drug reaction

David had a rough reaction to a drug a little while ago.

He was sitting on the side of the bed when he began to get very cold. He started shaking, his lips turned blue-ish, as did his ears. I helped him lay down and called for the nurse. The nurse who is always right outside his room and who was no where to be seen. I did not want to leave David to find someone but I opened the door -- it is amazing to see a floor that always seems to be bustling with people go absolutely dead. I am sure it was no more than a few minutes, if that, before our nurse and another came in with blankets and help. To me it was forever -- what a cliche.

The drug is Thymoglobulin -- Anti-thymocyte Globulin (Rabbit). The website http://www.thymoglobulin.com/. David's reaction was one of the common ones.

The reaction, which we did not know was a reaction at the time, lasted for ten minutes. Although I have been able to handle most of what David's gone through, this was almost too much for me. Clearly, it was not a heart attack or a seizure, but it was David suffering intensely. I could be calm, but very scared as well. This is a med that he will be on daily right now. How is he going to deal with that. Just how?

Of course, this is not chemotherapy. David's reaction, though intense, lasted minutes, not hours, not days.

We are learning.