What's the plan from here?

After the Holy Six Pack of Platelets (see previous post), my platelet count and all of my blood levels rebounded nicely. I guess. I thought I'd be "too sick for chemo" for another week. No problem by me. But, alas, the labs were good and chemo called.

So to recap, at it's height the hCG # was 64,000. Last week it was 9.9. Single digits. So low they start marking decimal points. That's some amazing medicine!! We need to get to zero - less than 2 is actually the measurement. While it seems like it's so close, we've been here before. In 2009, I was <2 for two weeks and then it bumped up to 2.4, resetting the "3 consecutive zero's" count. So this end game can get a little tricky.

Plus, Dr. Evans explained it like this. The number drop is important, but the percentage is even more so. For a while, the hCG level dropped by more than 50% - an astonishing drop. The decrease from 11 to 9.9 is still good though - a 10% drop. But as you can see, it starts to slow down a bit. Like on Biggest Loser, when someone is 500 pounds they drop the first 50 lbs in no time. It's that pesky last 10 pounds that takes forever to shave off. We're in the 10 pound range ... and by golly if I could run for miles and do hundreds of sit-ups to get to <2 I would. It's just that that won't help AND I get winded just going up a flight of stairs. So it's up to the chemo.

Had infusions last Wednesday and Thursday. Nauseous all weekend. Big infusion coming up this Wednesday and more blood work. Keep your fingers crossed and the prayers coming. I'd like to say we're halfway through (my end-game was July 4th) but Dr. Evans cautioned rushing it (she said Labor Day - Bah! Humbug!) Left foot, right foot, left foot, right foot. I think I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Can you?

I was so cold the first time I was in the hospital, they put warm blankets over my head. Beth says I was envoking Mother Teresa with the blue stripes. I know one thing: I ain't no Saint.

  Not that wrinkley yet either. (May she rest in peace.)

Catching Up

Hi, sorry. You would think blogging would be easy ... but it's not. Every time I sit to write a bit something else comes up. Or a dog nudges my arm wanting a belly scratch. It's hard to type and belly scratch at the same time. I've tried.

I survived the hospital. That was two weeks ago now. I did have a platelet transfusion. It's a little less than a full blood transfusion but Chris was concerned because there's always a risk of getting some "bad blood" when they transfuse. I ended up with what they call a Six Pack of Platelets - meaning it's six different donors - only upping the changes someone has TB. But my girlfriend Jeannette calmed my fears by calling it the Holy Six Pack - she says only holy, happy, clean people donated for me! If only it was a six pack of Miller Light I'd be fine.

My Aunt and Godmother, Diane, my mom's second sister came from Florida for a week to help me. What a privilege to have her take a week off a work to tend to me. We talked about all sorts of things, solved some of the worlds problems (including how to run a hospital floor efficiently - we're convinced we can do it better). We laughed and watched TV, tried to go for lunch one day when I was home until I threw up in the car on the way there.

I didn't say a word, Aunt Di just went about the tasks of making sure both Chris and I were fed, the laundry was done, the dishes cleaned. I felt so loved and so enjoyed her company.

Plus, Di has always had a great sense of humor which came in great when we cleaned out the laundry area. Where else would you put the fur hunting cap with flaps ... but on your head.

Classic! Now that's a look!

If we can't have fun with Cancer - no one can!!

Thank you Aunt Diane. You were wonderful and I appreciate your help more than you can know!