Holly's Notes and Condition

Weekly Infusion - Normal Blood Counts & Dr Okun Smiling

Today was dose #23 of 52 doses - almost half way done! Phyllis was off today, so I arrived to find retired RN Shirley working. I remember Shirley - she beat me up pretty badly when she filled in for Phyllis before. (My fault: I had just invoked her name,when talking with Gina about how the funky nerve cording that I have on the back of my right hand and up my wrist may have happened: I think it was from Shirley, who while hunting for a vein before I got my port - blew (2) veins while starting my chemo treatment.) Anyway, I guess she didn't recognize me - which is understandable - I was wearing a bright blue summer hat and my hair is different and I was talking with 'Arla', Dr Nagasawa's nurse and I was 30 minutes late for my appt. She was chatting with another patient when I came in, then another patient came in after me and she started her, finally I just called out to her and said 'Hello, Shirley' - she took care of me shortly after that - however, she still doesn't instill a sense of confidence in her ability. My left arm is tingling again - she must have hit a nerve or something when she accessed the port. My port gave blood - so she ended up getting (2) vials worth. Hey, at least she didn't have to hunt for a vein - I literally told her that, "my port doesn't give blood, so Phyllis will take it next week and yes, please use the numbing spray before you access my port, thank you!" She ran my blood counts.

I chatted with a funny and lively lady, 'Dee', who's a retired English teacher from Laguna High School and we had an enjoyable conversation - I can talk 'shop' about High School English, as my Mom taught High School English for 30+ years. To my fellow Wed. aftn infusion room buddies - I said hello to Lynne and her husband, Bob and to Dorothy, who's hard of hearing, so I waved and smiled and to her husband, Herb. (Dorothy is looking especially frail today and Herb looks like he hasn't slept well in a long time - but I got them both to smile, as I modeled my 'multi directional hat hair' - I could see the envy in their eyes, yeah, right!)

I saw Dr Okun and told him that this last week had been a good week. He smiled and asked what had made it so good? I told him that Dave and I were in a good place this week, that I was able to garden and walk and drive myself. That I can lift my arm over my head again, and I showed him and that it just felt good doing the physical therapy exercises and having a real tangible feeling that I was getting better, stronger - getting a touch of control back on my treatment and in my life. And lastly, that I had enough hair grow back, that I was going to get it cut and styled tomorrow. He laughed at that comment, "Well, you're ahead of me on that one!" (He's very 'scenic' on top - in truth, he doesn't have much hair left at all on his entire head, but he ran his hand over his head and smoothed the few remaining hairs just for good measure.) He smiled and said that he felt we 'had really turned a corner on my treatment' - its his 'onward and upward' talk - which is good, I like to hear him say it - it encourages me.

Every time I have my blood counts run, Dr Okun gives me the printout copy of the report, so I can see where I am on my blood counts. This is the first week that all my counts are within normal ranges since I started chemotherapy back at the end of Sept '06. (Some of you may remember that my blood counts were normal when I was diagnosed with breast cancer in early Sept '06 - so it wasn't triggering my doctors that something was wrong.) I left the office feeling good - emotionally. Of course, my body was starting to complain about all the physical therapy and my left arm is throbbing and my left pointer finger is numb again and I feel joint aches - but other than that - I was very pleased: another infusion done, if not done well, at least done, and I'm almost halfway through those 'targeted' treatments, just a little over 6 months to go and my blood counts are normal, and I can move and lift my right arm up again! All really good stuff from a 'Holly'-centric point of view'!

posted by Holly @ 4:57 PM