Something new ... maybe

Thursday went in for bloodwork. Tech had hard time drawing (so what else is new). Waited over an hour for Dr. G (and labs) and found out my red count was too low for chemo (like last time). I asked him what normal was and he said most doctors liked to see 100, he prefers 150, and mine was 60. He scheduled me for neumega shots and more labs. If count isn't up to where it should be with Friday results, then I'll have to get a blood transfusion. If the count is up to where it should be then no transfusion. So I go in to a meeting at 8:15, leave at 8:45, get blood drawn (from my port this time by going to the treatment room), go back to work and wait to see if I need to go back for the transfusion (4 hours). As always there is dangers with blood transfusions, but what's the alternative. Same as with the rituxan. White blood counts were fine.

Then again for a shot on Sat & Mon. Next Thursday (18th), I go in for blood draw (again upstairs), then down to dr., then over to Petscan (11am), back to dr, and possible chemo. Long day ...

I did ask for Christmas week off (no coming in to town), and he seemed fine with it, but if I get chemo on Thurs I'm sure I'll have to get shots Fri, Sat, and again Christmas week (unless he gives me the 2-week shot and only 2 neumegas). Once again living week by week.

I asked him if this was normal (the low counts) and he said that with all the chemo, you don't recover as quickly as before. In other words it is NOT unexpected to have to have a blood transfusion and the slow recovery rate. He DID say (I didn't ask first), that I was doing GREAT which last week when I did ask he said I was doing "good". So that put me in a happier frame of mind going for my shot.

Will let you know what happens tomorrow.

Love to all