Lachance Tuesday

Well...to catch up: Monday I arose before Sandy, fed the dogs (first time in a LONG time) and the cat. Started cleaning the house, including vacuuming. Lynne called and came over--she had been on a home visit in Occum...so she was "right down the road." We visited for awhile, then ran over to Milano's for lunch...I had the cheeseburger deluxe (all that means is that they add french fries--it's all in the name). This time they toasted the bun really good! Excellent!

Then Lynn dropped me off and I finished cleaning downstairs. Sandy had gotten up around 11 am--which means she slept for over 12 hours...and she was in a grouchy mood. She and I kind of avoided each other--successfully for the most part...all day. She cleaned upstairs and then she washed the floors, upstairs and down. All done!

Come supper time--she still wasn't right and when Mark called to say he was staying home from Rally-O class, she decided to stay home too...good decision. I volunteered to run Janet's sunglasses down to her and pick up Sandy's prescription--which I did. Nice little ride in my wonderful new car, to Norwich at twilight...very nice.

I even took a spin through the old neighborhood to see if Chris and Todd were home--car wasn't there, so maybe Tyler had lacrosse or something.

Sandy is battling bad poison ivy. She got it the day she and her Dad and Mark cut down the trees and hauled them away. I told her to shower with Dawn and "Tec-Nu" but she didn't listen. To her credit, when she tells people about her affliction, she does give me credit for trying to prevent this from happening. I don't think she can even look at ivy...she has it on her arms and legs and they were covered up!

Anyway, she's all bandaged up and it's weeping something awful. She said it wept through the bandages and her uniform last night and onto the office chair at work! She had to clean it thoroughly! Poor thing...but if she had listened......

This AM I got up early, fed the dogs and got into the shower before Sandy got home. We went up to Providence and I had my blood work done and then in to see Dr. Lachance. He told awhile to come in--found out it was because he wanted to see my test results...which were poor.

My platelet count is dangerously low and he quizzed me about bloody noses, gums bleeding etc. I told him that my nose hasn't bled in about a week and I did have a bout where my gums would bleed when I brushed/flossed. One night I didn't think the gum bleed would EVER stop!

So, he starts talking that I might need a platelet transfusion. He must have seen my reaction on my face--I DO NOT want ANY kind of transfusion!!! Then he spotted a bruise on my forearm, which I didn't know the origin of, and told me that if I start bleeding and it doesn't stop I must call him and I may have to have a transfusion.

We agreed that I will go have my blood work redone on Thursday...that's going to be fun--both arms are all bruised now--the right one from the CT Scan IV on Saturday and the left one from the blood work I had done today. I should be nice and bruised by the time they are finished with me this week!

If the platelets and white cell count are still bad on Thursday, he will probably cancel my chemo for Friday and have me come back next week for more blood work and chemo (if the blood work comes back okay).

He told me that this is not necessarily a sign that I am getting the Avastin...but it could be from the other two drugs I had been getting--they have finally knocked me right down to nothing and now I have to start rebuilding.

Funny, I do have more energy lately...I thought I was doing good. One look at how easily I bruise now though, tells me that there is other stuff going on that "ain't right"....

On the way home I figured out where I got the bruise on my forearm....I knew it hadn't been there this AM when I took my shower. I got it when I went into the rest room to get a urine sample for them...on my way out, I didn't want to touch the door handle, so I pushed down on it with my forearm. That little bit of contact created that knot on my arm and that big bruise.

There's my proof that the platelets are way down....who the hell needs to go through blood work when you have that kind of evidence?

Oh, according to him, my CA 125 level is still FOUR. He laughs at me...saying I'm "so competitive" (which he is right about) when I am mad it hasn't dropped to zero. I'm wondering if he was reading the very last test I had or if he was looking at the one before that which was four. I will double-check with June when I go for chemo.

Also, the CT Scan shows things continue to "resolve"...nothing showed up on the scan, which is a good thing! The scan hadn't been read by a doctor yet..."only" a resident...so it's not the official word. He said he would have the "official word" by Friday.

So...now we wait...I ice my forearm to stop the bleeding underneath the skin and I have to be careful about whacking myself. Sandy says I should eat the red meat...so I may go check the freezer for steaks.

We took the dogs with us, so they wouldn't be locked up while we were gone. Bubbles is doing really good eating the ginger slices...it really helps settle her stomach. No throwing up in the car...which she was doing consistently before we started giving her the ginger. She likes it--just like her Mommy does.

Got some peony supports at Ocean State Job Lot on the way home...and Sandy got a tarp for the tent and more bandages for her ivy problem....poor thing. Now she is asleep--she'll go pick up Ryan later--he is spending the night. Tomorrow we have him with us, then off to dinner at Koto with Jean tomorrow night.

Later!