Course 5 Day 4

It was another chemo day that went well! I also had blood work today. I think I am beginning to know my body. I've had little bruising this week and my platelets showed that they are fairly stable at 45 (just a little lower than Monday). I was having some shortness of breath while doing chores around the house and sure enough my Hemoglobin and Hematocrit dropped ( to 9.6 and 28.2).....but they are not low enough to require a blood transfusion. My white blood count continues to be low (1.4) and handwashing continues to be essential. The nurses were busy as usual but very attentive.

I met a new "friend"...Mike who has Multiple Myeloma and was diagnosed at the end of March - 3 weeks after his wife died of Aplastic Anemia. Mike is preparing for stem cell transplant (harvesting his own stem cells). He will be admitted to the same floor where his wife, Linda died in March. She had a stem cell transplant from a donor 4 years ago and died of Graft vs Host disease (a common complication). My heart went out to Mike. This reinforces that no one can feel sorry for themselves....because there is always someone else who has a harder battle to face. Despite Mike's grief he was positive about his treatment. He is in remission and feels that now is a great time to do the transplant rather that waiting until he relapses. After Mike left, Randi (my old "friend") came and we had a great time chatting since we know each other so well now. I was so busy chatting that I didn't notice that the lines on my chemo drip were not open and the chemo was not dripping in. No problem except my visit to Siteman was 30 minutes longer today. ...my own fault for not watching. ....a good sense of humor is really important.

Please pray for Mike as he will be admitted this Monday for his stem cell transplant and for Randi as her children started school this week (first grade and kindergarten).

I am encouraged by 1 Thessalonians 5:18 "Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." and 1 Peter1:6-7 "In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith - of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed."

I am also encourged by the notes, bible verses and blessings offered by so many in the "guestbook"....thank you all!

A thankful and growing in trust Ellen