Home Health Care

Lady G-

Having had Procrit in the past, albeit stateside...can your father's primary care not give the injections on the hematologist's orders rather than having to go through the hospital? I don't know if he's doing Neupogen as well, but I gave myself those injections and the Procrit were done by my G.P.

Another possibility is Continium Care. They are actually the hospice folks, but a couple years ago when I thought I might have to do drugs here, Dr Braslow told me that others had had them even do IV chemo treatments after the initial one or two were done in the states, so I would think the injections would be within their scope.

Thank you much for your responses. Any others would also be helpful.

Lady G -

The phone book lists a couple of Home Health Services:

Continuum Care 772-2273
Sea View Health Care - 719-7921 (takes Medicare, insurance, private Pay)

I don't know if your dad is homebound, but if he can get out you might also call a pharmacy close to him and see if they have a pharmacist that is licensed to give that particular type of injection. My husband is a pharmacist at Kmart west and he is licensed to administer several different types of injections, Procrit being one of them. Since I had to be at the G.P. every week anyway, I just got them there.

Procrit is a subcutaneous injection, sort of like a diabetic injection, with a very short, thin, fine needle. If your dad is physically capable, he could give them to himself, but Procrit doesn't come in premeasured syringes like Neupogen and would have to be drawn up from a vial. Sometimes eyesight or shakiness precludes someone from being able to do that, and some people just can't bear giving themselves an injection! I took mine once a week when I had blood draws, and I believe that is the standard administration.

He is unable to give himself the injection due to failing eyesight and would have to have someone administer it to him. Yes, once a week is the standard administration. Thanks for the info on your husband at Kmart. I will lket him know this. That is where he gets all his prescriptions being it is the only place that dispenses to those with Medicare Part D.

Lady G, please contact me privately. I am unable to PM you...ssrr@runbox.com Or your father can call and talk with my husband, Russell, at the pharmacy. Please let us see if between the two of us we can assist you and your father in some way.