Received good news yesterday at dialysis on the hemoglobin numbers from Wednesday, the number was 11.5 and that was before dialysis. It is always lower before dialysis than after so it could have been as high as 11.7 after dialysis. This means I will not go in for blood testing this week. I will push it an extra week, as long as it stays above 10. I know this may not seem like much to some but believe me when I can have an extra day that is a big deal to me. This means I have Wednesday afternoon and Thursday off. I have not received platelets since my surgeries to receive the new catheter. They have actually gone up a little. Last week they were tested at 21,000 and for me that is great. Dr. Page will not recommend for me to receive them unless they go back down to around 13,000 or lower..

Last week was a difficult one. I could not eat the evening meal, ate Tums like they were candy, became very ill at dialysis, had dreadful headaches and in general was very weak. Knowing I had stretched receiving blood to three weeks, it seemed that was probably the answer. When I was tested, the numbers were not as bad as they have been (9.1). I could tell there was something else and could not tell what it could be. As I look back now, I think I had another problem…still not sure what but am feeling much better. Since I have no immune system, it could have been almost anything. But whatever it was, it has passed and I am feeling a great deal better. I truly enjoy the good days I have.

Had a rough few days. I thought it might be because my hemoglobin was low and had it tested today. It is low but not as bad as I was afraid it might be. It is 9.1 so I will go in tomorrow and get two units of packed red blood cells. My platelets are 22,000 and that is up from 21,000 three weeks ago. That does not sound like much to most people but to me any increase is wonderful. I am always glad when it does not go down but a slight rise is wonderful.

My white blood cell count is down to 2.1 so will give myself four shots of Neupogen. Not my favorite thing to do to give myself shots but it is better than having to go to the doctor four days in a row for them to do it. I received great instructions from the people at M. D. Anderson when I was there about giving myself a shot and there are worse things that can happen.

– Not much going on, just more of the same. The areas where the surgeries to install and replace the ports have mostly healed. There are a few areas that are still tender but they are on the mend.

I had a great week planned with my family for the 4th and did not go in for blood. I knew my hemoglobin would drop and it has. I will go in Wednesday to be tested and probably go in Thursday for blood because my numbers were down to 8.7 and will only go lower. My platelets are remaining pretty good and even up a little. I feel pretty good but remain so very tired but that is to be expected with my problems.