Only the Shadow knows...mwahaha

BOX SCORE




Element

Current

Std. Range

Trend

Hemoglobin

10.9

13-17

^

Platelets

152

140-375

^

ANC

450

1800-8300

v

We're back at it this week. Chemo started again yesterday and will continue until just before Thanksgiving. Except for the long and frequent drives to the clinic, the chemo visits are not onerous nor even very uncomfortable. We love the staff at the infusion center, and our visits there are like visits with old friends. 

The Box Score is from yesterday's labs. I am encouraged that my hemoglobin seems to consistently bounce along between 10 and 11, and my platelets have been more stable. As you can see the platelets went up into the normal zone! This is not unexpected just before chemo starts again. What is a little unusual, though, is that my ANC is plummeting. It usually follows a curve similar to that of the platelets. We were even a little concerned that my chemo would be postponed again because of the low ANC, but oncology never called, and the infusion center was expecting us, so we are on for another 6 days of injections as of today. 

Meanwhile, I continue to feel good, and I have been able to live a pretty normal life. We do quarantine, when my ANC goes below 1,000, but when it comes back up, we will return to Live Like You're Healed. 

My buddy Brian, who is on a similar path, called this morning to check up on me. Seems he was a little concerned because Jill mentioned in an email to his wife that I am struggling with styes on my eyelids. Jill also mentioned the low ANC and our concerns about postponed treatment. He was glad to hear I am back on schedule. His  treatment was put on hold for about a month, while he lived through a bout of Covid. It's not that we love having chemo; it's just that we're concerned when treatment is delayed that in may allow the darned leukemia to get a foothold. I so appreciate having Brian to encourage me and the opportunity to do the same for him. 

It will be interesting to see on Thursday what my labs show regarding ANC. Usually, when I start treatment again, it's on the rise and continues to rise during treatment week. This time it was trending down when we started. Will it go up while I'm receiving chemo? Only the Shadow knows!


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comments

  1. AnonymousNovember 17, 2022 at 9:28 AM

    I'm so glad you didn't have to postpone your chemo treatment Tom. I was worried too and this has been reassuring. Take care. Donalynn

    ReplyDelete

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