Just to avoid chemotherapy

What an interesting, action filled week!

You may recall that my white blood cell count was low a week ago yesterday. I personally felt that I needed a shot (two actually) of neupogen, which boosts the white blood cell count, I didn't get it last week, but I sure needed it this week and so I had a shot yesterday (Tuesday) and today, I feel a little energized as a result. I will look forward to seeing the numbers next Monday.

Now the really interesting news. I have had some trouble with hernias over the past few months. Usually, I can pop them back in, particularly, my left one. However, on Thursday, I sneezed really hard and the right one popped. By the end of the afternoon, I was in such pain that the research manager took me to the hospital.

Eventually, I got some painkiller by IV and relaxed enough to allow the doctor to pop it back in. When I got the painkiller by IV, it was suggested that I be given anti nausea medicine also, but I told them that I never get sick. When I sat up to leave, I found out that never is no longer true. After an hour to recover, I tried to get up again, got my feet off the bed and moved, in a short time, from never to twice.

As a result, I was given a free (to me) night's stay at Morton Plant hospital for observation. When I got to the room, three times was sort of a charm. I was kept all the next day to see if I could keep food down. I did and I must say that the food service at Morton Plant is wonderful. There is a great menu and you order what you want, when you want it by phone and it is delivered to you within 45 minutes. I could happily have stayed longer.

In your room, they have a white board to provide all the information about you, the patient. It has a list of the people looking after you, various vital statistics like blood pressure and blood sugar counts, et cetera. They also have a list of goals for the day.

I was left to my own devices for much of the afternoon and added the goal of "becoming the all knowing god of the universe" to my goals for the day. When Sarah came to discharge me, I pointed out that I had not achieved all my goals. She looked and saw my entry on the board and broke out laughing. She had never seen any patient write on the board before. I was released notwithstanding my failure to achieve all my goals for the day.

I left the hospital early Friday evening and have had to be careful since. I am seeing the surgeon tomorrow and expect to have an operation on Friday June 28.

Meanwhile, I cannot have chemo because the Avastin that is part of the chemo process inhibits recovery from surgery. The oncology doctor is okay with this.

The lengths that one has to go to avoid chemo!