Official Red Ryder, Carbine Action, Two-Hundred Shot Range Model Air Rifle?

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 my chemotherapy treatment. Every cycle, I meet with either Dr. Brow or an Oncology Nurse Practitioner named Michelle about a week before my next round of chemo is scheduled. This is simply a matter of going over my blood counts and any other pertinent information, like how I am feeling, or whether I have had any unusual side effects. The idea is that chemo can be postponed if something is off kilter. 

Everything went well today. I had to report some excessive neck and shoulder pain in the mornings. I think it is caused by a combination of some arthritis in my neck and a poorly matched pillow, now that I am a back sleeper. At my age back sleeping requires a different pillow than my customary side sleeping. Why the change? I'm glad you asked. If you have been following the blog, you will know that I have struggled with some shoulder pain. That makes side sleeping problematic, and using a CPAP machine to control sleep apnea makes rolling around in bed difficult, too. 

But I digress. During our chat today, Dr. Brow said she is very pleased with how things are going with my treatment...so pleased, in fact, that she has decided to stretch my chemo cycle from five to six weeks. That means that at the beginning of each cycle, I will receive an injected chemotherapeutic drug for five consecutive days in conjunction with ten consecutive days of oral chemo. Then I will be off of chemo for a full 32 days, a whole month (!!), before the next round begins. Another way of looking at it is eight rounds of chemo per year vs. the twelve rounds I started with. To say I am happy about this too-good-to-be-hoped-for development doesn't even come close to describing my emotional state. 

In addition to the reduced chemotherapy, Dr. Brow also suggested that I need only have a blood draw once a week, unless my platelets take a dive. If that happens it needs to be closely monitored for two reasons. When my platelets go below 50, I have to stop taking my blood thinner until they rebound, and second, if my platelets get really low, I could need a transfusion. This whole package will probably save us enough gas money alone to pay for a celebration once in each cycle! Not to mention the needle sticks. Did I mention they are not something I relish, even if they are not particularly painful?

Of course, none of these changes would be possible, if it weren't for the amazingly resilient body and metabolism that the Lord has given me. Jill mentioned to Dr. Brow that she considers me to to be the poster boy for how to go through chronic treatment of AML, and the good doctor replied, "Definitely." But it wasn't me, folks. It was the goodness and providence of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! Thank you, Lord!