March 20, 2004

One week after chemo and all is well……sort of!!! Actually, I’m feeling good now. I had a few rough days, the typical stuff: mouth feels funny, food tastes funny, sore joints, aches and pains, and numbness and tingling…but I’ve been able to keep up with all my activities and go to work, so I feel good about that. I was anxious to have my blood counts taken, to see how not getting my $6000 shot was going to affect things. Well, it affects things!!! I had my blood drawn yesterday. (side note: not sure I’ve mentioned this in the journal…but I tell the folks at work: "I'll be in late this morning, I’ve gotta go do the vampire thing!” Once, one of the guys in my office said “I’ll bet doing the vampire thing, sucks!” hahaha!!!) Well, I did the vampire thing and anxiously awaited the results. The technician brought me my sheet and said [ironically], “your counts suck!” You have to understand…..she and I joke around a lot….and my counts have been off the chart high for the last few months. When I told her I didn’t have my Neulasta shot, she then said “Oh…” She then asked me when my next treatment was and I said “I’m DONE!” So then she understood. She said I’m not in the danger zone…but that I would have to be careful….stay away from people with colds….wash my hands a lot, etc. She wanted to give me a shot of Aranesp, to boost my red cells, but I declined that too. She said I might feel fatigued……but I'd been feeling fine. Usually, my counts rebound in a week…so I should be fine by next week. I see the doc then too and will have more blood taken. If the red counts are down, they’ll probably give me a shot then. It’s too late for the white cells…can’t have a Neulasta shot now. That has to be given within a few days of treatment. So, we’ll see where I am next week! I’m assuming then I’ll also get info on the next steps….when to make my appointment with the radiation oncologist and get this next part of the journey underway.

I know there are a lot of you who are keeping up with this journal, because you email me and tell me so! Thanks for taking the time to check in on my well being. All of you are helping me in my recovery!!! I just wanted you to know I appreciate it!!! I love you guys!!!!!