08/10/07 - Pittsburgh Trip - Cancelled

I should be in Tampa International Airport right now, waiting for my 5:00 departure for Pittsburgh. Instead, I'm at home updating my site. I want to apologize again to those were coming from out of town, plus the hosts of the get-togethers that were planned around my trip.

I found out this morning around 9:30-10:00 that my blood counts were low and dropping. My Doctor and his assistant recommended against the trip strongly. I ignored their advice at first, saying I would still make the trip, but upon further consideration, I had to cancel it for health reasons (my poor counts). Unfortunately, this all happened last minute, which I strongly regret.

I hate to sound like a broken record, but my assumptions never hold true. I just had my first transfusion during my last 8 week chemo cycle. My two transfusions during this 8 week cycle may easily become three if my counts get lower, and that is new. It sure seems like treatment is getting worse.

On the positive side, I am feeling alright despite my counts.

08/06/07 - Neck Mullet Gone

Well, I'm not very used to long hair. The neck mullet was also mostly "wispy neck hair" which was a pain. It was just there, doing whatever it wanted to do.


I had my haircut today and I had the neck mullet shaved. It had been growing for about 4 months and it wasn't making progress fast enough. So, it's gone.

08/04/07 - Transfusion III

I had to have another blood transfusion on Saturday. I had to get 6 units of platelets (I learned that multiple platelet units can share 1 bag) and I had to get 2 units of red blood cells. At least the hospital is not very busy on Saturday.


So, we were at the hospital from about 12:30PM until about 5:30PM. A far cry from the overnight, nearly 17 hour stay of my first transfusion. The "Fusion Center" is a nice place, but you don't want to spend a lot of time there. Besides my recent transfusions, I also receive my chemotherapy there.


Below is a picture of the platelet IV running into my chemo port. The port is in my chest as I described it in my last platelet transfusion post.


As I said earlier, the Fusion Center is not bad. Laura and I were more prepared this time with reading materials and MP3 players. She read a lot, and I read a little. I was given Benadryl intravenously to fend off a negative reaction I had to the platelets during my first transfusion. Anyhow, the Benadryl pretty much made me sleep.

I hope that two transfusions in a row (this weekend and last) don't cancel my Pittsburgh trip. It would take a lot to cancel it, especially since I have more plans now. We'll see how it works out, as I'm scheduled to have my bloodcounts measured twice this week.