Thursday, September 20, 2012

REsults from yesterday


Well it’s 0545 and I’m getting ready to go to Philly for another big meeting with the feds. It’s been a busy few weeks at work – busier than I remember it ever being, but that may just be because I have an attitude of wanting to be on vacation all the time (by the way this isn’t a dangling modifier or a sentence with parallel construction; I did it on purpose). Regardless, everything turned out okay at the docs yesterday. My blood is still improving – with my platelets up to 86 from 80.  Red blood cells a little low, but that’s okay.
I’m a bit overweight, but so is the rest of America so I’m not alone. I’m attributing much of that to an increase in muscle mass (actually it is a lie, but that’s what I am telling myself). My strength is up, my energy is up, and I am able to do everything. So that’s good too. My goal now is to drop ten pounds before January 20th – my next big oncology appointment.

More to follow.

Love to all,

Bill

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

1 year chemo end appointment


Hey Guys:

Well today is a big day. I have a big oncology (or is it hematology) appointment today at 1000. They always freak me out. In fact as I’m writing this I feel like crying. I can’t explain why, I just do. Probably some kind of post-stress thing, I guess.

Anyway I’ll go in at about 0930, get my blood drawn and at about 1030 I’ll go to the examining room and cool my heels for a while until the nurse practitioner comes in, feels me up, leaves. Then the doctor will come in he’ll give me the same exact examination and we’ll chat.

This is where it gets dicey. I have walked into the office feeling fine and ended up in the hospital. Other days I’ve walked in feeling poorly and was sent home. So who knows?

I’m sure I’ll be okay. I feel pretty good although my skin seems awfully delicate and I suspect that’s from low platelets. I suspect my platelets will be fewer than 70,000 (normal is about 150,000 or better). As long as they stay above 50,000 I’m okay and can still do the thing I love.

Anyway, I’ve been working hard since January to recover. I benched press 205 last week (up from zero last October), I do Pilates, I ran 3 miles without stopping the other day, and I walk for 45 minutes most lunch times. So that’s all good right?

So why do these follow up appointments freak me out so much. I get so crazy on these days I take the whole day off just to unwind from it. Geez. I guess that’s a small price to pay.

That’s it I guess.