Getting all fueled up :)

Happy Saturday!

It looks beautiful out there---warm, but pretty.  I'm watching the Yankees game right now, wishing I were up in New York enjoying a hot dog and sitting in the stands....next year!  It's not as fancy-sounding as Ireland or Greece, but New York is definitely on my travel list, and I'm sure it will be much more feasible!  

Not much is going on here.  We've been waiting all day to hear from the hospital because I have to go in to short stay to get some blood.  They finally just called, and I'm due in at 9:30 PM tonight, which obviously sucks.  Short stay (and it's a misnomer 'cause by the time they type and cross my blood and give me both units, 8 or more hours could pass) is a unit in the hospital where they deal with all kinds of patients with any number of illnesses/injuries.  I have to go there instead of the infusion clinic because the infusion clinic is booked through Thursday, and I need blood now.  My counts took a huge drop yesterday, although it's expected because of the chemo.  Here's a baseline of what blood numbers should be, in case you're wondering:  white blood count 4.6-10.2, neutrophils 2.0-6.9, hemoglobin 12.2-15.o, hematocrit 37.7-45.0 and platelets 142,000-424,000.  I have a white count of .6, zero neutrophils and low numbers all around, although I was able to get platelets yesterday afternoon (they were 19,000 before the transfusion).  My hematocrit was 23.3 yesterday, so it's probably even lower today.  I have an uncomfortable headache due to the anemia, and I just feel blah.  Unfortunately, the chemo really affected my taste this time as well.  It's kind of a metallic taste, and it seems to be getting stronger...it even ruins the taste of Coke!!  You know how upsetting that is for me!  :)  But all in all I'm doing well...I'm sure I'll feel much better following the transfusions tonight.  It's really disappointing though because Laura and Tiso came over to cook my favorite dinner, watch the game and some movies and hang out...we've had it planned for a while now and it pisses me off that the evening's ruined by all this crap.  I know there's nothing I can do about it, but I was really looking forward to it!  I'm glad the hospital was able to fit me in, and apparently I'll have my own room which is important when you're neutropenic (especially when you don't know what illnesses the other patients have....in '05, I did short stay once and they put me in a room with a lady who had a wound that was draining!!!---even a non-medical person can understand you shouldn't do that!!)  

I haven't done too much walking lately because it's so disgusting outside, but I'm still dancing when I get ready so that's gotta be just as good!!  Another good one to dance around to is "Let My Love Open the Door" by Pete Townshend (an old one, but a good one!)  By the way, Yankees are winning:  7-2!!  Woohoo!  

Anyway, I hope everyone is enjoying their weekend!  I'm 'gonna go hang out with everyone before we head out to the hospital to get me fueled up (blood is so much better than coffee)! Hasta pronto.  

PS I just switched my national parks calendar to August and it's a beautiful photo of Mount Rainier National Park in Washington...what are the chances?!!  :)  Check out the website... www.nps.gov/mora ...when I'm feeling well, hopefully I can go visit!  My dad got me a book of hikes and walks in Washington, and I look forward to utilizing it someday--whether it's after my transplant this time or when I go back for a check-up...there are definitely some positives in doing this in the Pacific Northwest 'cause it really is beautiful (but I'll still always be an east-coast girl).  :)