, lava spewing out, a pyroclastic explosion (small one) > very cool… errrr I mean hot.  The diving was great.  I swam with the > sharks ( a school of about 6) saw large stingrays (5 foot wingspan) > gracefully winging by. Played with octopus (they even crawled up my arm > their suctions tickle) and sea cucumbers.  The sea cucumber exude a > silly string that sticks like super glue, eek what a mess. We herded > thousands of grunts by swimming through their school, and we taught them > a thing or two.  We saw baby sharks, morays, we picked up porcupine fish > and they puffed themselves up like softballs, and loads of other > tropical fish, in short it was great.  The birding was equally > impressive, scarlet macaws, military macaws, toucans, ahhh it was great. > I was treated to coati, sloths, white face, howler, and spider > monkeys…. I want to go back!!!!!! > It was  inspirational, because there was a women with spinal bifida > (sp?) who was diving.  She was completely paralyzed from the knees down, > and along the back of her legs, but had full use of her quads.  She > entered the dive boat with her cane.  Had knee reconstruction surgery in > March to correct her severe OA. Who says gimps can’t dive.  The dive > operators were fantastic, helping her with the gear, and she was > assigned a special dive buddy to help her.  She’s has logged in over 100 > dives.  I guess someone forgot to tell her she was disabled.  She said > diving is now being used as a therapy for spinal cord injuries.  What an > upbeat fun person, everyone enjoyed her positive attitude. > Now for the Remicade #1 report, I had some definite improvement with my > severe tendon inflammation.  The swelling reduced about 50%, Enbrel > wasn’t touching it.  The second week the swelling returned and I am > about the same as before the treatment.  Remicade 2 is tomorrow and I am > hopeful the results will be longer lasting.  I’ll keep you posted. > Harv good to see your back on line!  You folks from Texas really like to > shake things up!  I flew out of Houston last night and I was afraid of > losing my dental work along with my supper.  You need to smooth out > those bumps!  If that’s a taste of what hit your house, I am delighted > that you recovered.  – MZ

Response:

I’m back from Costa Rica, and had a blast. Literally… we watched a volcano erupt, lava spewing out, a pyroclastic explosion (small one) very cool… errrr I mean hot.  The diving was great.  I swam with the sharks ( a school of about 6) saw large stingrays (5 foot wingspan) gracefully winging by. Played with octopus (they even crawled up my arm their suctions tickle) and sea cucumbers.  The sea cucumber exude a silly string that sticks like super glue, eek what a mess. We herded thousands of grunts by swimming through their school, and we taught them a thing or two.  We saw baby sharks, morays, we picked up porcupine fish and they puffed themselves up like softballs, and loads of other tropical fish, in short it was great.  The birding was equally impressive, scarlet macaws, military macaws, toucans, ahhh it was great. I was treated to coati, sloths, white face, howler, and spider monkeys…. I want to go back!!!!!! It was  inspirational, because there was a women with spinal bifida (sp?) who was diving.  She was completely paralyzed from the knees down, and along the back of her legs, but had full use of her quads.  She entered the dive boat with her cane.  Had knee reconstruction surgery in March to correct her severe OA. Who says gimps can’t dive.  The dive operators were fantastic, helping her with the gear, and she was assigned a special dive buddy to help her.  She’s has logged in over 100 dives.  I guess someone forgot to tell her she was disabled.  She said diving is now being used as a therapy for spinal cord injuries.  What an upbeat fun person, everyone enjoyed her positive attitude. Now for the Remicade #1 report, I had some definite improvement with my severe tendon inflammation.  The swelling reduced about 50%, Enbrel wasn’t touching it.  The second week the swelling returned and I am about the same as before the treatment.  Remicade 2 is tomorrow and I am hopeful the results will be longer lasting.  I’ll keep you posted. Harv good to see your back on line!  You folks from Texas really like to shake things up!  I flew out of Houston last night and I was afraid of losing my dental work along with my supper.  You need to smooth out those bumps!  If that’s a taste of what hit your house, I am delighted that you recovered.  – MZ

Response:

Welcome back Mary – its wonderful hearing about all of your exploits – what a great woman you are and that other lady without use of her legs doing the dives too…wow! We haven’t got the sea-life around here but much of country is flooded and habits die hard for there on the news a lady wades through the flood water in her home to the floodwater in the garden to take her dog out for a you know what seemed as funny as my friend telling me that a month agao their vicar at a christening of her grandson held the baby and perched the bible or order of service whatever on the edge of the font then he accidentally knocked it into the water. The Baptism was held up while the baby was handed back meanwhile the whole books submerged then rescued and shook and he licks his finger to turn the page! before having the baby to hold again. Anyway its great to hear again from you ((((Mary))))   Maureen

