The new blood results are in. Bizarrely, it reminds me of a hamster race. The hamster called ‘Red Blood Cells’ (a.k.a ‘Hb’), has fallen asleep on the race track and is still drowsy on spot 5.5. That seems to get in the way of a well-filled day program and my cheerful mood, but this hamster does not count towards the release of the next chemo.
The hamster ‘Platelets’ however does count; this hamster has started to sprint and has now neatly reached the safe zone. Which is a comforting thought if I accidentally cut my finger*). The equally crucial hamster ‘White Blood Cells’ is finally starting to move in the right direction, but is definitely not on safe ground yet. Unfortunately. The next chemo must therefore be postponed for another week. In addition, thanks to this hamster, I do well to avoid groups of people and sniffing individuals for the time being. It could be worse: for some patients, their hamsters walk in the wrong direction for much longer.
It means blood tests again at the end of next week and if the chemo can proceed, the decision will most likely also be made to permanently lower the dose of Carboplatin. The problem is clear: my blood/bone marrow doesn’t recover easily from the blow of the Carboplatin I was given a month (!) ago. There will also be another consultation with an internist-oncologist next week. That’s good, because I now have some concerns and questions about this process.
*) Which ones are doing what again?
The red blood cells carry oxygen to the organs and tissues. Important for your energy.
The white blood cells defend our body against infections.
Platelets play a role in blood clotting.
All the way with Ingebee 