Counts

My white blood counts and red blood counts are amazingly higher this week after chemo than they were last week before chemo. This tells me that the Chinese herbal formula I'm taking "C/R" is covering me because last week when I got my blood checked, I'd been off them for about 10 days. I started them again the day before chemo and have been on them all week. And when I went in to acupuncture today, I made sure to get another bottle so I don't run out! But that was before I saw my counts.

Unfortunately, my neutraphils and platelets are still low. I love how SC Medical gives your tests results to you to check out for yourself online.
Here are the results from last week (before chemo) and today:
Standard Range 4.0-11.0 K/uL 3.90-5.40 M/uL 150-400 K/uL 2.0-8.0 K/uL
2/17/09 white: 3.2 L; red: 3.32 L; platelet:308
2/24/09 white: 3.6 L; red: 3.45 L; pltlts82 L; neutraphils: 1.1 L

So I'm still tired, but glad to see my counts up. Maybe that's why I haven't gotten this cold. That and staying away from my kids and using aromatherapy.

Anyway, I talked with my oncologist because I wanted to know whether I should speed this up and get chemo every other week rather than every 3 weeks. I think I might do that later - the last 2 rounds of this and see how this first round goes. He says if my bone marrow can handle it, it's ok to do that. So we'll see how I recover those nutraphils. I also don't want to be taking off so much from my clients, if I go every other week. And before my next chemo, I want to go to a Hadassah luncheon with my mother-in-law for my 3rd week when I'm feeling so peachy.

It was nice getting all that Grabelle love, offers of support, offer to come over and watch a movie sometime! Plus other offers of vegetable cooking, cleaning, and walks are so nice. After discussing these things with Geoff, he did a fabulous job on the kitchen counters and is making some veggies to go with tonight's dinner! He is a definite mensch as you all know.

I'm looking forward to getting out of the house on Thursday to see two clients. And my dad is coming to visit us on Friday. Law & Order is still a winner for me and I love that Jack McCoy - he doesn't let anyone get away with doing wrong. I've also gotten into CMT believe it or not. They have some very good, meaningful songs that bring me joy right now.

Does everyone know about Hadassah and what they do? I want to write about that next. I never knew until my mother-in-law started dragging me to her meetings. I've always really enjoyed their magazine - but never thought twice about them since they were my mother and mother-in-law's organizations. It's interesting because in S.C., they can't get any "younger" women to come to regular meetings...

So thanks again for your support and I'll catch you all next time I want to write. Maybe it'll be about Hadassah.