Counts Down

Since my last trip to Little Rock my platelets have been gradually going down, for what reason we don't know at this point. With the bloodwork I had done on Monday it had started creeping back up so this is a good thing, but you still have to wonder why. My platelet count hasn't been an issue for quite some time now. When the lab at HOG gave me my report they had me to go upstairs to talk to a nurse, this time it wasn't my platelet count it was my WBC. It was down to 1.75 again this raises the question why. I have just been at home this week staying warm by the fire, I am not suppose to be around alot of people, I can't take my chances on catching something while my counts are so low. I go back to Little Rock on Tuesday for tests, MRI, bloodwork and a bone marrow biopsy. There was the concern of my platelets with the biopsy because I have to be at 50 at least before I can have it done. They ordered platelets for me if I need them before the biopsy. Even though I don't enjoy the biopsy in the least I have to have it to find out what's going on right now. The nurses say it could be a number of things, it could be the thyroid surgery, the radiation, being off treatment for awhile or the myeloma trying to come back. The later would be my fear, I can't imagine having to start over again so we just pray that it is some minor thing and it will adjust itself. I look forward to Thanksgiving this year but I can't wait until Christmas, I think I can enjoy the holiday season much more this year. I can't wait to put up the tree, Kara helped me pick out decorations for the tree, I wanted to change it out this year. I'm like a little kid but my excitement is for the decorations not so much opening the presents.

New Week

Last week Clay and I made the trip to Little Rock for doctor visits. We saw Dr. Barlogie on Tuesday, all my MRI's and other test had came back good so far. I have still been off chemo, just waiting for his signal to go back on, I just knew that the news would be to start back NOW, but my platelet count was down so he wants me to wait another 3 weeks. At that time I will be going back down to Little Rock for more testing before starting back on chemo. I am scheduled for more MRI's, bloodwork and a bone marrow biopsy (in which I dread already) but I haven't had to have one in quite a while so I guess it is about time.

The next day I had an appointment with my thyroid doctor, Dr. Bodenner, he felt like everything was fine after my surgery and radiation. The body scan came back negative, so that was good news. He ran an ultrasound and said it all looked good, nothing seemed to be showing with my lymph nodes, so he was pleased. I had to have bloodwork done for him as we were leaving, if something is off they will call me if not I will continue taking the 112 synthroid.

It had been a long couple of days waiting to see doctors, nurses and lab people but it was now over and we were heading home. We stopped at Olive Garden in Little Rock to have a very late lunch before hitting the road. I will head back down a couple of days before Thanksgiving for my testing, then I can enjoy Thanksgiving and go back down to see the doctor a few days after.

On the most part I have been feeling pretty good, just tire out quickly and have alot of aches and pains, part of that may just be my age.

Just testing

Made the trip to Little Rock on Tuesday, my sister in law Darcy took me this time, it was a tiring day. We had a good day, a nice chance to catch up and get a good visit in at the same time. All I had to do was have some bloodwork and a couple of MRI's. It rained most of the time on us, but not to complain because we needed the rain real bad. I won't get any of the results until I see the dr the 2nd of November. We headed back after 2 and just drove on to Conway and stopped at Market Place for a really late lunch, then on into Fayetteville, got home about 6:15.

I have been feeling pretty good lately, I know it's due to me not being on chemo right now. When I go back for the dr visit I'm sure he will say it's time to start back. I dread those words.

Columbus Day

Just a pretty normal Monday here on the home front. I waited this morning for the Terminix guy to come for our yearly visit. Kara and I went to Olive Garden for lunch then ran to Hobby Lobby, I hadn't been there in quite some time. It was fun looking at all the Fall things and the Christmas stuff as well. They are still putting out more Christmas decorations, I am wanting to change my tree theme this year, whether that will happen or not we'll just have to wait and see.

I have been feeling pretty good these days, just tired, the little bit I did today just wore me out. So I usually try to get a nap in somewhere along the way. Just the usual bloodwork on Thursday, I will go down to Little Rock on Tuesday next week for bloodwork and a couple of MRI's. Just a day trip, an all day, day trip that is.

