Making the Most of Infusion Day

The first time I went to get a biologic infusion, my partner went with me. We had so much fun, we decided to make each infusion day into a "date day."

While it isn't easy to sit in the infusion center for hours, going with my partner makes me feel better about the poking, the blood draws, the pre-medications that make me drowsy, and the hours spent in that chair. In fact, the time we spend together has become something I look forward to.

Having my partner with me for my UC infusions

I usually schedule my infusions for the morning, so on "infusion date day," my partner and I head over around 8:00 in the morning. I always find it nice to have someone by my side as I go through all the motions: check-in, waiting to be called in, getting settled, greeting the nurse.

My partner and I have gotten so used to the whole process, we find ourselves joking about how small my veins are and how long it will take today's nurse to get a good IV in. To an outsider, it might seem strange, but to me the banter is fun.

Pre-medications with a side of breakfast

After I am settled, my partner goes for our mandatory coffee run. He usually just drinks black coffee, but I always get myself a nice latte with some kind of pastry or breakfast sandwich. Most days of the week we don’t have breakfast together, so this time we have together seems luxurious.

While sipping slowly, we catch up, read the news, and discuss whatever comes to mind. As a bonus, the infusion center usually offers us some extra snacks, so we extend our breakfast with some cookies.

Settling in for the infusion time

Usually, by this point, my pre-medications have started to kick in and I am getting sleepy. So we turn to our laptops, where we can stream a TV show. We usually pick something light, so I can zone out when I need to. We snuggle up together, with me in the infusion chair and my partner in the other chair next to me, and let the episodes play until the end of the infusion.

My partner is always so sweet to me, tucking my blanket around me, and letting me lean on him as my eyes grow heavy. He'll even grab me more to eat if need be, as the infusions seem to make me endlessly hungry.

Reclaiming UC infusion day as my own

When the infusion is over, we head back home, order whatever we want to eat for lunch, and collapse into bed for a real nap. Once again, this is not what we would do on a normal weekday, so being able to just enjoy the afternoon together is really special.

We give ourselves a break from all our responsibilities, and we focus on taking care of ourselves, even into the evening. The whole day is ours and no one else's.

Both me and my partner like to prioritize quality time together, and surprisingly, infusion days let us do that. With a bit of good humor and some special routines that turn the day into a break from our normal routine, we get to treat these medical procedures as a way to fortify our relationship and togetherness.