Imagine a semi-automatic pointed at you shooting one challenge after another and you will know how my week has been.
Yesterday was my first check-up since the infusion and it included blood work. On 5/28 I had a total white blood cell count of 4.7, yesterday the count was 1.1.
The neutrophils count was 3.5 on 5/28 and yesterday it was 0.1. Neutrophils are the most abundant of the white blood cells and they are the first immune cells to arrive at the site of infection. Basically a count of 0.1 meant that I had almost no front line defenders.
Yesterday I began a seven-day series of Leukine injections to stimulate the bone marrow to produce white blood cells.
Today shortly after waking I experienced intense muscle spasms and bone pain; stimulating the bone marrow causes bone aches and can cause muscle spasms. It seems safe to assume that the first Leukine injection is already at work.
The injections are given in the fatty tissue of the arm and fortunately there is no pain - slight bruising but no pain. Seven days in a row includes Saturday and Sunday so tomorrow while most of you are sleeping in I will be receiving at injection at about 8:00 am because on the weekends everybody reports for injections at eight.
To wrap this up I'll say that it has been quite a week but I've got my pink boxing gloves on!
1 comment:
I AM SOOOOOO SORRY! Why do you, Stana, and I think we have to do this the hard way? Those shots may make you have a temp and feel like you have the flu :-( At least that is what we experienced. I only had 2 weeks - Stana had them through out her treatment. Let us help you through this - just tell me what to do!
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