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I’m back from Costa Rica, and had a blast. Literally… we watched a > volcano erupt, lava spewing out, a pyroclastic explosion (small one) > very cool… errrr I mean hot.  The diving was great.  I swam with the > sharks ( a school of about 6) saw large stingrays (5 foot wingspan) > gracefully winging by. Played with octopus (they even crawled up my arm > their suctions tickle) and sea cucumbers.  The sea cucumber exude a > silly string that sticks like super glue, eek what a mess. We herded > thousands of grunts by swimming through their school, and we taught them > a thing or two.  We saw baby sharks, morays, we picked up porcupine fish > and they puffed themselves up like softballs, and loads of other > tropical fish, in short it was great.  The birding was equally > impressive, scarlet macaws, military macaws, toucans, ahhh it was great. > I was treated to coati, sloths, white face, howler, and spider > monkeys…. I want to go back!!!!!! > It was  inspirational, because there was a women with spinal bifida > (sp?) who was diving.  She was completely paralyzed from the knees down, > and along the back of her legs, but had full use of her quads.  She > entered the dive boat with her cane.  Had knee reconstruction surgery in > March to correct her severe OA. Who says gimps can’t dive.  The dive > operators were fantastic, helping her with the gear, and she was > assigned a special dive buddy to help her.  She’s has logged in over 100 > dives.  I guess someone forgot to tell her she was disabled.  She said > diving is now being used as a therapy for spinal cord injuries.  What an > upbeat fun person, everyone enjoyed her positive attitude. > Now for the Remicade #1 report, I had some definite improvement with my > severe tendon inflammation.  The swelling reduced about 50%, Enbrel > wasn’t touching it.  The second week the swelling returned and I am > about the same as before the treatment.  Remicade 2 is tomorrow and I am > hopeful the results will be longer lasting.  I’ll keep you posted. > Harv good to see your back on line!  You folks from Texas really like to > shake things up!  I flew out of Houston last night and I was afraid of > losing my dental work along with my supper.  You need to smooth out > those bumps!  If that’s a taste of what hit your house, I am delighted > that you recovered.  – MZ

Response:

> We haven’t got the sea-life around here but much of country is flooded and > habits die hard

Thanks Maureen it really easier to move in a weightless environment. Diving may seem arduous and dangerous, but with the new equipment it is easy and safe.  I find it extremely relaxing, and it is great biofeedback because if you are relaxed you use less air.  I saw a bumper sticker that said "Remember when diving was dangerous and sex was safe!"  That sums it up nicely! How are you UK’ers holding up with all the flooding?  I saw the pictures on the news and it looked dreadful with more rain on the way. — MZ

Response:

Hi Mary,   It’s good to see you back! Sounds like your trip was wonderful. You are amazing! (So is the woman with spina bifida…such an inspiration!) >Remicade 2 is tomorrow and I am >hopeful the results will be longer lasting.  

I hope so too…got my eyes crossed for you  Do you think maybe your trip and all the extra physical activity may be why Remicade didn’t last so long? I bet this one works even better and lasts even longer. Let us know how it goes.                                             Be well,  Patty *~A friend is someone who reaches out for your hand, and touches your heart.~*

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Nice to see you back, Mary, and happy that you had such a great time in > Costa Rico.  I need some answers from you, however.  How do you go > about getting Remicade as a prescription from Merck-Medco and yet have > it administered as a hospital out-patient by the folks in Chemo/IV > center?  Did you have your RD write the script and you sent it to Merck- > Medco?  Can you re-order it online as I do my Dolobid?  How did you > handle the re-ordering while you were in Costa Rico?  If I can save > some money on this treatment I sure want to.  My second is scheduled > for the day after tomorrow.  I’m a bit leery as I am unable to find out > the amount they billed Tricare for my 1st infusion or the amount > Tricare allowed.

I don’t order the drug from Merck Medco it is provided by the outpatient clinic and billed as an outpatient procedure.  However Merck Medco has Remicade in their formulary ($20 co-pay for a 3 month supply of course Remicade is given every 3 months).  The clinic will not allow use of mail order drug, and it doesn’t matter since the treatments are $25. You might check with your clinic and ask if they will allow use of the mailorder program.  On all my other drugs (including Enbrel) I ordered refills on line.  They called and arranged the shipments for me.  I just got the new BCBS program and in 2001 the program has changed.  I will have to pay 10% of the cost (under standard option) but under high option I pay 5% so I will be switching to high option.  I hope they will allow the use of mail order Rx it would be worth a shot errr…. try. Hope that helps! — MZ

