Extra Day

I'm I thought yesterday was Sunday. I was very confused when "Weekend Edition" came on the radio this morning. But now I understand. No traffic going home from clinic!  Yay!

I love weekend clinic.  There just seems to be something about it. There are just as many patients, but we nobody was in the lobby. We were taken back as soon as we walked I the door. I was seen by my physicians assistant and nurse right away, blood chemistry came back quickly and plateletes were ordered right away. I like it.

NO MORE NEUPOGEN !!

So, when I get chemo, my blood counts drop to zero, killing the leukemia and good blood cells. I self inject Neupogen which stimulates the bone marrow to begin producing blood again. When there is overcrowding of cells, I have pain in my bones. This cycle we hit the upswing just right. My numbers today have an ANC of 2.34 (normal is 1.7-8.9) so I don't have to take my 9th injection. I also don't have to experiment with pain pills, since I have no pain! Yay!! I also can stop taking my pills for anti fungal, antibiotic, and anti whatever else.

I did need plateletes today, but not whole blood. We got lucky there, because my type and cross was expired and it takes 4 hours for the results. We really don't want to be here that long.  I got typed today (and a swanky red arm band to go with it) so if I need blood on Tuesday we will be ready. 

More info about the red armband.  As I understand it, I am A Positive and can receive only A or O blood.  If I get something else, it would be very bad.  So, they literally take a sample of my blood and keep it in a vial. Obviously we know the type, it's the cross match we need to do.  Blood compatibility has many aspects, and is determined not only by the blood type, (O, A, B, AB), but also by blood factors, (Rh, Kell, etc.).  When they pull a unit of blood to give me, they mix it with the sample I gave to be sure it is compatible. My sample is only good for 4 days. Why? I don't know.

Plateletes don't need to be matched like whole blood. Well, not for adults.  If you donated, check your numbers. I may have gotten your plateletes!

Getting every drop!

They also hung 500ml of fluids since my creatinine levels are creeping up. Today was 1.3. That added an extra 40 minutes to the visit, but I don't mind. I would rather have happy kidneys.  My nurse says CRE is up because of the chemo, but also might be from the medications.  Tuesday's appointment will be a good indicator since I am off the meds.

Thanks for reading! Have a great night.