Red Cells and White Cells and Platelets, Oh My!

BOX SCORE Element Current Std. Range Trend Hemoglobin 10.4 13-17 v Platelets 134 140-375 ^ ANC 1800 1800-8300 ^ Did you ever have an unexpected surprise? You know, something that you hoped for but dared not ask for. Like, maybe, when you were a kid and your parents (Oops! I mean, of course, Santa Claus) got you something they (He) knew you wanted, but you had decided there was no way, because it was too expensive, or too dangerous (BB gun? Like the one Ralphie got in "A Christmas Story") or too impractical (like a rhinoceros saddle). Anyway, I think you know what I'm talking about.  Today was my day for a consultation with Dr. Brow, my oncologist, for this cycle of

BOX SCORE Element Current Std. Range Trend Hemoglobin 10.7 13-17 - Platelets 50 140-375 v ANC 2290 1800-8300 v I am so grateful to dozens of people around the world who offer prayers on behalf of me and Jill in our current circumstances. I have heard over the years about people who have literally felt the uplifting of their spirits and even protection from physical harm, only to learn later that at those very moments, someone had been praying specific prayers for them. While I was able to conceptualize this kind of thing, because I truly believe God's promises, it wasn't until I found myself battling leukemia that I realized it was happening to me. There can be no doubt in my

BOX SCORE Element Current Std. Range Trend Hemoglobin 11.0 13-17 ^ Platelets 119 140-375 v ANC 3240 1800-8300 ^ If you are married, you may recall saying these words as part of your wedding vows: "...in sickness and in health...." Jill and I had an opportunity to test this part of our vows on the very first day of our honeymoon. We were in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Having arrived there and checked into our hotel before noon, we decided to walk about the town and get the lay of the land, so to speak. As you can imagine, it was pretty warm in Cabo in July, in spite of the ocean breezes.  We found a little restaurant and went in for some shade and a little lunch. Being the savvy