No Go!...Again!!

My weekly visit was Tuesday this week. The "replacement" nurse (btw-I'm not trusting her at ALL!) calls me back and tells me to sit down (this is her routine-and I don't like it!). When I walked into the infusion room I saw my regular nurse, Maria. She looked at me and smiled. I know what this means. I said, "No?" She just smiled. I asked if my liver counts were up and she said yes but the problem is my white counts. They are in the 1's. That is not very good at all!

I did have an appointment scheduled with the doctor following my infusion, so we just went back out in the waiting room and waited and waited and waited! Someone please tell me why the office couldn't call me and tell me my counts were bad. So as it played out I went back into the waiting room and waited for an hour plus. Scott couldn't go with me so I asked my brother to take me. I know he didn't mind but when you ask someone to take a few hours out of their day you'd like it to be useful. I could have driven myself to see the doctor. I just need "taxi service" when they poison me :-)

My visit with the doctor didn't really produce much more info. I told him that I am due to see the liver specialist next week and that I had a plethera of blood tests and an abdominal ultrasound. I shared the info about the liver biopsy that the specialist mentioned and he seemed about as thrilled about the idea as I did. I took that to mean that I am right in my reservations. One interesting fact was revealed, however. I mentioned that the specialist was inquiring about past blood tests and how the liver tests looked 12 months, 6 months, 2 months....ago. So my oncologist looked over the blood test immediately prior to starting chemo and one of the liver tests came out abnormal. Interesting... This means prior to any chemo drugs being introduced to my system, my liver already was not functioning properly. Looking back upon it now, however, I realize it could be the celebration that we had the week-end before I started chemo :-)

The high end of the "normal" column was 40 and my number was 45. It isn't too elevated and obviously not cause for concern. I do recall being at a baseball tournament and being quite nervous about starting chemo and a few friends may have purchased an adult beverage for me. I am a light weight and 1 or 2 drinks may have been enough to elevate the counts. Keep in mind those numbers now are hovering around 300. So it is a drastic change. A significant concern. So I see the specialist on Thursday to see what inspiring news he can share with me...can't wait!

As for my onocologist....he instructed me to get three shots of the Neupogen this week to try and get my blood cell counts elevated. From now on my shots will be increased from three to five shots a week. Nothing like feeling like a pin cushion! Geno continues to be my nurse and my girls love being able to help. I think if I would let them, they would love to give me a shot. On occasion I self inject. It's not that big of a deal. I knew I would arrive at that mind set, it just took some time. I am there and between Geno and I, five times a week shouldn't be bad. It's just the pain from the swollen bones that is troublesome. I can't take Tylenol because of the liver counts and I can't take Advil or Motrin because of the chemo drugs. Leaves me to suffer but with all that I've been through...what's a little pain, right?

One last troubling set of surrounds....because I can't go a week without some excitement! My oncologist was looking over my chart, making his notes and looked up to ask if I was still taking my vitamin B12. Shocked by the question I answered no because he had NEVER mentioned this to me. Seems that I should have been taking this all along since the beginning. Then he wrote down the formula to pick up at Trader Joe's which includes B12, Folic Acid and B6. This formula is called Homocysteine. Once I researched this formula it says something about heart attacks and strokes if the levels are too high, especially if you suffer from high cholesterol. BINGO! I also very specifically remember him instructing me to NEVER take Folic Acid. I checked with Scott to double check my recollection and he was surprised to hear that the B12 was something I was supposed to be taking. He never heard the doctor say anything about it either and he has been at every appointment with me. So I have a call into the doctor since Wednesday to get my answer or reassurance that it's okay but as you might have guessed, he never called back! Nothing goes in my body unless I specifically get the okay and I haven't gotten that. So nothing has gone in my body! Just the poison :-)

So the week ahead should be interesting. I go for my blood draw on Monday, chemo Tuesday, liver specialist Thursday and hopefully a restful week-end. I am beyond frustrated. I realize their are no concrete answers with these types of tumors but the pain is back (which probably means they are growing again), the liver counts continually elevated are a great cause for concern and can cause permanent damage and everyone seems to be shaking up their bag of tricks and taking whatever surfaces at the top. I would like it if they weren't all standing around scratching their heads wondering what in the heck to do with me!