Catching Up (March 19-28)

Ok, I know it's been a while so let me bring you all up to speed.

Last week, after my blood transfusion on Monday, I felt great and spent the next couple of days enjoying the beautiful, unseasonably warm weather.

Thursday last week, I went back into the hospital for more blood tests and needed a platelet transfusion.  While at the clinic, I met Boyd.  Boyd and I have several mutual acquaintances through working for the same company and were in the hospital at the same time in February.  Boyd had heard about me and that I was in there but because of privacy laws, they couldn't tell him anything about me.  Turns out, our rooms were only about 100 feet apart.  Anyway, I now have a new friend who's been going through the same things as me at the same times as me and I'm wishing him a speedy recovery and a long and healthy life.

After receiving platelets on Thursday, you'd think my platelet count would have increased enough to keep me safe (for those who may not know, platelets are the cells that make your blood clot).  However, Friday evening, I was making dinner and my third stroke with the potato peeler went through the tip of my finger.  It bled... and bled, and bled, and bled.  A tiny cut, that should have bled for maybe a minute wouldn't stop bleeding.  Needless to say, Kendall got the honour of peeling the rest of the potatoes (and anything else in the kitchen that requires sharp utensils from now on).  Then the next day, I was folding laundry and managed to split the cut on my finger open and it started gushing blood again.  I guess Kendall gets to do the laundry too!

On Monday my long awaited house guest arrived... Aunt Noonie has come to stay with me for the week!  This is very exciting as she lives overseas and I only get to see her 2 or 3 times a year and usually only for short visits (a day or so).  Now I get her all to myself for a whole week - with the exception of Wednesday, when my sisters came for a visit... Which of course was so much fun - anyone who knows us knows the kind of trouble the four of us ladies can get into!

So, that's what I've been up to... Enjoying life and spending time with friends and family.  What could be better?  Well, remember to appreciate the good times... Stay tuned for what happened after Wednesday.....

So confused

Why am I awake? It's not even 8 am! Who's blood did they give me????

Oh how tough life can be when it's 20 degrees and you're stuck at home...

In the hospital today for blood tests. As it turns out it's time for an oil change. Getting a blood transfusion today so when this is done I'll be a whole new woman and able to enjoy all this beautiful weather we've been having. Yes, life is pretty rough - I'll have to spend the afternoon in the backyard with my puppy in the sunshine.

I got called back to the hospital on Thursday afternoon for round 2 to begin.  I'm 1/3 of the way through my second round of chemo now.  Luckily, I do not have to stay in the hospital the whole time, only over night the days that I'm getting the chemo.  This time around I am receiving the same drug as one of the ones I got last time, however it is much stronger, but in shorter bursts.  I was feeling a little sick last night, but have managed to keep eating and keep everything down.  Thank goodness for anti nausea meds :)

This round will be over on Tuesday morning and hopefully I'll have some more information on what comes next by then.

My hair grew back!

Round 1 goes to...

I had my follow up appointment yesterday and got the news I had been hoping for... I am in remission! 

I will still have at least 2 more rounds of chemo, the next starting as soon as there's a bed avaialable for me in the hospital.  So again, I am enjoying the time I have left at home feeling great and resting up before round 2.