Tuesday, September 25, 2012
And hopefully to stay this time.
Aren't these pretty! Some sort of orchid, they have such a delicate flower and pretty color. We are enjoying them when we are home.
And, yes I am still facing one more round of chemo, which does its job oh, so very well on my fast growing white blood cells, causing a fever, and super-susceptibility to infection and a whole bunch of other things that make it much more desirable for me to be in the hospital for a week instead of at home.
The only thing that will make it different this time, is a short that can be after chemo to cause the body to super produce white blood cells and prevent all this from happening. Otherwise, I just might as well book my bed on the fourth floor south. However, he did very quietly say, "or reduce your stay."
Good Grief!! It is ridiculous to spend a week at a time in the hospital!! And ever more so to do it twice! I hate to think of going in a third time!! It is awful to feel as sick as I did to get the ball rolling in that direction. And, this time, I really did get sick. The white blood cells counts did not want to come up and rather stayed down in no man's land for about three days. And then the hemoglobin didn't want to cooperate either.
The reason this shot wasn't done before, is that it cannot be done during radiation. It can only be used when no radiation is going on.
I'm feeling really better these days, most of my mouth sores are healing up. The mucus is much less of a problem and dry mouth is a big one now, too. I'm ready to have a little nap again.
You know, I think I might actually live through this. I just hope the next chemo isn't so bad. I've never had one this far out from radiation.
*September 25, 2022 One thing I haven't mentioned so far in these blog post is that after a certain point in radiation, it will destroy saliva glands. I looked it up and that the radiation that I'm getting is past that point. The radiation techs put a block over my voice box and chin so I have about 10% of my saliva glands left which isn't enough to keep my mouth wet. In those days, learning to live with a dry mouth was not fun.
8 comments:
Dan & Cyndie said...
So hoping that the next & LAST chemo is not nearly so hard on you, my dear friend! I am so sorry that you got so horribly sick this last time through. (Glad to hear your mouth sores are going away & yes, I can remember by dad having problems with extreme dry mouth too...love you, dear Shelley)
September 25, 2012 at 11:46
John and Sandy Linder said...
HaPpY dANcinG fOr YoU!! glad you are feeling better and at home. Home is always better isn't it?
September 25, 2012 at 5:43 PM
Anonymous said...
Thanks, again, Shelley for keeping us posted. We are waiting for the day when you can say, "all's well that ends well"!
September 25, 2012 at 8:11 PM
Gramma Lorna and Grampa Garland said...
So...while we all are busy, busy, living life, you , dear Shelley are busy, busy, trying to keep out of the hospital and doesn't look like that happened ! :-( Sure hope the chemo won't be so tragically stiff since it's buddy, radiation has been called off! Always things of you even though I don't get you told!! Love You!!
September 25, 2012 at 8:26 PM
The J's said....
Oh my goodness--this was a long spell! Things do sound a bit better now. I'm so glad, and like others hopefully this next round won't be so bad. Love the flowers--they're so pretty! Looking forward to the day I can some see you again!
September 25, 2012 at 9:23 PM
Anita said...
Oh I'm so glad to hear you're feeling better...or at least you were when this post was written! Hope that's continued ;)
September 29, 2012 at 5:11 AM
Dorothy K said...
Thinking about you tonight as you head in for the chemo homestretch this week! Tomorrow all day if I have it correctly? And tomorrow Bon comes. And Wednesday afternoon the low rumble you will hear is all your cheerleaders at the finish line...bearing in mind you may need to spend a while in the "first aid tent" even though the actual race is finished! Been thinking about what you wrote in your blog about getting ready for the marathon...was that way back in June? And here it is...the last few miles! Whew.
Love, Dodie
September 30, 2012 at 8:29 PM
Anonymous said...
Right on Dorothy...I was thinking about it being that last one today too...what a marathon...but you've done well...I like the cheerleader part...love, Jenelle and family
October 1, 2012 at 3:08 PM
