Ok, now we're on a roll. The hCG number dropped again from 5.6 to 4.0! We are really getting into the nitty gritty here. I was so happy with the number. As always, all the other fricken numbers dropped too. I guess that's what chemo will do to you. It's odd, I never thought I would look forward to chemotherapy, but I do. Two reasons: I'm anti-cancer and pro-Kristen. Any day that I can kill a little more cancer and gossip and laugh a little more with the Chemo nurse is a good day. So far I've had four straight weeks of chemo with no interruptions. The more I get done now the less I have to do in say, August.
The hemoglobin (I don't know if that's how you spell that - I think it always look like hemo- goblin - like a red ghost! ha!) was down to 5.2. Laymans terms: that's not good. It's supposed to be 12. I was short of breath and then (as Kristen kept reminding me) you could have a heart attack. I tried to convince her that I was a marathon runner at one time and my heart should be strong. (I leave out parts of that story like that marathon was 8 years ago and it took me half a day. Plus I load as much salt and butter on anything that takes salt and butter. Even stuff that doesn't: like adding salt to the already super salty Patio Pizza. So maybe my heart isn't that strong.) Either way, the blood work trumped my protests and they ordered a blood transfusion.
I've never had a blood transfusion before and Chris is pretty opposed unless it's absolutely necessary. He doesn't want me to come down with the hiv or hepatitis A-F. Chris remembers the days in Miami when they used pay homeless people for blood. Most of those donors were IV drug users so that blood wasn't always the best. I'm assured that the blood bank system is full of checks and balances, but why take the chance if you don't have to. But ... with red blood cells at 5.2 ... we had to. Taylor told me I looked like Powder the other day while we were on Oovoo (like Skype) on the computer. Remember Powder, old movie about a MAN (thanks Tayl) who was so pale. I got the point, I needed a little red in my cheeks and the blood transfusion would do that. Plus it would let some more oxygen get to my brain. Always a good thing.
Seven hours yesterday, me and an IV pole and three bags of blood. Again, I'm praying that the donors are all saints. Marcia and Hilary sat with me the whole day. We played cards (Hilary won - shocking. Go Fish is a game of chance. It's statistically impossible that that woman should win all the time - but she does. Plus, it makes her happy when she's victorious, so it makes me happy too!) Before you knew it, I was the color of a normal human being. And I can breathe when I walk up a flight of stairs. Modern medicine.
