When I got to the clinic this morning, they were having some kind of emergency with a patient at one of the plasmapheresis machines. They use the machine to separate bone marrow cells from the blood in people who want to donate stem cells. Or they use the machine to harvest stem cells from someone who can have treatment for their cancer from their own bone marrow cells. Regardless, there was alot of hub-bub over there in the corner recliner with doctors all around directing the nurses to get EKG's and other treatments for the patient. Things like that send the anxiety/stress level through the roof for the staff. Now that they have moved her to a hospital bed and room, she is doing better. The stress is abating and things are starting to run more normally.
I am waiting on my lab results to come back to see if I need any blood or platelets. I have been more tired with this cycle of chemo, but I am starting to feel better now. My row exercise went better than yesterday, which means it will be all up from here. They never gave me blood in the hospital on this last round and that makes a huge difference in my stamina. The hemoglobin level was borderline so they deferred it until later. It is tough to have alot of vim and vigor when you are used to a hemoglobin of 13 but your level is only 8 or 9. Sorry, I am just whining and complaining. As much as I'd love to feel "normal" and zippy, it's a little unrealistic, I know, after chemo, chemo, chemo and, well, more chemo. I can't tell you how happy I will be to start my very last chemo round and know that everyday after will be better than the one before it, stronger and stronger day by day. Not long now!
Some of my pals head to the beach in SC this w-e. They are taking their annual Folly Beach trek for the week. I'll be thinking of you all seeing the surf, the Morris lighthouse, biking, walking in the nature park, and working on all of that knitting that is going so well. Tee hee.
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