When it was decided that I would give myself the white cell booster 24 hours after chemo (I had the first dose immediately after the first cycle of chemo) to see if it would work better, I thought it was going to be an auto inject.  The preloaded type that you push a button and a small spring injects the needle and medicine.  But, no…this was a regular syringe preloaded with the medicine.  No auto inject here.

My oncology nurse gave me an injection lesson.   You practice on a pretend piece of flesh.   She showed me how to do it with a practice syringe.  Then I practiced.  Lo and behold I bent the needle!  I was reassured that this would not happen when I gave myself the real injection.

For the next 24 hours I went over and over the self injection steps in my mind.  I imagined grabbing stomach fat, stabbing the needle, pulling back the plunger a bit and then slowly injecting the Neulasta.  When the time came for the injection, all went well.  I did not bend the needle!  As a matter of fact, I barely felt the injection

I don’t know if the Neulasta is boosting my white cells. I hope it is.  I try to imagine my bone marrow going to town producing those lymphocytes.  I do know that I won’t have any issues injecting the next two rounds of Neulasta.  After all the worry, it turned out to be a non event.

Monday chemo on Tuesday, cause that’s how I roll!   Actually, I couldn’t have chemo on Monday this week because there was no room at the Inn.  I will go back to Monday’s in two weeks.  All the low blood counts are way up so that is a positive.  My sister Christine came with me and we walked from the ferry to SCCA (about 2.3 miles) another positive.  My friend Jeanne picked us up and drove us home, yet another positive.

I am home.  My friend Sandi brought over dinner,   David and Rachel came by to say hello. Positive, positive, positive.   Right now I am laying on the couch, cause that’s how I roll.

Due to the recent, unforeseen events, my next round of chemo has been delayed one week.  While my stay in Paradise was great, it would be better not to have to go back for another stay.  The Powers That Be (really just the fabulous doctors and pharmacists) think the white cells and platelets will react the same way to the next three rounds of chemo.  In order to give all those cells a chance to redeem themselves, I am getting an additional week until the next chemo.

I was suppose to start the second cycle of AC on Monday, April 1.  I will now have that on Tuesday, April 9.  The cycles will then go back to every two weeks (and Mondays) until the weekly T begins.   The dose is going to be adjusted so that maybe the next time I won’t loose all my white cells.  I am kinda of partial to them.  I like my platelets and would like them to hang around, too.

I was given a white cell booster right after chemo.   It didn’t work as well as expected so we are going to change that protocol,  I will give myself the booster 24 hours after chemo.  I could post a picture so you can all share in the fun!

I will not post a picture of my port area as it is pretty ugly with some new bruising and not a lot of platelets to stop the madness.  I did send a picture to two of my sisters.  My sister Diana’s reaction was “I probably could’ve gone my whole life without seeing that photo.”  So you can all thank Diana for taking one for the team.  Well…. and Claire who saw the photo and Christine who got to witness it in real life.

Happy Easter/Happy Passover everyone!

We just got the word that Loretta will be released from Paradise this afternoon.  Her blood numbers have all gone in the right direction with the neutrophils at 1000 early this morning.  The good news is that she has responded beautifully to the antibiotics they administered.  The bad news is that this is likely to happen in the future.  She has three more sessions like this and no expectation that she won’t have to do this each time.  The oncologist might have some tricks up his sleeve to help prevent or limit the affects so we are still hopeful that we will not have to do this every time. Paradise is nice but it isn’t like home.  There is no place like home.

So, with ruby slippers* and an odd assortment of companions, this Dorthy is headed home tonight.

*She doesn’t actually have ruby slippers – I mean, who does these days, not even the Pope!  Instead she has some heather green Eco-Steps and some nuclear-yellow sneakers that will do the trick.

Yes it is true.  They are finally returning.  Those white cells -neutrophils-(read about ’em here) and platelets (read about ’em here) are coming back.    I was admitted to the hospital because my neutrophils were 10 (normal range is 1500-8000) and I had a fever.  The fever indicated that I had an infection.  I also have low platelets.  Mine were 35,000 (normal range is 150,000-450,000) when I was admitted.  I was started on IV antibiotics every 8 hours to fight the infection.

I am happy to say that my neutrophils are now 220 and my platelets are 49,000.  I  have been fever free for more than 24 hours.  This means that I may get to go home soon.  Maybe late tomorrow afternoon…….

I just want everyone to know that I don’t feel bad and as you can see from photos, I still have hair.   I am not bored because I read and walk the halls.  I even get to write how much I pee on the white board.  Scott goes home every night because sleeping in this chair is not an option.

Paradise is what Loretta has named her room here at the hospital.  It has a view of Lake Washington, mountains with snow, trees, birds, and the Surgery Pavilion.  People here are all concerned about how she is feeling and are at her beck and call.  She can order room service all day.  Free cable TV, Internet, and telephone.  In other words: Paradise.

We hang out all day doing nothing except the occasional vitals check or an antibiotic infusion.

She likes it so much she isn’t sure when she’ll go home.  Maybe Wednesday or more likely on Thursday.  Who knows? The rules say that she has to have a white blood cell number of 5 (at last check she was at .01) or at least moving in that direction and no fever for 24 hours.  She had one around 3pm today.

Other than being in Paradise,  she says she feels pretty good.  She also says thanks for all the well wishes.  I say the same thing.