January 5, 2009

Date------Day----WBC----ANC--------Hgb--------PLT---- Transfusions
18 Dec-----107---1.3---------90-------8.5-----------2-----1 Unit Platelet
19 Dec-----108---2.6-------1300-------8.6-----------4-----1 Unit Platelet
20 Dec-----109---5.2-------4300-------8.6-----------43----1 Unit Platelet
22 Dec-----111---12.3------10800------8.6-----------23--------------N/A
24 Dec-----113----3.3-------1400------7.3---------45----1 Unit of Blood
26 Dec-----115----32.5-----29600------8.8-----------70--------------N/A
29 Dec-----118----3.6-----1836------9.6-----------121--------------N/A
2 Jan-----122-----2.7-----1400------10.1-----------193--------------N/A
4 Jan-----124----4.4------????------10.0-----------225--------------N/A
5 Jan-----125----2.9------????-------9.9-----------214--------------N/A

This is me, Aunt Debe & Amber when they came up to visit on Saturday.



Marc took me to the hospital yesterday the weather was just a yuck day with fog, rain & cold. I think it was an omen for what was to come. I have never been admitted to the James on a weekend so I had no way of knowing that the attending physician leaves very early. No big deal right? Wrong! No attending means no Chemo order & no pharmacist to fill it. I basically came in for lab draws & a kidney drowning. I could have got all that done at Madison County Hospital. I didn't have the energy to be raise any Cain about it. I keep telling myself that this is the last round in the hospital don't get worked up over the small things.

The fellow, Dr blah blah, I don't even know her name, was very thorough in her assessment of me. This last round was not as event free as the previous ones. In the past 2 weeks I have had a lot of sporadic memory loss that was troubling & way out of the ordinary. At moments I have a hard time carrying on a conversation without bouncing from topic to topic without closing one out. The Dr started talking about having a Cat Scan or a MRI of my brain, just to make sure the Chemo isn't eating my brain I guess. After the Dr came in in the morning to look at me he believes it is just Chemo Brain catching up to me.

So one night down 5 more to go. To my dismay today did not start out much better.delay after delay. They finally started my Chemo a little after 1pm which is better than the 8pm they told me which had me in an uproar earlier. So I am stuck here until Saturday. There is no way around it. I will miss another club meeting which sucks but considering the alternatives I can live with it. I just hate having Marc at home to deal with all 4 of the kids by himself. That is enough to wear you down & he has been so stressed here lately.

Brandon update: after damn near starving himself & pushing his body to the limits Brandon did not make weight for the wrestling tournament by not even a pound. He ended up having to wrestle at 160 after all, he was pulverized. It was a 2 day tournament he put on 7 pounds that night afterwards & wrestled 160 again & won 2 of his 3 matches. He has given up the fantasy that he can wrestle in the 140's & is now content for the most part with wrestling at 160.

Can you tell I got the photo's from my camera uploaded finally, unfortunately our Christmas day photos are on Marc's Camera.

This is a picture of Katie down at her Dads, she looks great!
This is Dorene & Viola when they came bearing gifts for the family from my friends & Colleagues at ODH. It was really awesome, I know I said it in a previous posts but it bears repeating, Thank you so much!


On a side note, Marcus has been a very busy bee painting "the Room". We really had a hard time finding a color that would go in there, everything we tested on the wall showed up purple next to the Fun Yellow color Misty had on the walls. This picture was our first color tester. We took a chance on an antique marble color & luckily with 2 coats it covered the yellow & looks really good. When I get out of here I will take a picture & show you. He still has the bathroom to cut in & put on a second coat but that should be done by the time I get out, he is amazing.


It's Time to Roll up your sleeves
For those of you that will be in the Lima area on January 8th from 8:00-2:30 there will be a Blood Drive dedicated to me at the Allen County Department of Job & Family Services 1501 S. Dixie Hwy.Lima, OH 45804 (in the old Westinghouse building). I believe this will be open to the public (walk-ins welcome), however if anyone knows ahead of time they want to participate please call Tracy Hollar @ 419-999-0297 for possible scheduling. My Aunt Debe has been working real hard with her employer & they have made great strides in making this a very coordinated effort with multiple agencies involved. Unfortunately I will be in the James at the time of the Blood Drive undergoing my 4th & hopefully final round of hospitalized Chemotherapy but I will definitely be there in spirit!

Benefit Scheduled
Many of you who know me may remember I used to be on the Board & the Treasurer for the London Assembly #208 Rainbow Girls when Katie & Paige were in Rainbow. I was contacted by Mom Wendy Hall, Mother Advisor from The London Assembly #208 Rainbow Girls & they are holding a Spaghetti Dinner Benefit for me on January 24th from 5:00 pm-7:00 pm at the Chandler Lodge located at 65 North Main Street, London Ohio. The Menu will be Spaghetti, sauce with meatballs, bread & butter, salad with dressing & a drink for $5.00. Desserts will be available for a donation & you can dine in or carryout is available. If you would like any information please contact Keith Hall @ 614-302-0431or airforcekeith@sbcglobal.net