March 5, 2012

Trial Infusion #2

#2-yay!?
It 's been a nice couple of weeks. Time to change gears and sit in the infusion chair again - chair #19 to be more specific.

We made it to the hospital this morning in good time. How is it that the nicest day we've had in a while is the same one I'll be spending most of the day sitting indoors? It's not fair, but hey - life isn't fair. If I'm up for it, I'm going to go on a walk in the neighborhood after we're done here. It's sunny and 60+ out there, people!

Overall, I've done well during the clinical trial so far. I trust blog readers know kind of how this first round went, so I won't reiterate. Today my bloodwork revealed that my WBC count is indeed low. The threshold for receiving treatment is a WBC count of 1.5 or above; I'm currently sitting at 1.6. So, by the hairs on my chinny-chin-chin, I'm getting my infusion as scheduled today. I'm low, but not low enough to call for a Neulasta shot (yet). I must be even more vigilant about washing my hands after handling pretty much anything, not being around big crowds, and not exposing myself to sick individuals.

Nobody's saying anything firm, but I'm gathering that for Infusions #3 and 4, if I'm between 1.0-1.5, they may give me a Neulasta shot and still go through with a treatment. If I'm 1.0 or below, my treatment may be delayed. But that's in the future, and there's much for my body to "do" between now and then.

In hair news:
My eyebrows are starting to vacate. :( It's not easy to see them go, dangit. I loved having eyebrows and eyelashes! At least I know they came back once, so they'll be back again. I seem to be losing eyebrows and eyelashes daily. My leg and armpit hair is definitely not as dense as before all of this began last summer but also since my 1st treatment of cisplatin. My head hair and...um..."other" hair is still hanging on! That's amazing since those two are the ones I lost first last time 'round. I anticipate losing more hair in the coming weeks, but wouldn't it be GRAND if I didn't? :) It's nice to think of it that way, but I'm also realistic and know not many people skip the "losing hair" part of receiving cisplatin treatments.

Here's to hoping this round is as kind as the last one.

2 comments:

Rachel said...

Laura loo, Thanks for the update...I'm glad you got the funny postcard and will be sending more your way! And let me know when it is time for my solidarity buzz cut! I'll send pics again for your viewing pleasure.

Laura said...

Still hanging onto my head hair, Rach! Can you believe it? :) The eyebrows have gone and are already coming back in towards the center...only a matter of time before the others fill in - yay!