Response:

Hi Mary,  Sounds like you had a great time.  That storm you flew through was a bad one and the worst of it stayed north of Houston. I would bet if you know how bad it was,,,, you never would have been on that plane.  Oooh I would of liked to of gone where you did and did the things you did.  Sadly I say that my wife will not get on a plane even to go see her grandchildren must less a vacation.  So it goes.  Lets hope that your #2 shot and the rest all work well for you.  Yes, we are back home and out of that hotel.  Lots of little things about home life are back again. Harv – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Now for the Remicade #1 report, I had some definite improvement with my > severe tendon inflammation.  The swelling reduced about 50%, Enbrel > wasn’t touching it.  The second week the swelling returned and I am > about the same as before the treatment.  Remicade 2 is tomorrow and I am > hopeful the results will be longer lasting.  I’ll keep you posted. > Harv good to see your back on line!  You folks from Texas really like to > shake things up!  I flew out of Houston last night and I was afraid of > losing my dental work along with my supper.  You need to smooth out > those bumps!  If that’s a taste of what hit your house, I am delighted > that you recovered.  – MZ

Response:

{{{{{Mary}}}}}}} Welcome home! DeeTee – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > I’m back from Costa Rica, and had a blast. Literally… we watched a > volcano erupt, lava spewing out, a pyroclastic explosion (small one) > very cool… errrr I mean hot.  The diving was great.  I swam with the > sharks ( a school of about 6) saw large stingrays (5 foot wingspan) > gracefully winging by. Played with octopus (they even crawled up my arm > their suctions tickle) and sea cucumbers.  The sea cucumber exude a > silly string that sticks like super glue, eek what a mess. We herded > thousands of grunts by swimming through their school, and we taught them > a thing or two.  We saw baby sharks, morays, we picked up porcupine fish > and they puffed themselves up like softballs, and loads of other > tropical fish, in short it was great.  The birding was equally > impressive, scarlet macaws, military macaws, toucans, ahhh it was great. > I was treated to coati, sloths, white face, howler, and spider > monkeys…. I want to go back!!!!!! > It was  inspirational, because there was a women with spinal bifida > (sp?) who was diving.  She was completely paralyzed from the knees down, > and along the back of her legs, but had full use of her quads.  She > entered the dive boat with her cane.  Had knee reconstruction surgery in > March to correct her severe OA. Who says gimps can’t dive.  The dive > operators were fantastic, helping her with the gear, and she was > assigned a special dive buddy to help her.  She’s has logged in over 100 > dives.  I guess someone forgot to tell her she was disabled.  She said > diving is now being used as a therapy for spinal cord injuries.  What an > upbeat fun person, everyone enjoyed her positive attitude. > Now for the Remicade #1 report, I had some definite improvement with my > severe tendon inflammation.  The swelling reduced about 50%, Enbrel > wasn’t touching it.  The second week the swelling returned and I am > about the same as before the treatment.  Remicade 2 is tomorrow and I am > hopeful the results will be longer lasting.  I’ll keep you posted. > Harv good to see your back on line!  You folks from Texas really like to > shake things up!  I flew out of Houston last night and I was afraid of > losing my dental work along with my supper.  You need to smooth out > those bumps!  If that’s a taste of what hit your house, I am delighted > that you recovered.  – MZ

Before you buy.

Response:

Never mind the details….pictures!  We want pictures! Cindy R.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Your trip sounds like a dream vaction.  I envy you! > More details girl.  MORE DETAILS! > Welcome home. > Char > "Remember, I’m pulling for ya’. >  We’re all in this together."  Red Green

Response:

Mary, you amaze me! ~Krissy See my pond: http://members.aol.com/KrissyJo/ponds.html Akron, Ohio http://arthritisinsight.com Knowledge is power…support is essential.

Response:

Nice to see you back, Mary, and happy that you had such a great time in Costa Rico.  I need some answers from you, however.  How do you go about getting Remicade as a prescription from Merck-Medco and yet have it administered as a hospital out-patient by the folks in Chemo/IV center?  Did you have your RD write the script and you sent it to Merck- Medco?  Can you re-order it online as I do my Dolobid?  How did you handle the re-ordering while you were in Costa Rico?  If I can save some money on this treatment I sure want to.  My second is scheduled for the day after tomorrow.  I’m a bit leery as I am unable to find out the amount they billed Tricare for my 1st infusion or the amount Tricare allowed. Best, Larry — "Government is not reason, it is not eloquence, it is force; like fire, a troublesome servant and a fearful master. Never for a moment should it be left to irresponsible action." — George Washington, speech Jan 7, 1790 Before you buy.

Response: