Today we went to get my blood checked to see how bad off I am. The results were that I am not too bad. At least that's what it says on paper. All of my complete blood count numbers took a big dive. For instance, my white blood cell count is almost exactly half of what it was the day of chemo. I only had one number out of range and that was the percentage of red blood cells in the sample. I missed that one by .2% so the computer flagged it, but the nurse said it was nothing to be concerned about. Of course she would say that, she isn't the one walking around with a low percentage of red blood cells in her system. One thing I am curious about, is how that number is based. Do those numbers take into account the amount of blood that they suck out of you to do all of these tests? I will bet anything, my numbers are a lot lower after she filled up all of those vials.
I can't complain too much though. I need to know my blood type for another reason, and out of all the procedures, tests, and surgery I have had the past two months, not one time did they type my blood. Makes me wonder what would happen if I needed blood during my surgery. I would hope that if I sprung a leak, they would know what they needed ahead of time. Does the doctor just scoop some up off of the floor and tell a nurse "get me some more that looks like this"? I don't want a blood sample to be sent for the lab for testing while I am bleeding profusely from a botched crotch surgery. Since no one ever had the forethought to type my blood before, I had asked if my oncologist's office could do it. Now keep in mind, if it is an emergency, your call gets immediately answered by the appropriate people. If it is not an emergency, you phone call gets routed pretty much the same way you call gets routed if you call your computer manufacturer to ask for help. So I am not sure who I actually spoke to or what country they reside in, but I was told that my oncologist would not be able to type my blood. Which is a shame, since they are already pulling half of my blood supply, it would be nice to just fill one more vial, because they don't leave much blood left for the next person to find. My family doctor said he could type it, and if they were already drawing my blood just down the road at the oncologist, have them draw and extra one and bring it to him, that way I would only get stuck once. I call back to the bureau of motor vehicles or oncologist, one or the other, and they tell me that I am not allowed to take my own blood off of the premises! That is what perplexes me. I am allowed to take the blood that they don't suck out of me off the premises as long as it is still contained in my body. Why can't we compromise and you just spill some in a little vial and I take that with me, almost like it was still in my body? It was blood you were going to let me walk out the door with anyway! Well today, I mention this story to the nice nurse drawing my blood at the oncologist and she says "we can type your blood". She said as long as my nurse and oncologist agree that it's not a problem, they don't want to make me get stuck again, after all they already have the hose hooked up to me. Feeling like I am in a Twilight Zone episode, because this is pretty much the same argument I made over the phone when I called the oncologist's main line (or maybe it really was the bureau of motor vehicles and they were talking about their bloodletting policies). The oncologist approved it and I floated out of there with my blood count even lower, but with only one hole in my skin from it.
When my regular onco nurse came over to discuss my levels and ask if I had any concerns, I had to breach the yellow poo subject as gingerly as possible. She looked into my still white eyeballs and said that it's nothing to be concerned about, and later my electrolyte, kidney levels, and liver enzyme tests confirmed that. I guess I should just be content that I was making little stinky Easter eggs from my own entertainment. She also addressed my wasp/stinging bug question and said that usually there is only an increased reaction, but it would probably be best if I avoided getting stung or bit for a few days. I am in full agreement and hope to avoid being stung or bit for much longer than that.
She then discussed my fatigue, which is at its worst today. I thought I would start feeling better after today. She said no, that I had bottomed out, but would probably stay like this for three or four more days then start improving. I am not too upset, if this is as bad as it gets I can manage. I mean, all I have been doing today is laying around, sleeping, and eating. Occasionally I try to do something and end up breathing like a fat guy running after an ice cream truck and sweating like...well, also like a fat guy running after an ice cream truck. I finally felt like I had enough strength in my torso to pick up my bass guitar, which is much heavier than my foreign made Paul Reed Smith guitars (I had to play my foreign made ones, because as of yet I am still deprived of an American made PRS with double cutaway and twenty four frets) and just pulling the bass out of its case had me wheezing and sweating like...well that fat guy I mentioned earlier. Which I guess I kind of feel like a fat guy right now, but I am nowhere near being able to run after any ice cream truck yet, I get winded just walking to the freezer to get one out. Anyway, I sweat up a storm and almost hyperventilated as I played my bass for the first time in two months. But I loved every second of it...until I tried to grab something with my now blistered right fingertips, but I still enjoyed it. I didn't just enjoy playing (horribly I might add) but I enjoyed listening to music that just put me in a good mood. It is hard to be depressed listening to Average White Band's "Schoolboy Crush" or "Cut the Cake", and if you are not familiar with those songs or the Average White Band, do yourself a favor and Google them right now.
Today ends with me at home, not at the hospital. All my measurable blood levels are low, but not too low. I feel exhausted, but at least I don't feel sick. Songs like "Person to Person" are running through my head. And I don't know if it's from listening to AWB's "Cut the Cake", but for some reason cake sounds really, really good right now...and a truck full of ice cream.
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