2.000.000

2,000,000! That, my friends, is the number of red blood cells that a normal body makes every second. Obviously, my body has gotten tired of all that work. The normal red blood cell count is 4.3(x10^6/UL) to 6.3 and while my count has been lower than 4.3 almost as long as I have been getting treatment, it hit a new low today at 2.9. We are going to continue to work on this. Spinach and Kale, anyone? How about Vitamins B6, B12, A and E? Folic Acid (aka Carrot Juice)?

While this number is not disastrous, we would like it to be higher.

I wonder if it has something to do with Snoopy? I was given a red Snoopy shirt to wear for my blood tests (to go with the bandaids) and I wore if for the first time today. While none of the technicians would pose with me, I did get a picture. Copies are available upon request.

Other maladies?

My father used to say that going to church and talking to older people was going to an organ recital, listening to what was wrong with them. I guess that I am getting old.

My hand/foot syndrome continues to affect me. I think that the hands are slowly catching up to the feet in this department. There is a sensitivity and the tips of my fingers are smooth and rather red.

The other big news crept into my conscious back in September when the doctor at Moffitt observed a "reducible" hernia. I had forgotten all about this until I began to feel something that was affecting my abdomen. I surmised that it was the hernia. I inquired about how to treat this. Looking at the internet, the research manager came up with a site that dealt with how to treat a hernia (with pictures). I was wondering what kind of pictures could help and then I remembered Nina Agdal from Sports Illustrated. But apparently that is not what they meant when they said "with pictures.' Fortunately, one of my tennis friends knew two people who also have reducible hernias and she told me that you just have to push it back in. That seems to have worked. However, the research manager will not let me lift anything heavier that a forkful of kale!

Oh well, back to working on the next 2,000,000 red blood cells I'll keep you posted.