FALL OR SUMMER

Is it Fall or is it still summer????? Isn't it wonderful to live in Northwest Arkansas? This cooler weather has about done me in, I don't know what I will do when winter gets here. I stay cold so much of the time, I don't know if that will ever change due to chemo. I have been feeling pretty good, it makes a difference when you take chemo and when you don't. I am off the chemo for another month so during that time I can feel better and enjoy.
Last weekend was the first time I could be around Jonah (grandson) after my radiation, we kept him awhile on Saturday night and then we got to watch him again Sunday afternoon. He is getting to be such a character, he is such a joy.

I went to Little Rock last Thursday for a body scan to see if the radiation did everything it was suppose to do. I of course didn't find out anything, I will see the dr. November 3rd, so I guess I will find out then. I am heading in for bloodwork in a few minutes and to have lunch with a couple of girls I use to work with. Have a great day and enjoy these summer time temps this afternoon.

Real Food

The iodine free diet ended Friday night, what a relief, I got to go back to eating regular food again. This is not something I would want to be on for any extended period of time, it got old very fast. Things have been going pretty good with the process of the radiation, with all the precautions you have to take after the radiation. I go back down to Little Rock this week for a body scan to see if the radiation did what it was suppose to do. Last Friday I took a little fall I guess you would say, I still have that light but heavy headiness when I get up out of a chair alot of the time, I had started down the hall and I felt it coming on, I grabbed the door facing and next thing I know I am coming to on the floor. I hit the back of my head on our dining room table wooden base or a chair one of the other. My back and the back of my head have really been sore, you kinda forget until you rub your head then you remember. Clay came home for awhile to make sure I was going to be ok. It was crazy, I would always feel weak and funny but I have never go completely down, but I'm ok.

I'm Glowing

Candes and I headed to Little Rock early Monday morning, I had an appointment at 11, but I needed to do bloodwork first. Things went smooth, there was some waiting in the lab but not bad. Candes checked me in at the Head & Neck Clinic (thyroid) and then she went to the pharmacy to pick up my injection shots, by that time I was upstairs. They called me right in for my injection, they want to do them the same time each day, then we were done for the day. I had started with a headache on Sunday that was pretty severe, Tylenol is the only thing I can take and it wasn't helping, we just hung out at the apartment the rest of the day. Tuesday was a busy day, went for my injection at 11, back to the apartment for lunch since I'm am still doing the iodine free diet. I had an appt at 1 with the kidney doctor and then an appt with Dr. Barlogie at 2, it kept us hopping. The results of the biopsy showed no myeloma in the kidneys, and this is a good thing but there has been quite a bit of scarring/damage done to my kidneys. This is probably due to the myeloma or even partly due to some of the medications I have been on in the past that might harm your kidneys. The bad thing is that the damage is irreversible, they are just going to keep a close eye on them knowing they can't get any worse. The next step would be dialysis and I don't want to go there if I don't have to. Wednesday was the big day for radiation, we went in and they called me back pretty quick, there's alot of pre stuff that goes on, explaining everything to you, mostly all the after precautions. They have to specially order your pill from a pharmacy across town, so by the time they make it and get it back over there we are talking about an hour. So after the wait I went in and took my pill and then I was on my way. Sounds really crazy. Candes and I were going to run back to the apartment to eat our lunch, then they tell me not to eat for 2 hours, so we ran back, picked up our stuff and hit the road for home, they said I wouldn't start throwing off rays for 2 hours. It was good to be back home again, all the things you have to do is just mind boggling though. All our laundry has to be done separate, I can't wash my clothes with Clay's, I have to have my separate living quarters with my own bathroom and no one else can use this bathroom for several days, I have to stay 6 ft away from everyone or they me anyway. I will be glad when this too is finished, but one good thing I get to go back to normal food tomorrow night. I can't wait. I am confined to the house for these days because you can't take a chance being around people especially babies, children, pregnant women, so I will just be hanging out here for awhile.