IVIG Treatments

I have had dozens of IVIG treatments over the past seven-plus years, the first big one over seven days in St. Francis Hospital in Evanston, IL, in November 2004. That one arrested the progression of this mysterious malady and led to improvements in my balance and walking. When I finally found Dr. Glenn Lopate at the Neuromuscular Center in the Center for Advanced Medicine here in St. Louis in 2006, he immediately began IVIG treatments, at first monthly, then tapering off to the current schedule which is one every five months. Coupled with intense physical and occupational therapy, the treatments keep me hopeful. This past Monday-Tuesday, I was in Barnes-Jewish overnight for the IVIG. The neurological floor where I have always stayed before was booked, so I was in the Schukar Unit, the section of the hospital that handles overflow patients of all kinds. And an excellent place it was, too! The nursing staff was so fine that I wondered if there were some kind of competition for excellence going on. Of course, it also helped that Dr. Lopate was his calm, competent, assuring self, that Brother Joe came for a visit, and that my son Chris brought me a Steakburger from Steak 'n Shake.