Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Feeling some better


When I got to the City this morning for my appointment, I had to take a cab to the Cancer Center. I usually welcome the exercise, but this was the first time I was unable to walk the ten blocks from Grand Central.

The nurse who took me in looked twice. “You don’t look so good.”

“Is my color grey?”

“You’re very pale.”

She sent me down to the treatment floor while the lab tested my blood. Sure enough, I’m anemic, very much so. My hemoglobin counts were almost low enough to consider a blood transfusion! That accounts for some of the tiredness. And it occurs in reaction to both chemo and melanoma.

I got a massive infusion of “fluids” in addition to the steroid. And at the end I got a shot of something that boosts red blood cell production.

I left with prescriptions for more and stronger pain patches, a new anti-nausea drug, Reglan, an increased appetite, and a confidence that I can get through tomorrow without passing out.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

I hope you have a good meeting with the client tomorrow! Sounds like a visit to the doctor today was a really good idea.

Ceil said...

Better than good! I couldn't have gotten through the day without the drugs. I didn't realize what a toll the anemia had taken until I felt good enough to function today.

It was more than a meeting too. I taught an all-day class on Foxfire! to nearly twenty students. It went quite well. I'm feeling very good about it, though I'm ready to crash right about now.