REPRIEVE

HI ALL! LOVE & BLESSINGS! I GOT A WEEK'S REPRIEVE FROM CHEMO AGAIN. THE TRANSFUSION ALLOWED MY RED BLOOD CELL COUNT, HEMAGLOBIN, & HEMATOCRIT LEVELS, WHICH ARE INTER-RELATED, TO JUMP BACK UP INTO THE NORMAL RANGE. MY WHITE BLOOD CELL COUNT IS ONLY SLIGHTLY LOW & NOT FAR FROM NORMAL. MY PLATELETTES ARE STILL VERY LOW & AFFECTING MY ENERGY A LOT, WHICH IS WHY CHEMO WAS POSTPONED UNTIL NEXT THURSDAY APRIL 21st . THIS GIVES ME ANOTHER WEEK TO RECOVER, WHICH I FEEL I NEED. THIS MAKES ALL MY TREATMENTS 3 WEEKS APART, WHICH I GUESS MY BODY IS SAYING IT NEEDS TO REVIVE. I'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME LAYING DOWN & RESTING. I ALSO NEED TO MAKE A CONCERTED EFFORT TO DRINK MORE WATER & INCREASE MY PROTEIN INTAKE. ACCORDING TO THE ONCOLOGIST OFFICE, I'VE LOST TEN POUNDS IN THE LAST WEEK. I DO WEIGH MYSELF DAILY AT HOME & ONLY LOST 5 POUNDS BY MY CALCULATIONS, BUT I STILL NEED TO CONCENTRATE ON EATING A LITTLE MORE. I THINK THEIR ESTIMATE OF WEIGHT LOSS WAS AFFECTED BY THE FACT THAT IT WAS A WARMER DAY & I WAS WEARING LIGHTER CLOTHING, I WORE A SCARF INSTEAD OF A WIG WHICH WEIGHS LESS, I HAD AN EMPTY STOMACH & NORMALLY EAT BEFORE I GO, AND I TOOK MY SHOES OFF BEFORE WEIGHING. AS I'VE MENTIONED BEFORE, MOST OF US CAN STAND TO LOSE A FEW POUNDS HERE & THERE, BUT I DON'T RECOMMEND GETTING CANCER TO DO IT, & LOSING THAT MUCH IN A WEEK IS PROBABLY NOT RECOMMENDED. ANYWAY, I HAD BEEN WORKING ON EATING EXTRA PROTEIN & DRINKING EXTRA WATER PRIOR TO THIS, BUT HAD FORGOTTEN TO DO SO IN THE LAST WEEK. I THINK THE FACT THAT MY NEW HANDHELD NEBULIZER BREATHING TREATMENT WASN'T WORKING RIGHT, DIDN'T HELP THINGS EITHER. THE COMPANY SENT OUT A NEW ONE QUICKLY, WHICH WORKS MUCH BETTER. (35 MINUTE TREATMENT 3 TIMES A DAY AS OPPOSED TO THE OLD ONE THAT WAS TAKING 1 & 1/2 HOURS OR MORE EACH TIME.) IT GREATLY FRUSTRATED ME & TOOK A GREAT DEAL OF MY TIME & ATTENTION. SHORTER TREATMENTS ARE WORKING MUCH BETTER & WILL HOPEFULLY GET MEDICINE DIRECTLY TO MY SINUSES WITH BETTER RESULTS & FEWER OVERALL SIDE EFFECTS. I AM GREATFUL TO GOD I DIDN'T GIVE UP. I WAS SERIOUSLY TEMPTED TO DO SO. MY DOCTOR EVEN CALLED TODAY TO SEE HOW I'M DOING WITH IT. THE NEW MACHINE & MEDICINES SHOULD REALLY HELP BY THE TIME I SEE HIM FOR A "SINUS" CHECKUP ON MONDAY. I'VE ALSO NOTICED I WAS GETTING KIND OF CRANKY THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS. I WAS BOTHERED BY ANYTHING & EVERYTHING. I FINALLY REALIZED THAT I'M USED TO MAKING MY OWN DECISIONS, GOING PLACES , & DOING THINGS WHEN I WANT TO OR NEED TO.  A LOT OF THAT HAS CHANGED SINCE I WAS DIAGNOSED & HAVE BEGUN TREATMENT. I RELY ON MY FAMILY TO DO MY NORMAL THINGS LIKE GROCERY SHOPPING & COOKING & GETTING ME TO MY APPOINTMENTS. I DON'T OFTEN GET TO DRIVE MYSELF ANYWHERE, UNLESS IT'S VERY LOCAL & I'M HAVING A GOOD DAY. THINGS HAVE CHANGED FOR NOW WITH MORE CHANGES ON THE HORIZON. I TRUST THE LORD WHO IS IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT & WILL GET ME TO MY DESTINATION ONE DAY AT A TIME. HE GIVES US HELP & THE GRACE WE NEED FOR EACH DAY, AS WE NEED IT. EVENTUALLY I WILL REGROW MY HAIR, MY SCARS WILL HEAL, AND I WILL BE ABLE TO BE MORE INDEPENDENT AGAIN. A LITTLE MORE LIKE THE OLD ME  BUT WITH ADDED INSIGHT, COMPASSION & FOCUS ON GOD & FAMILY INSTEAD OF THE PROBLEMS! THAT'S A GOOD CHANGE.