How ARE you?

Answer: I feel great!

My white blood cell counts are slowly but surely rising. The red blood cell and hemoglobin counts are taking some baby steps backward. And we keep doing the dance of the platelets. You know the steps (To the tune of "Hokey Pokey"): We see the platelets go up; we see the platelets come down. We get a transfusion and we turn it all around. We wait a couple Mondays and they come back down again. That's what it's all about. CRAP. CRAP.


Day 21, Thursday, December 6
(Numbers in parentheses are normal ranges.)
WBC 2.0 (4.0-11)
RBC 3.26 (3.8-5.2)
HGB 10.7 (11.5-15.5)
PLT 27 (150-350)

Day 25, Monday, December 10
WBC 2.5 (4.0-11)
RBC 3.09 (3.8-5.2)
HGB 10.3 (11.5-15.5)
PLT 19* (150-350)
*65 after TRANSFUSION

Day 28, Thursday, December 13
WBC 2.7 (4.0-11)
RBC 2.95 (3.8-5.2)
HGB 9.9 (11.5-15.5)
PLT 47 (150-350)

Day 32, Monday, December 17
WBC 2.8 (4.0-11)
RBC 2.73 (3.8-5.2)
HGB 9.3 (11.5-15.5)
PLT 26 (150-350)

Physical: I seldom take naps, I'm walking almost daily (going farther and faster each time) and I'm back to Pilates class. This Wednesday, I plan to try out the Tai Chi class at the Wellness Community in Pasadena.

Mental: The worst of the chemo fog seems to be lifting. I can even sustain the attention it takes to read (and finish) a book. That's a taken-for-granted pleasure that I've missed the most. Now that I have a couple more weeks left in "recovery mode," I plan to take full advantage.

Appetite: I think it's safe to say that my appetite is in full swing, and I'm gradually gaining back weight. A negative side effect is that I'm becoming lazy and spoiled from all of the scrumptious soups, meals and sweets that friends have delivered to the house.

Hear that sound? BEEP, BEEP, BEEP, BEEP, BEEP. That's the sound of me preparing (i.e. heating up) dinner.