1/31/2010 - Blood and Platelets

I didn't realize how long it has been since I last posted on the blog until I started getting messages and calls from friends who were wondering about my well-being. I am happy to report that things have been pretty normal and uneventful for me. I am sorry if I have caused you any unnecessary concern. I have been distracted by my ongoing research, and have just been enjoying the luxury of spending more time with my family.

After being discharged from the hospital, I continue to get platelet transfusions every week. I also had blood transfusion a couple of times. I had 2 bags of blood and a bag of platelet last Friday! As bad as it seems, this is normal. The discharge from chemo happened to coincide with my monthly period, so I needed more platelets to stop the bleeding, and more blood to replenish what was lost. Just bad timing.

The good news is...my white blood count has started to climb back up! It went all the way down to 0.4 last Monday (normal is 4 to 11), and my ANC went down to 0.0 (normal is 1.9 to 8.7), meaning I am as defenseless as a baby when it comes to infections. By Friday, my white blood count and ANC has climbed back up to 0.8 and 0.1. Still below normal, but it seems to be going back up. My hemoglobin went down only because of my bleeding. I usually reach nadir (medical term for the hitting the bottom after chemo) after three weeks. It has only been two and a half weeks after my chemo, so this is a good sign.

The better news is... my bone marrow transplant (BMT) doctor is beginning to reconsider her recommendation for a BMT! My bone marrow has consistently been able to produce more blood a few weeks after a round of chemo, even without getting shots to speed it up. I was so happy about the change of opinion that I forgot to ask why the doctor thinks it may be unnecessary to have the BMT! I just assumed that she is beginning to wonder if it is worth the risk. I should remember to ask her next time we meet.

The change of opinion is significant, because we have been praying for God's guidance regarding BMT. I have been getting more and more convinced that having a BMT will not be good for me based on my research and analysis, but the opinion of "Dr. Val" is not so reliable. The two best signs that God does not want me to have a BMT are that no donors will be found, and that we will get opposing recommendation(s) from doctor(s).

So far, there has been no perfect match found for me - score one point for "No BMT"! The latest opinion of my oncologist is that as a doctor, she still recommends BMT, but she would not know how she would decide if the same thing were to happen to her. Not a very strong case for BMT, I think. Two other doctors already think it may not be worth the risk to get a BMT. One was from a friend of my sister who is an oncologist, and another from my long-time friend who is an internist. If my BMT doctor changes her opinion, then it will be absolutely clear.

Thank you all for your prayers. I think our prayers are all being answered everyday - for my healing, my family's health and finding God's guidance regarding BMT. This round of chemo is once again relatively uneventful and it seems like the Lord is slowly leading us to His will regarding the BMT. My family and I continue to be happy, positive and relatively healthy. It is still the cold and flu season, but none of got the cod or flu, thanks to your prayers.

As I approach the end of this journey, I am busy preparing myself for the next leg of my life's journey. Many questions come to mind as I think of what my new reality will look like after the treatments. How will I choose to live my life after the treatments? What choices do I need to make? Right now, I am focusing on the issue of health. With a 60% chance of relapse looming over my head, I cannot leave the issue of health to chance. Doing so will be irresponsible. I am learning many things about living a healthier lifestyle, and will gladly share what I learn with you all in my next blog.

Thank you once again for your continued prayers and concern. May God continue to bless you and your family!