Red Cells and White Cells and Platelets, Oh My!

BOX SCORE Element Current Std. Range Trend Hemoglobin 11.5 13-17 v Platelets 161 140-375 v ANC 3610 1800-8300 v Ferritin 1121 My goal <1000 v CD4 Cells 240 My goal > 200 ^ Well, well, well. At first glance the Box Score looks a little disappointing, and to be honest, it is. On the other hand, it is quite easily explained. Two weeks prior to these labs, I had my first Therapeutic Phlebotomy, or in other words, I had a pint of the red stuff drawn out of my circulatory system. One would therefore, I suppose, expect that blood count...

BOX SCORE Hemoglobin 13.1 13-17 ^ Platelets 192 140-375 ^ ANC 3850 1800-8300 ^ Ferritin 1231 My goal <1000 v CD4 Cells 192 My goal > 200 v The observant reader will immediately notice that there have been additions to the Box Score. Of course, I didn't need to say that, because all of my readers are intelligent, observant, witty individuals. That's why I hardly need to mention that I introduced a new word to the lexicon in the post titled "Zeugma ." Therefore, today I am having a Pop Quiz. To Wit: Pop Quiz Answer the following multiple choice que...

Unexpected consequences can be rather scary. On the other hand, they can also be rather sweet. In case I haven't mentioned it before, leukemia was not my first cancer. In 1996, I was diagnosed with colon cancer. Unlike my journey through leukemia, the road back to robust health from colon cancer was a one and done. Fortunately, I had watched all the Public Service Announcements on TV as a kid, and when the telltale sign of CC (blood in the stool) reared its ugly head, I hied myself to the doctor very early. He ordered a sigmoidoscopy (a kind of junior colonoscopy that focuses on the sigmoid colon near the tail end of the colon).  Being naturally curious and having a background in a health science, I asked to watch the monitor during the procedure. Eww, right? Well I have also watched my own knee surgery among other things, and somehow I am able to disconnect my mind from the fact that it is my body that is being invaded and view the proceedings like a medical student sitting in the...