I think I'm just a bit burned out, which is why I haven't found (or made) the time to write more the last two days. Here's what you need to know:
I had a good appointment (once I finally got there...) with the colorectal surgeon this morning. We scheduled my colonoscopy for next Wednesday so that he has plenty of time to see what's inside and get himself, or one of his colleagues, freed up to scrub in on July 9, should the news from inside my colon not be so good.
I had a bad bloodwork session after the colon visit. Fortunately, it didn't affect my mood that much this time. My white count is fine (more on that in a minute...) but my red count is BAD. I knew it would be after my walk this morning. I had a hard time with the hill on Cameron Mills Road, which tipped me off to the fact that there was not much oxygen in my blood. So, after the results were in we talked about a transfusion AGAIN but I begged off until Monday. I've made a big decision: In an effort to boost my count over the weekend, I'm going to eat grass-fed beef a couple of times AND I'm not going to exercise (okay, I might do a just a few laps in my parent's pool but no walking or weights). Wish me luck for a relatively good red count on Monday morning! If it's really bad again, I face a probable transfusion AND the possibility of a canceled colonoscopy. Boo!
So, thanks to Neulasta, my white count is relatively good. However, when I woke up this morning and tried to get out of bed, I wondered, "Did I brake my back in the middle of the night?" My lower back and hip pain were so bad throughout the day today that I resorted to a few rounds of lovely vicodin. I was warned about possible bone pain from Neulasta but was not prepared for what I felt. It was the kind of pain that had me cursing out loud a couple of times when I moved a certain way. Oh well, the vicodin came through for me, as they always do, so it turned out to be tolerable...barely.
In other fun news from the day...I had a nice lunch with Brooke, Christy, and Amelie; a FABULOUS massage at 5 p.m. (thanks to Krista!); and split a great bottle of Sauvignon Blanc and some really delicious appetizers with Kelley at Brabo this evening.
Now, time for bed!
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hey trooper jennie, glad to hear you're going to try some grass-fed beef to boost your red blood cell count. it will also be good in staving off a vitamin B12 deficiency. sorry to hear about your "bone flares"...i was reading lance armstrong's second book "Every Second Counts" (liked his first book better), but in any event, he writes about his friend's bro, who is undergoing cancer treatment (p. 201): "The shots and drugs gave him terrible bone aches. He complained of horrible, dull, incessant pains. I knew exactly what he was talking about: they're called bone flares, and chemo patients get them all the time. One minute you're lying in bed, feeling okay, and the next minute a deep pain flares through the center of your bones, deep down below your muscles, where it seems no painkiller could ever reach." so, as Lance said "Now you've joined the bone-pain fraternity." Glad you got some respite in your massage and dinner with friends.
ReplyDeletelove,
ali
Hey chick- glad we caught with other stuff on the phone...I'm hopeful for your RBC's on Monday!
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