Checking In

Yes, I am still here and still very much alive, despite the many days and nights of complete silence!! I just haven't had the energy this week to write anything, that's all. Unfortunately, not having the energy to write hasn't stop my mind from thinking of a million things to write ABOUT this week, and so now I have a virtual bottleneck going on in my head!

So where to begin?? I'll start by saying that I am finally on the "upswing" from this last cycle, and THANK GOD for that! It was a really hard week for many of the same old reasons, but, in addition, I am finally feeling like my body is on the verge of collapsing. I have been so incredibly tired this cycle that I told Pete that I will be shocked if my red blood count is anywhere close to normal. This is not unexpected....just like with the white blood cells and platelets (all of which are "fast dividing cells") the red blood cells take a beating every time I have chemo. The result is anemia, which is defined as "a feeling of weakness or diminished physical and mental capacity unrelieved by rest." Yep, that would be me! If I remember correctly, though, the body requires about 14 days to replenish white blood cells, but only 3-4 days to replenish red blood cells (Jeremy/Shannon -- is this correct??) and so hopefully I'll feel better in a few days. The other "verge of collapse" issue that I have had is that every morning for the past few days I have woken up feeling like I am about to get a cold (yesterday it was non-stop sneezing, today is a constant, annoying cough) but then I take my Neupogen shot and somehow, miraculously, I slip by without the symptoms progressing into a full-blown cold. Needless to say, I am counting my blessings on that front. I cannot imagine going through chemo and having a cold at the same time -- I think that would be the low of all lows. In fact, I think that would be even worse than chemo + poison oak, and believe me, that sucked!

And so, as usual, I am just taking things day by day and happy beyond belief that I am finally past my hardest days (which are turning out pretty consistently to be Thursday and Friday of my chemo weeks.) I know that every day going forward now I will just feel better and better. Well, until the next cycle anyway....But now I only have 3 more to go! Woo Hoo!!