Chapter One: CLOSED

Yay! Chemo is over! Despite waiting a week my white blood cell count was still low, BUT my neutrophil count (which is what fights infection) was up so they let me do it! They reduced the dosage of two of the drugs that affect white blood cells the most. The other two stayed the same.  So... DONE. My chemo buddy who I always sit next to even drove up to visit me. I still have to go in every three weeks for one of my drugs, herceptin, every three weeks until July so I'll be sure and schedule that on Thursday mornings so we can hang some more. 

With my low white blood cells I still have to be careful. I should buy a hazmat suit to fly to Florida next Wednesday. I'll be very careful. I'm going in for fluids Friday, Monday and Tuesday so that should help me to feel a little better a little faster this time. I wish I would have done it every time! The reduced dosage should hopefully help me not feel so crummy also. 

I meet with my surgeon, plastic surgeon and naturopath next week before we leave town. So, I'll know the full plan for the surgery and what to expect only n all counts. We've thinking I'll probably stay at my sister's house for at least the week after surgery. I won't be able to move much and it will be too tough to set up shop downstairs with a 2-year-old around and the other option is to be set up in my bedroom staring at the wall. This way Daniel can work and take care of the kids and not have to nurse me too much and my mom can come for the week and help take care of me. As far as I know, surgery will still be Nov. 28 despite chemo being pushed back a week. I think four weeks is enough and the only reason it was 5 was because of Thanksgiving anyway.

Other than that, I went to the cardiologist yesterday for a check-up on my heart and had an echo. It showed a small amount of fluid around my heart. He wasn't concerned and it's so small that it's not like they could drain it even if they wanted to. I'm going to stay on the anti-inflammatory medicine they gave me to help and I'll be back after I heal up from surgery for another echo to check. 

That's about it! I have a few things I have to do tomorrow, unfortunately, but then I will hunker down for the weekend. James will be at my mom's until Monday and that will help. I have a little person at my feet asking me to help her go find her daddy, so I better tend to this very important business!